Commonly known as the 'French Tricolor', the ensign of France is one of the world's oldest flags and has been an inspiration for many flags around the world. A tricolor consisting of three equal vertical stripes of blue, white, and red, the French flag was created in 1790 and adopted shortly thereafter, in 1794. While the flag's colors may have many religiously grounded interpretations, the selected colors are also thought to be representative of the three main estates of the 'Ancien' Regime'; blue for the bourgeoisie, white for the clergy, and red for the nobility.