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Zug canton (Switzerland)

Last modified: 2002-01-12 by pascal gross
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[Flag of Zug]
by António Martins

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Description of the flag

 Argent, a fess azure.

On a white field, a horizontal blue band.

Symbolism of the flag

 The arms of Zug were probably granted by Rudolf of Hapsburg, whose own arms were "gules, a fess argent" (i.e. same design, different colours). The original owners of Zug were the counts of Lenzburg whose arms were a blue disk on a white field. Thus the Zug flag and arms appear to be derived from Hapsburg and Lenzburg. (Some sources attribute the colour influence to neighboring Luzern and Zurich.) A fess is sometimes interpreted to be a military belt or a girdle of honour.

History of the flag

 Zug was a town of the Austrian dukes and waged war against the Swiss Confederation, most notably at the battle of Mortgarten in 1315. The Austrians used Zug as a wedge and staging point in campaigns against the Swiss, but when in 1351 Zurich joined the Confederation Zug was totally surrounded and its position untenable. The Swiss besieged Zug, and when it became clear that Duke Albrecht had abandoned them, they opened their gates and went over to the Confederate side. By the Peace of Thorberg in 1368 Zug was officially admitted to the Confederation, but in 1414 this arrangement was backdated to 1352. The earliest evidence of the Zug flag is dated at 1319.

T.F. Mills, 17 October 1997

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