The national flag of the Portuguese Republic has underwent multiple changes throughout the years. One thing that has remained consistent throughout the evolution of the flag has been the inclusion of some form of the coat of arms. A modified version of the national coat of arms is centered over the colour boundary at equal distance from the upper and lower edges. It features an armillary sphere that represents the tool used by Portuguese sailors during the Age of Discoveries. The Portuguese shield is also part of the coat of arms. The small blue shields represent the five wounds of Christ, while the seven castles represent Portugal’s victory over enemies under Afonso III in the 1200s. The rest of flag is a rectangular bicolour with a field divided into green on the hoist representing hope, and red on the fly representing the blood that was shed while defending the nation.
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Portugal V • T
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