GALICIANS (GALEGOS) Verified listing

The Galicians, a historical nation within the Kingdom of Spain, have preserved the use of a language to which Portuguese is related. Born from the Latin of the province of Gallaecia, it was the source of a great medieval literature.
In its present form, the flag dates back to the 19th century. The blue band (which succeeded a Saint Andrew’s cross) is said to represent the sea. The coat of arms of Galicia (1972) retains the ancient motifs: the chalice, a royal emblem since the 13th century, and the crosses. The 14th-century arms bear small crosses crosslet with pointed bases. According to certain heraldists, they represent the seven provinces of the former Kingdom of Galicia.