The Flag of Latvia

Ditleb von Alnpeke mentions a carmine-red and white flag for the first time in the Livonian Chronicles back in the XIIIth century A.D. It mentions that Latvian Semigallian tribe with its leader Namejs used such a flag in war with the Teutonic knights.

National Flag of Latvia has a legend exactly like the one of its Austrian comrade. The legend says, that during a war in around 1279, a Latvian tribe from the Northern town of Cēsis wrapped their warlords dead body in a white cloth. The sides of the cloth became stained with the warrior's blood, whereas the center remained white. 

It is said, the tribe started using this piece of blood-stained cloth as a flag from that day. Moreover, they even used it to assist their occupants - the Livonians in fight with other Latvian tribes, as there was no concept of a Nation back in the days.

The Flag of Latvia was officially introduced in 1918, when Latvia became an independent country from the Russian Empire. Read more about the Independence here. However, during the Soviet occupation the flag was banned and its possession or usage could be punished by imprisonment. Instead of the Latvian national flag, Soviets introduced this flag for the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic having red and blue stripes, as shown in photo:

The long-hidden and preserved flag of Latvia was used once again on February 19 1990, when along with the National Anthem and the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Latvia it became an official symbol of this proud Baltic state and has remained as one ever since.