For me, interest and attitude towards the surrounding world (so to speak, geography) is often associated with fiction. One example is a deep sympathy for Wales - the country where Arthur Llewellyn Machen was born [according to the rules, his surname should be transcribed as Macken, but the spelling Machen is customarily fixed], one of my favorite writers. Moreover, he was not only born there, but also wrote a lot about Wales, its ancient traditions, nature, and people.

However, it so happened that Wales from ancient times came under the rule of the state, which is now often (and own initiative) is referred to by the faceless abbreviation U.K. In the Middle Ages it was England, and it is to her, to this state and the mentality of its organizers that the words from Machen’s novel “The Secret Glory” are addressed:

"He [ main character] remembered my father’s oft-repeated exclamation: “cythrawl Sais!” (“damn the Saxons!”), but I understood that these words did not curse the English as such, but Anglo-Saxonism - that force of persuasion that builds Manchester, “does business”, creates a general split, a representative parliament, falsifications, outskirts and the Private closed schools. His father taught him that this is the worldview of the “master of the world,” a worldview convenient for gaining comfort, success, a decent bank account, universal worship, reasonable and real victory...”

I completely share this opinion. And I really hope that someday Wales will get rid of its connection with this state. As I figuratively call it, the Red Dragon will be freed I-Ddraig Goh.

History of the Red Dragon of Wales

The Red Dragon is a symbol of Wales, present on its national flag:

The Welsh Dragon was first mentioned in the Mabinogion (a medieval collection of Welsh stories): in the story “Llyd and Llewelis” about King Llyd and his brother - French King Llewelis, who rid Britain of the constantly fighting Red and White Dragons. According to legend, the Kings ordered a hole to be dug and filled with honey (apparently with a sedative effect). When the Dragons, having taken the bait, got drunk and fell asleep, their bodies were wrapped in canvas, and the hole was covered with earth.

After some time, King Vortigern decided to build the fortress of Dinas Emrys (later the Fortress of Ambrose in Snowdonia) on this site. But the walls built during the day are destroyed every night. In order to get rid of evil spell, The king is advised to sacrifice a boy born without a father. This child turns out to be Ambrose Aurelian, Vortigern's successor and possible prototype legendary King Arthur. However, Ambrose tells Vortigern that the reason for the failure of the construction is actually an underground lake where two warring dragons are buried. When, by order of the King, the earth was dug up there, two dragons actually escaped from there, who immediately began to fight, and Red defeated White:

As Ambrose explained this to King, the underground lake personifies the image of the world, where the red dragon is the people of Vortigern, and the white one is the people who captured many areas in Britain and subjugated many of the peoples living in it, in in this case- Saxons.

Uther Pendragon and the Kingdom of Gwynedd

According to Nenius' History of the Britons (9th century), the victory of the Red Dragon foreshadowed the coming of Uther Pendragon:

Uther Pendragon (Welsh spelling: Wthyr Bendragon, Uthr Bendragon, Uthyr Pendraeg) is the legendary King of the Britons, father of King Arthur. The name Uther means "terrible"; Geoffrey of Monmouth translated the epithet "Pendragon" as "dragon's head." Otherwise - “main dragon”, that is, “military leader” (“pen” is consonant with the universal “pan, ban” = “lord”). In the History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th century), the boy who revealed the secret of the sleeping dragons was Merlin himself, and the Red Dragon also prophesied the coming of King Arthur (in the text: the boar from Cornubia). In the same book, I-Draig Goch is the Dragon of the legendary King Cadwaladr Wendigaid ap Cadwallon, ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd from 655 to 682.

The Kingdom of Gwynedd (Teyrnas Gwynedd) is one of the Celtic Kingdoms of medieval Wales, in the north-west of the country:

The rulers of Gwynedd traditionally played a leading role among Welsh sovereigns. Geographical features This remote mountainous area prevented the Kings of England from effectively pursuing a policy of conquest. Unfortunately, this factor was not enough for Wales to defend its independence.

Coat of arms of the Prince of Wales

The rule of the United Kingdom deprived Wales of much: the country's traditions, religion (primordial Christianity) were abandoned, and the language was almost forgotten. In the second half of the 20th century, some progress began towards the revival of national sovereignty. By the way, Wales is not currently represented in the coat of arms of Great Britain in any way (this, in my opinion, is quite an indicative fact); he was on it only during the Tudor dynasty as one of the holders. The Red Dragon is present on the coat of arms of the Prince of Wales, and even then not on the central shield:

The central shield bears the coat of arms of the Principality of Wales: four leopards ( symbol figures of a marching lion, turning its face towards the viewer) with azure weapons (claws and tongue). It was the personal symbol of Llywelyn the Great, ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd in the first half of the 13th century and de facto of almost all of Wales:

Since 2008 this image has been the Royal Badge of Wales:

The shield is bordered by a green ribbon, on which is placed the motto Pleidiol Wyf I'm Gwlad ("I am true to my country") - a line from the Welsh anthem. The sign is crowned with the crown of St. Edward. There is a wreath of heraldic plants around the sign components United Kingdom: Wales (leeks), Scotland (thistles), Ireland (shamrocks), England (double Tudor rose).

