Flag of Isle of Man

The flag of the Isle of Man is a red cloth with a triskelion in the center. It has been the official flag of the Isle of Man since December 1, 1932, and is based on the Isle of Man's coat of arms, which dates back to the 13th century.

Meaning of the flag of the Isle of Man

The flag consists of:

• Red color. There is no official explanation for this color, but it usually symbolizes the spilled blood of soldiers who stood in defense of the country;
• Triskelion - an ancient motif consisting of three rays emanating from a single point. In the case of the Isle of Man flag, it is three bent legs running. The three legs pointing in different directions represent the Isle of Man's motto "quocunque jeceris stabit" (no matter how you throw it, it will stand).

The triskelion appears on various flags in one way or another. It is not a unique symbol. But there are only 3 flags in the form of legs:

1. The flag of the Isle of Man itself;
2. the flag of Sicily;
3. the flag of the city of Füssen (Germany).

Legends about the Isle of Man triskelion

There are many theories about what the Isle of Man triskelion symbolizes. According to one of them, Ewan MacDougall created the triskelion from the three fused legs of the Isle of Man inhabitants who rebelled against him and Magnus III. MacDougall saw the value of his subjects only in the labor they performed for him and the taxes they paid to the royal family. After the uprising was suppressed, one of the leaders lost his leg. MacDougall, not being very smart, actually thought that the legs could walk if they were quickly joined together. Of course, the legs never landed on their feet wherever the king threw them, only demonstrating his own stupidity and madness to everyone involved. He also created a quadrangle with arms, which Magnus used for fun to whip people four times at the award ceremony.

Another theory is that the triskelion represents the Celtic sea god Mannanin, who in Manx mythology was the protector of the Isle of Man. It is said that Mannanin transformed into three legs to fight St. Patrick and assert himself over his people. It is possible that both versions are correct, as the motto of the Isle of Man is what Mannanin proclaimed after turning into three legs. The people of the Isle of Man often jokingly say that the flag's legs are turned counterclockwise, so they cannot kneel before the British.

History of the Isle of Man flag

Until 1265, the Isle of Man belonged to the Kingdom of the Isles, which was ruled by the Crovan dynasty. When the last member of the family died without an heir, the island became the property of the King of Scotland. In 1266, the Norwegian king transferred sovereignty over the Isle of Man and the Hebrides to the King of Scotland. The Crovan dynasty had ships and lions on their coats of arms, but there is no evidence that they used the triskelion. The origin of the triskelion on the Isle of Man may be related to a knotted device depicted on Viking coins from the 10th century. However, this device has nothing to do with the triskelion, and the time gap between their use suggests that they are not related. 

The appearance of the symbol on the Isle of Man in the last third of the 13th century may be related to the change of power on the island. This symbol has long been associated with Sicily, which is shaped like a triangle. This association was recorded as early as the 7th century BC. In 1250, the German Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Frederick II, died after a long reign in Sicily. The tricolor, as a symbol, almost certainly comes from his Sicilian connections. After Frederick's death, the Pope handed over the Sicilian throne to Edmund Crouchback, the second son of the English King Henry III. Edmund held the title "King of Sicily" for ten years. There is no direct evidence of the use of the triskelion symbol in Sicily in the 13th century, but there is architectural evidence of its use in Austria, which is almost certainly related to Frederick's personal coat of arms. After the British gained control of the island in 1346, the triskelion remained as the island's symbol. Over time, the Isle of Man flag has been flown on merchant ships from the island, unauthorized by the authorities. But in 1889, it was authorized to fly the Isle of Man flag. The flag was officially adopted in 1932, and in 1971 the civilian flag of the Isle of Man was approved, featuring the Union Jack on a red field, as well as the flag of the Isle of Man's parliament, Tinwald.