The
Flag of England - Description of the English Flag
As the
above picture of the English Flag indicates the overall
background is
white
The description of
the English Flag is as follows:
White with a
centred red
cross that extends to the edges of the flag
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the English flag represent the
following:
White -
peace and honesty
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
The
basic style shown in the picture of the English flag is
described as Cross reflecting the
central design of the flag pattern
All Flag
pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view,
from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the English flag is described as 1:2 ( length twice the height )
The Meaning
& History of the English Flag and St. George - The English
flag depicts the cross of St. George, the Patron Saint of
England. The feast of England's patron saint is celebrated on
23rd April and Knighthoods of the Order of the Garter are also
bestowed on 23rd April
The
Real St. George
George run the
family estate in Palestine and was born of noble, Christian
parents and was a Roman Soldier
He held the rank of
a Roman Tribune. A Tribune was a Roman magistrate whose task it
was to protect the people against oppression
The Emperor was
Diocletian (245-313) who was a great persecutor of Christians
George complained
personally to the Emperor about the harsh treatment and
persecution of the Christians
Emperor Diocletian
threw George into prison where he was tortured, but he refused
to recant his Christian faith
He was sentenced to
death, dragged through the streets and beheaded
He was martyred at
Lydda in Palestine (Nicomedia) and became a cult figure for
Christians
St. George became
England's patron saint in the 14th century
The
Legend
of St. George and the Dragon
St George was
venerated as a soldier saint
Many legends
surrounded the honour and bravery of St. George - the most
famous was the legend of St. George and the Dragon
According to legend
a dragon was terrorising a Pagan land. The dragon was at first
pacified by being fed sheep but then demanded human sacrifice
including a beautiful princess
The brave St.
George rode into the land and, single-handed, slaughtered the
dragon
St. George the
Saint
of
Battles
St George became
the Saint of Battles and his symbol, the red cross on the white
field, was closely associated with the Crusaders and King
Richard the Lionheart
The Crusaders were
Christian Knights who went on Crusades to free Jerusalem from
the Infidels
The Knights wore
chain mail armor which was covered by a surcoat. This livery was
a white tabard, or tunic, emblazoned by the red cross of St.
George.
Flag
Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description
uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear
with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called
Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a
Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the
Flag Quiz
Flag History &
Evolution:
The idea of
flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and
the battlefield
Shields were
painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors
needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying
a pole was adopted
An emblem
such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the
pole for identification
The emblems
were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats
of Arms were born
These
emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans
were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and
fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of
fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict
rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and
creating a modern flag
English
Flag Etiquette
English Flag etiquette is very strict and is is
essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic
Flag
Etiquette applies to all nations, including English as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag of
English
State Flag of
English
Military Flag of
English (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of
English
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the English Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The
National flag of
English should never be flown
above another national flag on the same staff as this would
suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or
Nation, over another
The English flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
English should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the English flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of English, when in such
condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display,
should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in
private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in English Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the English flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the English flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the English flag to the top, then lowering the
English Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the English flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The English flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the English flag
The English flag
should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a
manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way
The English
flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The
English flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to English
Flag usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation
in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding English Flag Etiquette has
provided a useful resource.
England
Location:
Western Europe, islands including the
northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
English Land Size : 94,217 square miles
English Climate / Weather
: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days
are overcast
English Population :
6 Billion
Former English Name(s) :
n/a
English Capital City:
London
English Main Industries :
machine tools, electric power & automation equipment, railroad
equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts,
electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
coal, petroleum, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other
consumer goods
English Agricultural
products : cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
sheep, poultry; fish
English Currency
: British pound (GBP) Stirling
Main Colors of
the English Flag : White with red cross
The Celts and Ancient
British / English History
Bronze and Iron Age - The emergence
of the Celts across Europe
400BC - By this time the ancient
culture of the Celts had settled in many European countries
including Austria, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium,
Switzerland, Western Germany, Northern Spain, Turkey and Hungary
The Celts were people from various
tribes and were called Galli by the Romans and Galatai or Keltoi
by the Greeks. These terms all had one meaning in common -
barbarian
It is from the Greek word Keltoi
from which the word 'Celt' is derived
Despite the name of Barbarian the
Celtic society was based almost entirely on pastoralism and the
raising of cattle or sheep
15 BC The Romans had begun to
extend their empire. Gallia (in English Gaul) is the Roman name
for the region of Europe occupied by the Celts. The word Gaul
commonly refers to a Celt inhabitant of that region in ancient
times
224 - 220 BC - Rome conquered the
Celts
390 BC - The Celts sacked Rome
280 BC - The Celts sacked many
Greek cities
390 BC - The Celts sacked Rome
50-100AD - The spread of
Christianity
476 AD The Roman Empire collapsed
Middle Ages - Various different
cultures emerged in the lands of the Celts and the history of
each country changed accordingly
The above information provides a
concise background to the Ancient British / English civilisations
The Emergence of England
After the Romans leave the country
Britain is separated into many small kingdoms
486 - 865 The Middle Ages are
dominated by increasing English trade links with the continent including
the German Saxons and Viking raids
The English inhabitants were referred to as
the Anglo-Saxons
Christianity spreads throughout the
country and St Augustus is sent by the Pope to convert the
English population
Information about this period has
been obtained from a monk and Historian referred to as The
Venerable Bede (673 - 735) in his writing "Ecclesiastical
History of the English People"
The Venerable Bede introduced the
concept of England and the English people - a Christian people
untarnished by any Pagan past...
1120-1129 "HISTORIA REGUM
BRITANNIAE" was written by Geoffrey of Monmouth and details the
English Arthurian legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and
the chivalric court of Camelot. This provided the Welsh with a
claim to the sovereignty of the whole island of Britain of which
the Tudors took advantage
Concise History of
England
871 Wessex
Saxon King Ethelred and his brother Alfred, defeat the Danes at
the Battle of Ashdown (in Berkshire)
871-899 King
Alfred the Great
1016-1035 -
Danish under King Canute rule England
1042 - House
of Wessex is Restored under Edward, the Confessor (1042-66) and
Harold II (1066)
1066 - The
Battle of Hastings - William, Duke of Normandy crowned King of
England (William I)
1066-1087) -
The Normans rule the English
1086 - 1088
- The English Domesday Book is compiled
1154 - 1399
- The Plantagenets (Angevin Line)
1399 - 1371
- The Plantagenets (Lancastrian Line)
1371 - 1485
- The Plantagenets (Yorkist Line)
1485 - 1603
- The Tudors
1603 - 1649
- The Stuarts
1649 - 1659
- The Commonwealth under the Cromwells
1660 - 1688
- House of Stuart, Restored
1689 - 1702
- House of Orange and Stuart
1702 - 1714
- House of Stuart
1714 - 1901
- House of Brunswick, Hanover Line
1901 -
Present Day - House of Windsor
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The
English Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the English Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your
knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the
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