Red Dragon in the Royal Badge of Wales

I don’t like the previous option at all, since it symbolizes Wales’ entry into the state of Great Britain. But he has a second option, and the Red Dragon appears in it:

Since 1953, the Red Dragon has been framed by a garter with the words Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn ("The Red Dragon inspires action"). This badge is also surmounted by the crown of St. Edward. Legislatively, the Red Dragon was adopted as a symbol of Wales only in 1959. By the way, the English national “hero” Winston Churchill spoke extremely disparagingly about this sign. The more valuable he is in my eyes.

Royal Badge of Wales(eng. Royal Badge of Wales) - the coat of arms worn by the monarch of Great Britain, used by the National Assembly of Wales to certify the legislative acts it issues. Since the Principality of Wales does not have an approved national emblem, the royal badge of Wales is the highest heraldic symbol. Put into effect in July 2008.

The royal sign is a shield cut and crossed into gold and scarlet with four marching lions with azure weapons (claws and tongue). The shield is bordered by a green ribbon on which is placed the motto: “I am loyal to my country” (Welsh: Pleidiol Wyf I "m Gwlad) - a line taken from the anthem of Wales. The sign is crowned with the crown of St. Edward. Around the sign is a wreath of heraldic plants of the constituent parts of the United Kingdom : Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England - leek, thistle, shamrock and double Tudor rose.

Story [ | ]

The current royal badge of Wales is the result historical development heraldic symbols symbolizing Wales.

In 1953, the red dragon in the form of the Royal Badge of Wales received the honorary addition - the coat of arms, consisting of a shield divided into two parts - white and green with a red dragon placed in the center, was given a frame with a garter with the words "The red dragon inspires action" (Welsh. "Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn"). The badge was also surmounted by the crown of St. Edward.

In this form, the royal badge became quite common: in 1956 it was placed on the collars of the Cardiff coat of arms, then its motifs (but not the badge itself) were used when approving the flag of Wales in 1959. Despite the introduction new version sign, the red dragon emblem continues to be used, for example, in the certification of legislative instruments of the National Assembly, or in the symbolism of the Wales Office, the department for Welsh affairs in the British government.

In 2007, the National Assembly of Wales, which by this time had received the opportunity to publish legislative acts, which do not require confirmation by the British Parliament, raised the question of the need to approve the highest heraldic symbol before the Prince of Wales and the Chamber of Heraldry. As a result, the first Welsh law since Hywel the Good, issued on July 9, 2008, was certified by a new royal sign Wales.

Special relationship with heraldry. For example, the capital of a state does not have its own official symbol, in contrast to the historical and business center of the City and other counties that are part of it. Or the so-called coat of arms, which is not the national coat of arms literally, and is considered a royal sign.

Wealth and pomp

These are the associations that the royal sign of Wales evokes, thanks to its numerous symbols and color palette. Three primary colors present on the heraldic symbol - red, gold, emerald.

In addition to them, there are other colors, which are very rarely used for images of coats of arms and emblems, for example, purple or dark pink. The royal badge of this region of Great Britain has a very complex compositional structure, several important parts can be distinguished:

• shield cut into four parts;
• a green ribbon with the motto bordering the shield;
• crown of St. Edward;
• a kind of wreath made from plants known in the English heraldic tradition.

In turn, each of the parts has its own symbolic images. For example, in each of the four fields of the shield there is a walking lion. In a red field the lion is golden, in a golden field it is red. The claws and tongues of animals are painted azure. The motto is written on the emerald ribbon; it is a line from the Welsh anthem; the main meaning of the inscription is “loyalty to one’s country.”

The crown is a symbol of the monarchy

The official badge of Wales is surmounted by the crown, a symbol of the headdress used at the coronation of new English monarchs. The Crown of St. Edward was created in 1661, especially for Charles II.

There is a version that it received this name because it was created using gold from an older royal headdress, namely the crown of Edward the Confessor. He was revered as a saint and ruled England in the 11th century.

Heraldic flora

A rather unusual wreath surrounds the shield on the Royal Badge of Wales. But everything becomes much clearer if you know the symbolic connections between the constituent parts of Great Britain and plants.

The wreath features thistle, which is associated with Scotland. The green shamrock is the most famous symbol in the world, clearly indicating. The double Tudor rose is, naturally, . Perhaps the funniest thing in this “bouquet” is the symbol of Wales itself – the leek.

