Flag of England: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:English fan - RWC 2007.jpg|thumb|right|English Rugby Supporter in the streets of Nantes, France in 2007]] |
[[Image:English fan - RWC 2007.jpg|thumb|right|English Rugby Supporter in the streets of Nantes, France in 2007]] |
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In the past few years the Flag of St George has become increasingly used by the English, particularly at sports events. For example, when England won the [[FIFA World Cup|football World Cup]] in 1966, most of the flags waved by supporters were Union Flags. Now they have largely been supplanted by the English flag. |
In the past few years the Flag of St George has become increasingly used by the English, particularly at sports events. For example, when England won the [[FIFA World Cup|football World Cup]] in 1966, most of the flags waved by supporters were Union Flags. Now they have largely been supplanted by the English flag. |
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The flag is also seen during England Cricket matches. The flag is however seen mostly during the [[Cricket World Cup]] in matches where England plays. The flag is more importantly seen during [[The Ashes]]. Winning The Ashes is the pinnacle of English Pride and the flags are waved during the Tests whether in England by the home fans or in Australia by the [[Barmy Army]]. |
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Since 1996 the England flag has become more affiliated with supporters of the [[English football team]]. 27% of English adults having bought a flag during the [[2006 World Cup]].<ref name="gu">Conn, David; [http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/comment/story/0,,1818174,00.html Sour English stereotypes linger amid the flag-waving]; ''The Guardian''; 12 July 2006</ref> |
Since 1996 the England flag has become more affiliated with supporters of the [[English football team]]. 27% of English adults having bought a flag during the [[2006 World Cup]].<ref name="gu">Conn, David; [http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/comment/story/0,,1818174,00.html Sour English stereotypes linger amid the flag-waving]; ''The Guardian''; 12 July 2006</ref> |
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Revision as of 18:49, 8 April 2008
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| Use | Civil and state flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 3:5[1] |
| Adopted | 16th century |
| Design | A centred red cross on a white background |
The Flag of England is the St George's Cross. The red cross appeared in as an emblem of England during the Middle Ages and the Crusades and is one of the earliest known emblems representing England. It achieved status as the national flag of England during the 16th century.
Saint George became the patron saint of England in the 13th century, and the legend of Saint George slaying a dragon dates from the 12th century.
The proportions if the flag are that the red cross has a width of 1/5 of the height of the flag.[2]
History
The exact origins of the Flag of England are unclear and have multiple supporting theories; though it is known that the flag appeared during the Middle Ages. It was originally the flag of Genoa and was adopted by England and the City of London in 1190 for their ships entering the Mediterranean to benefit from the protection of the powerful Genoese fleet. The maritime Republic of Genoa was rising and going to become, with its rival Venice, one of the most important powers in the world. The English Monarch paid an annual tribute to the Doge of Genoa for this privilege. It was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers during the Crusades of the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries, particularly by the Knights Templar. It has been recorded that the first known recorded use of the St George's Cross as an emblem (but not as a flag) of England was in a roll of account relating to the Welsh War of 1275.
The use of a red cross on a white background was a symbol of St. George in the Middle Ages. This is seen, for example, in the flag of Georgia, another nation with St George as patron saint.
At the beginning of the Crusades, St George's red cross on white was already associated with England. Although the pope decided English crusaders would be distinguished by wearing a white cross on red, and French crusaders a red cross on white (Italian knights were allocated a yellow cross on a white background)[3], English knights soon decided to claim instead "their" cross of red on white, like the French. In January 1188, in a meeting between Henry II of England and Philip II of France, the two rivals agreed to exchange flags (France later changed its' new red cross on white for a white cross on a dark blue flag.[4] Some French knights carried on using the red cross however, and as English knights wore this pattern as well, the red cross on white became the typical crusader symbol regardless of nationality.[5]
St George's cross may not have achieved the full status of national flag until the 16th century, when all other saints' banners were abandoned during the Reformation. The earliest record of St George's flag at sea, as an English flag in conjunction with royal banners but no other saintly flags, was 1545.[6]
Incorporation into the Union Flag
The English Flag is one of the key components of the Union Flag. The Union Flag has been used in a variety of forms since 1606, when the flags of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland were first merged to symbolise the Union of the Crowns. (The Union of the Crowns having occurred in 1603).
From 1801, in order to symbolise the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland, a new design was adopted for the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The 1801 design, having remained unchanged despite the partition of Ireland in 1921 and creation of the Irish Free State, continues to be used as the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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St. George's Cross, the flag of England since the 16th Century: A centred red cross on a white background. |
.svg) The Union Flag, 1606 (King's Colours), used mostly in England (a different version, placing the Scottish Flag in front of the English Flag was used in Scotland) and, from 1707, the flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain. |
 The Union Flag used since 1801, incorporating the Cross of Saint Patrick, following the Act of Union between Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland. |
Usage in popular culture
In the past few years the Flag of St George has become increasingly used by the English, particularly at sports events. For example, when England won the football World Cup in 1966, most of the flags waved by supporters were Union Flags. Now they have largely been supplanted by the English flag.
The flag is also seen during England Cricket matches. The flag is however seen mostly during the Cricket World Cup in matches where England plays. The flag is more importantly seen during The Ashes. Winning The Ashes is the pinnacle of English Pride and the flags are waved during the Tests whether in England by the home fans or in Australia by the Barmy Army.
Since 1996 the England flag has become more affiliated with supporters of the English football team. 27% of English adults having bought a flag during the 2006 World Cup.[7]
The England flag is also used in Rugby Union.[8] It is sometimes used on the web to indicate an English-speaking portion of a site.[9] This has the advantage of not choosing between the flags of the two major english-speaking countries (those of the USA and the UK).
Despite this shift in the flag's popular connotations, many black people living in England view the flag with suspicion: During a poll of readers of New Nation, "most black people interviewed said they felt alienated by the flag of St George and still associated it with the BNP."[7] Despite this, some young, non-white people have been reported displaying the flags in support of the football team.[10]
Other uses
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
The flag is incorporated in the flag of the Canadian province of Alberta, by way of the coat of arms of the Hudson's Bay Company and the province's arms.
The provincial coats of arms of Manitoba and Ontario also use the Cross of St George; in each case, the coat of arms is used in the provincial flag. The flag of the City of Montreal is derived from the cross as well.
References
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2007) |
- ^ http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-eng.html
- ^ http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-eng.html#descr
- ^ http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/rel-c188.html#yel
- ^ Prof. J. Prawer, A history of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (Hebrew, 3rd edition, vol. II, pp. 17-18)
- ^ Adventist Media Response and Conversation: Art and the Crusader's Flag
- ^ http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-eng.html#hist
- ^ a b Conn, David; Sour English stereotypes linger amid the flag-waving; The Guardian; 12 July 2006
- ^ England Rugby Football Union
- ^ Witness the bottom left corner of this website of wine reviews
- ^ Crampton, Robert; Dad, how come rich people don't fly flags and show they're patriotic?; The Times; 21 June 2006
