Flag of Germany
When Heinrich XI, Prince Reuss of Greiz was appointed by Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor to rule the then-new Principality of Reuss-Greiz on 12 May 1778, the flag adopted by the "Fürstentum Reuß-Greiz" was the first-ever appearance of the black-red-gold tricolour in its modern arrangement in any sovereign state within what today comprises Germany – the Reuss elder line that ruled the principality used a flag whose proportions were close to a "nearly square"-shape 4:5 hoist/fly ratio, instead of the modern German flag's 3:5 figure.
Imperial law regarding the introduction of a German war and civil ensign
On July 31 the National Assembly in Frankfurt decided on a law, but only on November 12 the Imperial Regent signed it. Regent Archduke John of Austria had postponed the law because the great powers had not recognized the Empire. Great Britain threatened to consider the German flag as a pirate flag. Still, constitutional historian Ernst Rudolf Huber explains, the flag law was absolutely valid legally. Because of the general popularity of the coulours the imperial constitution of March 1849 lacked a paragraph on the flag.