The daffodil did not immediately become a symbol of Wales. There is a legend according to which in the distant 6th century a decisive battle was to take place between the Welsh - the inhabitants of Wales - and the Saxons. An onion field was chosen as the location for the battle. Taking advantage of the terrain, Saint David, who was the patron saint of Wales, ordered his soldiers to attach parts of leeks to their headdresses. In this way, it was easier for the Welsh to distinguish their soldiers from enemy soldiers in battle. The Welsh warriors were victorious in that battle.

Saint David - real personality, shrouded in legends. One of the legends says that three decades before the birth of David, a heavenly figure appeared to St. Patrick, heralding the emergence of a strong patron of Wales. There were rumors that at the moment of Saint David's birth, lightning flashed across the sky, splitting a massive rock in half.

Subsequently, green and white colors, symbolizing leeks, were used in their clothing by Welsh archers. In March, when the day of honoring St. David arrived, the Welsh attached this plant to items of clothing. The leek, which once brought victory in the battle, also appeared on the coat of arms of Wales. It is included in a wreath of several symbolic plants bordering the sign of princely power.

Yellow daffodil as a symbol of Wales

Appearing before the leaves, late winter flowers will fill the air with aroma and decorate the plum branches bright color. Plum color represents courage, beauty, hope, purity and prosperity. Cut flowering plum branches placed in vases for decoration New Year's table- for a fruitful and good year.

Plum color is present in Chinese poetry, painting, dance and is associated with the beginning of spring in Japan and China.

There are plum flowers different color: red, pink, white and yellow. But the decoration of the Chinese New Year is flowers of all shades of red.

The second important flower symbol of Chinese New Year is the daffodil, symbolizing good luck, prosperity and good fortune. It is grown directly in water. In this case, a variety is used white, which does not require a period of winter cold before the bulb begins to awaken.

The Chinese believe that if a daffodil blooms exactly on New Year, then this is a very favorable sign for the next twelve months.

Another reason for the popularity of narcissus is its pleasant aroma.

Residents of the Middle Kingdom have developed a unique method of growing narcissus, thanks to which the leaves and stems are not straight, but different forms and sizes. This method has been used for about a thousand years, and it has become popular in other countries around the world.

Masters of their craft cut the flower bulbs in such a way that the green parts of the plant grow curved rather than straight. After cutting, the bulbs are immersed in water “upside down” for five days, and then turned over and again immersed in water to a shallow depth, surrounded by pebbles. After about a month, flowers appear.

Without an established national coat of arms, the Royal Badge of Wales is the highest heraldic symbol. Put into effect in July 2008.

The royal sign is a shield cut and crossed into gold and scarlet with four marching lions with azure weapons (claws and tongue). The shield is bordered by a green ribbon on which is placed the motto: “I am loyal to my country” (Welsh: Pleidiol Wyf I "m Gwlad) - a line taken from the anthem of Wales. The sign is crowned with the crown of St. Edward. Around the sign is a wreath of heraldic plants of the constituent parts of the United Kingdom : Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England - leek, thistle, shamrock and double Tudor rose.

Story

The current royal badge of Wales is the result of the historical development of the heraldic devices symbolizing Wales.

Before the conquest of Wales, the rulers of the medieval Welsh kingdoms had personal coats of arms, which, with some degree of convention, can be called the coats of arms of the ones they headed state entities. Of these kingdoms, Gwynedd was the most influential in the period leading up to the loss of independence and lasted the longest until 1282. Some kings and princes of Gwynedd managed to unite under their hand most lands included in the territory of modern Wales. Welsh holders of the title of Prince of Wales were also representatives of this northern kingdom. Therefore, the personal coat of arms of Llywelyn the Great, adopted by his heirs, became one of the most important heraldic symbols of Wales. From the beginning of the 20th century, the Princes of Wales began to place a shield with Gwynedd leopard lions on their coat of arms; the shield of the modern royal badge also repeats the coat of arms of Llywelyn.

In 1953, the red dragon in the form of the Royal Badge of Wales received the honorary addition - the coat of arms, consisting of a shield divided into two parts - white and green with a red dragon placed in the center, was given a frame with a garter with the words "The red dragon inspires action" (Welsh. "Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn"). The badge was also surmounted by the crown of St. Edward.

In this form, the royal badge became quite common: in 1956 it was placed on the collars of shield holders on the coat of arms of Cardiff, then its motifs (but not the badge itself) were used when approving the flag of Wales in 1959. Despite the introduction of a new version of the sign, the red dragon emblem continues to be used, for example, in the certification of legislative instruments of the National Assembly, or in the symbolism of the Wales Office, the department for Welsh affairs in the British government.

In 2007, the National Assembly of Wales, which by this time had received the opportunity to issue legislative acts that did not require confirmation by the British Parliament, raised the question of the need to approve the highest heraldic symbol to the Prince of Wales and the House of Heraldic Affairs. As a result, the first Welsh law since Hywel the Good, issued on July 9, 2008, was certified by the new royal seal of Wales.

see also

Notes

1. « First Welsh law's royal approval"on the BBC website. (English)