How many countries during the history of the U.S. state of Texas have ruled over all or some part of the state?

Six countries have ruled over some or all of the current territory that is now the U.S. state of Texas. The powers that ruled Texas include: Spain (1519–1821), France (1685–1690), Mexico (1821–1836), the Republic of Texas (1836–1845), the Confederate States of America (1861–1865), and the United States of America (1845–1861 and 1865–present).

Today, the slogan used to describe the six countries that ruled some or all of the current state of Texas is "Six flags over Texas". This slogan has been incorporated into shopping malls, theme parks (Six Flags), and other enterprises. The six flags are also shown on the reverse of the Seal of Texas. The Texas Historical Commission adopted standard designs for representing the six flags in 1997. Currently, a display of the Six Flags is found in Austin, Texas.