Two equal
horizontal bands of white (top), and red
Red Dragon Emblem
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the Welsh flag represent the
following:
White -
peace and honesty
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Green -
hope, joy and love and in many cultures have a sacred
significance
The
basic style shown in the picture of the Welsh flag is
described as Emblem 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 Welsh flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the
height )
The Meaning
& History of the Welsh Flag
The Welsh flag is known as Y Ddraig Goch, the Red Dragon
The Romans carried
banners bearing Dragon emblems - it is believed that legends
about dragons were passed to the Romans from the Persian Empire
The Welsh hero
Cadwaladr carried the dragon standard in the 700's
The Tudors claimed
Welsh ancestry and their livery was green and white. The Tudors
claim to the English throne was strengthened by this association
The Welsh flag has
been officially used since the 1950s
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
Welsh
Flag Etiquette
Welsh 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 Welsh as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag of
Welsh
State Flag of Welsh
Military Flag of
Welsh (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of Welsh
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the Welsh Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The National flag of
Welsh 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 Welsh flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
Welsh should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the Welsh flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of Welsh, 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 Welsh Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the Welsh flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the Welsh flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the Welsh flag to the top, then lowering the
Welsh Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the Welsh flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The Welsh flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the Welsh flag
The Welsh 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 Welsh
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
Welsh flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Welsh
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 Welsh Flag Etiquette has provided a useful
resource
Wales
Location:
Western Europe, Western section of
British Isles between the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Welsh Land Size : 8800 square miles
Climate / Weather
of Wales : temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days
are overcast
Welsh Population :
2,946,200
Former Name(s) :
Cambria
Welsh Main Industries :
machine tools, electric power & automation equipment,
communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum,
food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
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, Keltoi, that
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
The Romans gave Wales the name of
Cambria
The Ancient Druid religion is had
its stronghold in Wales until the Roman invasion
224 - 220 BC - Rome conquered the
Celts
According to legend Emperor Magnus
Maximus Elen the daughter of a Welsh chieftain
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
383 Is considered by eminent
historians as the year that the concept of the Welsh nation
began
476 AD The Roman Empire collapsed
St. David - the Patron
Saint of Wales
St. David's day is celebrated on
March 1st
St. David was an early crusader for
Christianity and served as a Bishop in Wales, is believed to
have died on March 1st, 589
"The Life of St David" was written
by Rhygyfarch of Llanbadarn (near Aberystwyth) around 1190
His remains were buried at what is
now the Cathedral of St. David's in Pembrokeshire in the West of
Wales
The leek is a Welsh emblem which is
linked with St. David and adopted as a national symbol because
of its importance to the Welsh national diet especially during
Lent
Concise History of
Welsh & its Flag
Wales had
been conquered by Edward I of England (1239 - 1307) and became
incorporated into England under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284.
Wales was therefore considered part of the kingdom of England
and the Welsh flag never became part of the British Union Jack Flag
383 Is
considered by eminent historians as the year that the concept of
the Welsh nation began
784 The King
Of Mercia builds Offa's Dyke as a boundary between England and
Wales
844-877 The
Reign Of Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri The Great) who united all of Wales
under his rule
890 Welsh
rulers acknowledge Alfred Of Wessex as their ruler and creates a
sense of subservience to the English Crown
1066-77
Following the defeat of the English King Harold at the Battle Of
the Normans also take control of Wales
1120-1129 "Historia
Regum Britanniae" was writtenb by Geoffrey Of Monmouth and
details the 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
1137-1170
The Reign of Owain Gwynedd
1169
According to Welsh legend Prince Madog Of Gwynedd, landed in
Alabama and travelled up the Missouri leaving behind Welsh
culture and customs
1204 Prince
Llywelyn Ap Iorwerth married Joan, the daughter of King John Of
England
1222-1283
Llywelyn Ap Gruffudd took the title of Prince Of Wales with
agreement from the King Of England but Wales then became
subservient to the King of England
1284 Wales
became incorporated into The Kingdom Of England under the
Statute of Rhuddlan
1485 The
Battle Of Bosworth ended the English Wars of The Roses when
Henry Tudor defeated Richard III. Henry Tudor claimed Welsh
descent through Owain Tudor of Penmynedd in Anglesey who had
secretly married Catherine, widow of King Henry V. Their son,
Edmund Tudor fathered Henry Tudor, who became King Henry VII of
England and fulfilled the old prophesy that one day a Welsh
Monarch would rule the whole of Britain
"Around the World in 80
minutes!"
A combination of information
regarding a Nation's flag, History, Geography and Current Events
provides an accurate snapshot of the evolution of each country
In just a short period of time this
concise information with specific facts will improve your
overall understanding of the great countries of the World
A useful Educational Resource
accessed from the Index
You can go "Around the World in 80
minutes!"
The
Welsh Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the Welsh Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your
knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the
Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our
interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and
it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the
right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
