Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross. Over time, iconography developed to show the apostle on the cross, to commemorate his martyrdom. The year saw the Union of the Crowns, the event that brought Scotland and England together.
When this went down, a combined British flag was created. This flag—the flag of Great Britain—is the predecessor to the modern Union Jack. This is what it looked like:. The third component of the Union Jack is owed to Ireland. Their contribution, the Cross of Saint Patrick, is also a patron-saint flag. This resulted in a change to the flag of Great Britain: the cross of Saint Patrick was added to the existing flag of Great Britain, and the Union Jack was created.
But what about Wales? The United Kingdom has four countries, but only three are represented on the Union Jack. The Union Flag, the 'Union Jack' is possibly the best known of all the British icons appearing on car roofs, guitars, underpants you name it, its been branded but what does it really mean if it ignores one of the oldest nations in the British Isles?
The Union Flag did not blend Royal motifs, it represented the nations through their saints emblems. The earliest form of this flag was created for naval use during the reign on James the 1st. James' reign was special since he was also King James the 6th of Scotland. This meant the two kingdoms were unified. However, it did not mean the two counties became one, government is enshrined in law in Britain the law has usually been with the consent of the people to some degree and just because a Scott had become king of England didn't mean Englishmen became Scottish!
The original intention of the flag was simple practicality - the identification at sea of Royal Navy ships. As a military tool the union flag was very successful and grew in importance but it also offered a visual indication as to the 'desire' of the government and the crown for unification of the realms.
By the cross of Saint Patrick had been added to form the flag we know today:. It's worth noting that even today, the St. George's Cross accepted as the national flag of England is not an official symbol, government offices may not fly it in favour of the Union Flag although they can fly it together with the Union Flag if they wish. Here's why and I'm sorry to say to those readers not interested in history it's a necessary evil. We have to look further back, before James came to the throne, to the Tudors.
As you may already know, the Tudor dynasty boasted Welsh ancestry. Their reign began with Henry the 7 th born in Pembrokeshire who seized the crown from Richard the 3 rd , check your Shakespeare for details. Henry was descended from Edmund Tudor, again this is well documented elsewhere. The Tudor dynasty brought a new dynamism to the crown.
England and Wales under Tudor rule flourished especially with Elizabeth on the throne. The Elizabethan period alone produced two of England's greatest poets, Shakespeare and Bacon along with hero's like Drake and Ralegh. It is Elizabeth's father Henry the 8th we need to look to for an explanation to why Wales does not appear on the modern Union Flag.
The Tudors used their Welsh ancestry as a political tool. They were well aware of the power of the Arthurian legend and they made use of their 'British' origins to reinforce their claim to the crown, Henry the 7 th even named his son Arthur. Conflicts and negotiations with Scotland were an ongoing theme. Henry's continental wars were pressing the treasury and in the background were the claims and counter claims to the new lands found to the west, America.
Lets get one important issue out of the way, Henry the 8th was an Englishman. He was an English king born and bred in England. The same corner used to represent England is used again in another corner on the flag, to represent Wales as a part of the Kingdom of England. These inclusions and representations are based upon centuries-old perspectives of Kingdoms and Principalities and explain why there are no formal symbols of Wales in the Union Flag. However as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, all four home nations are included in a union of equals, brothers in arms.
The proud and ancient battle standard of the Welsh is The Red Dragon Y Ddraig Goch and consists of a red dragon, passant standing with one foot raised , on a green and white background. A commonly mistake to make, but one that can easily upset the locals! Read about the differences between Britain, the….
When St. Andrew was being crucified by the Romans in A.
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