Flag Update

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

As VaBeachGuy has now uploaded the English flag for the nationality images, he asked me to start a topic to explain the difference between the English and British flags for those of you would would be interested. I hope you enjoy.

 

St. George's Cross

 

 

This flag was in use during the crusades and it was one of the national emblems of England as early as 1277. It is named after St George, the patron saint of England and among the most famous of Christian figures.

 

According to the 'Acts of St George' he held the rank of tribune in the Roman army and was beheaded by Diocletian for protesting against the Emperor's persecution of Christians. However George was probably first made well known in England by Arculpus and Adamnan in the early eighth century and The Acts of St George, which recounted his visits to Glastonbury while on service in England, were translated into Anglo-Saxon.

 

George was adopted as the patron saint of soldiers after he was said to have appeared to the Crusader army at the Battle of Antioch in 1098, and the banner of St George, the red cross of a martyr on a white background, was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers in the reign of Richard 1 campaigning in Palestine (1191-92), and later became the flag of England. The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George.

 

Several stories have been attached to Saint George, the best known of which is the Golden Legend. In it, a dragon lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fearce creature, and had gone down in painful defeat. The monster ate two sheep each day; when mutton was scarce, lots were drawn in local villages, and maidens were substituted for sheep. Into this country came Saint George. Hearing the story on a day when a princess was to be eaten, he crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon, and converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor, then rode away.

 

 

The Union Jack

 

 

The Union Flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom and it is so called because it embodies the emblems of the three countries united under one Sovereign.

 

The origin of the Union Jack is somewhat uncertain, although it most likely came from the time of James I who originated the first union between England, Scotland and Ireland in 1603. In its Latin form Jacobus or as 'jack' once meant small, the name may be derived from a royal proclamation issued by Charles II that the Union Flag should be flown only by ships of the Royal Navy as a jack, (a small flag at the bowsprit).

 

The union is made up of three heraldic crosses:

 

The cross of St George, patron saint of England since the 1270's, is a red cross on a white ground. It was the national flag of England until James I succeeded to the throne in 1603, after which it was combined in 1606 with the crosses of St. Andrew and St. Patrick;

 

 

The cross saltire of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross on a blue ground.

 

 

The cross saltire of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground. This was combined with the previous Union Flag of St George and St Andrew, after the Act of Union of Ireland with England (and Wales) and Scotland on 1 January 1801, to create the Union Flag that has been flown ever since.

 

 

The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag. This is because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, the Principality of Wales by that time was already united with England and was no longer a separate principality.

 

This was the flag that flew above all the early English settlements in the new world. It was the most commonly used flag in the English colonies until the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1775.

[Jim Phaserman 0]

Very informative, thank you, TM. I was always under the obviously mistaken impression the Union Jack was the flag of England, as well as the whole of the UK.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Very interesting. Thank you very much.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Very interesting history lesson there TPM! Thank you!

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

Thanks guys. Though I have to admit that I had to look up for some of the points and the exact legend of St George (although I know the basic story).

[stoned_vulcan 0]

very intresting info.. do you have a URL link where i can read more/

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

very intresting info.. do you have a URL link where i can read more/

I found a lot of sites were fairly basic which is why I had to look up a few old books I have. The only one that I found as any good was: http://www.britannia.com/history

 

But it does go in to quite some detail.

[removed 0]

Interesting.

 

I knew of the Scotish and Irish flags, but had assumed that England's was the Union Jack. Thank you for clarifying.

[Nemesis 0]

We learned that in Canadain History, though not in that much detail thanks TM