The history of the flags of Mexico began before the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, with the Flag Bearers of the Mexicas. The Flag of Atzacoalco was a large parasol with golden yellow feathers carried by the general of the army. The modern day Flag of Mexico was adopted in 1968. History The conquistador [Hernán Cortés] used a [Flag of Hernán Cortés banner for the conquest of Mexico], started in the year 1521, the banner is represented with the bust of the Virgin Mary. He was painted on a red damask, wearing a golden crown accompanied by rays and twelve stars forming a semicircle on his head. As of August 13, 1528, the day of San Hipólito, Cortés ordered that the "Paseo del Pendón" be verified annually. The Paseo del Pendón was a kind of official flag festival, taking a tour of the main streets of the city and ending in the church of San Hipólito. The Royal Banner was carried by an ensign of the Colonial Guard mounted on horseback, and behind him, in hierarchical order, followed the nobility, oidores, military officers, and lastly, the people in general. Several of these banners were used as flags during the time of the viceroyalty. The latter, which prevailed until 24August 1821, the date on which [Agustín de Iturbide] and the last viceroy of New Spain signed the treaty declaring Mexico an independent nation, was square in shape, of a tawny brown color, and from the center and towards the corners the Cross of San Andrés started, with reeled arms and purple. At each of the ends of the cross finished off a shield of Mexico City, with crowned lions, and on each of the shields a royal crown. On Sunday, 16 September 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the initiator of the Mexican War of Independence, took from the sacristy of the parish of Atotonilco el Grande, in the State of Guanajuato, an oil painting representing the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This banner would be the flag in the fight for independence that the insurgents were going to undertake. The Virgin Guadalupana was taken as a protector because she was the mestizo virgin and to make the insurgents feel that her fight was not condemned by her religion. José María Morelos y Pavón used a rectangular-shaped flag with a pale blue background and another white rectangle in the center