The British first arrived in Tonga in the late-18th century, when Captain James Cook made three visits to the islands between 1773 and 1777.[1] Approximately fifty years later, English Wesleyan Methodist missionaries came to Tonga and began converting the islanders to Christianity.[2] In 1831, they succeeded in converting "paramount chief" Taufa'ahau Tupou,[1] who became King George Tupou I in 1845.[2] It was during this time (circa 1840s) that the first Tongan flag was adopted. It consisted of a white field with a cross (either red or blue in colour) at all four corners, and the letters "A" (in red) and "M" (in blue) at the centre that symbolise the king.[3]
Upon his accession to the throne, the king sought to design a new flag for the nation,[3] one that would represent Christianity.[4] He befriended Shirley Waldemar Baker – a member of the United Kingdom's Tongan mission who later became the Prime Minister of Tonga – and they worked together to formulate a new flag, coat of arms and national anthemfor Tonga.[2] The new design resembled the British Red Ensign, in that three-quarters of it consisted of a simple red field, with a "distinctive canton" featured in the upper hoist section; this was first used in 1866.[3] A new constitution for the kingdom was formulated and proclaimed on 4 November 1875.[2] It "codified" the new flag design,[3] and marks when it was adopted as the national flag.[4] Under Article 47 of the Constitution, this flag can "never be altered" and "shall always be the flag" of Tonga.[5]
