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Kingdom of Iraq (1924-1958)

Mamlakat al-Iraq

Last modified: 2008-01-19 by ian macdonald
Keywords: star: 7 point (white) | royal standard | crown prince | inspector general of the army | chief of the general staff |
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[Flag of the Kingdom of Iraq] 1:2  image by Željko Heimer


See also:


Description of the Flag

Iraq's first flag was inspired by the flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz, and was in use at the time of independence in 1932. The flag was actually used before independence, from 1924 to 1959. The British occupied Baghdad on 10 January 1919. The allied supreme council created a British mandate on 25 April 1920 and the League of Nations approved it later. The British suppressed a major Arab insurrection in July-December 1920. Faisal, deposed king of Syria, arrived in June 1921, and the British proclaimed him King of Iraq on 23 August after a plebiscite voiced 96% approval. The British simultaneously changed the mandate into a protectorate. The Iraq flag adopted by Faisal in 1921 slightly changed the Sharifian flag: it was a black-white-green tricolor with a red trapezoid in the hoist and two 7-pointed white stars in the red.
T. F. Mills, 16 December 1997

The flag was used as national flag and state and civil ensign. The construction details are given in Flaggenbuch as (2+2+2):12 with trapezoid height being 3. The seven-pointed stars are heptagrams of "sharpness" 1, they are inscribed in imaginary circles whose diameter is not given in Flaggenbuch, and is about 4/3 or so (measuring from the image). The centers of the circles appear to be in the midpoint of the heights from the trapezoid inner vertexes.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001


Royal Coat of Arms

Iraq Coat of Arms, 1931-1958 image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán


Royal Standard (1930-1958)

[Royal standard of Iraq]1:2  image by Željko Heimer

Black-white-green tricolour flag with a red triangle at hoist containing a golden crown.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

It should be noted that until 1930, Iraq was de jure ruled by Faisal and de facto ruled by the king's British advisors. Only in 1930 Iraq and United Kingdom signed a treaty which made Iraq an independent nation and Faisal I as its ruler de jure and de facto.
Dov Gutterman, 12 April 1999


Crown Prince's Standard

[Crown Prince's standard]1:2  image by Željko Heimer

Similar to royal standard, but in a peculiar pennant shape.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001


Chief of the General Staff of the Army

[Chief of the General Staff of the Army]2:3  image by Željko Heimer

Green flag with two white seven-pointed stars placed one above the other.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001


General Inspector of the Army

[General Inspector of the Army]2:3  image by Željko Heimer

Red flag with a white seven-pointed star in the middle.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001


Pilot Vessels

[Pilot vessels]2:3  image by Željko Heimer

White over red bicolour.
Source: Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001