Flags - Who likes Flags?

 The last article, that would have been written for publication in the Winter Edition of The Bay Magazine, sadly would not be published due to current circuit breaker lockdown, imposed by the Welsh Government.

So, with that in mind, I have written the article, and to waste it, and allow people to read it, I have published it as a blog for the time being, it will be one of the first articles that will be used for 2021.

Today, there are 195 countries around the world, members state of the United Nations. Including in the list is China, Asia with the largest and rising population 1,439,323,776 to Holy See, Europe with a population of 801.

Not listed as members of the United Nations, are those 39 Dependencies and other territories, including Taiwan and the Channel Islands.

The only thing that these countries and dependencies and territories have in common apart from a rising population, is that country is represented by a flag.

Flags, their origins are unknown. Flags can be either a piece of cloth, bunting or any similar material, displaying the insignia of a sovereign state, a community, an armed force, an office or an individual.

The first time that flags were used during warfare, was at the time of the Ancient Egyptians, when vexilloid were used. By the time of the Romans, standards were being used, having been adorned with the Roman Eagle and carried by Standard Bearer. 

During the Middle Ages, flags were being used as a heraldic device during the course of battle, allowing knights to be easily identified, rather than using the heraldic symbols painted on shields.

Ensigns 

During the 17^th century at height of the Age of Sail.  It was a customary for a ship to carry flags, ensigns, designating the nationality of vessel.  There are three different types of ensigns, civil ensigns, flown from private vessels, states/government ensigns flown from government vessels, and war ensigns flown from war vessels. 

During the end of the 18^th century, flags were being used at the rise of the nationalist movement. Like the flags used in the suffragette movement 

Johnson's new chart of national emblems, published c. 1868. The large flags shown in the corners are the 37-star flag of the United States (flown 1867–1877), the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, the Russian Imperial Standard, and the French tricolore with inset Imperial Eagle. Various other flags flown by ships are shown. The Flag of Cuba  is labelled "Cuban". The Chinese dragon on the Flag of China was drawn mistakenly as a western dragon.

National flags, having evolved from the flags that used by ships, today are used to represent a nation.  Prior to 1603, England and Scotland were two different kingdoms, both having their own monarchs and flags, the flag of St. George for England and the flag of St. Andrew for Scotland.  With the death of Elizabeth I, whom was childless, during 1603, her successor was her cousin, James VI of Scotland, he was crowned James I, thus forming a union with both England and Scotland.   Three years later, 1606, the Union Jack a flag representing the English St. George’s Cross flag and the Scottish St. Andrew’s Cross flag were joined together, thus forming the flag of Great Britain. 

Further changes were made to Union Jack the present flag during 1801, following the Royal proclamation, following the union of Great Britain and Ireland.  The new flag, still had the aspects of both the St. George’s and St. Andrew flags, also had the additional St. Patrick flag, of Ireland.  

Wales is not represented flag, as at the time of time of the Laws in Wales Act 1535 and 1542, a national flag had not been fully developed.  At the time of Union Jack design, the cross of St. George represented both England and Wales. 

The National flag of Wales, Baner Crymru Y Ddraig Goch, ‘the red dragon’ was adopted in 1959.  The red dragon is that of the dragon of Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd, the white and green behind the dragoon, are the Tudor colours.  King Henry VII, who fought at the Battle of Bosworth, 1485,  had a Standard, having been carried by Sir William Brandon, which depicted the red dragon.    After the Battle, the Standard was carried into state to St. Paul’s Cathedral.  The Red Dragon was incorporated into the Tudor royal arms, with the links to their Welsh descents. 

The Red Dragon did not become an official royal heraldic badge until 1800, when a royal warrant confirmed by King George III, who confirmed the badge, blazoned as “On a mount Vert a dragon passant with wings elevated Gules”. March 1953, a line from the poem by Deio ab Ieuan Du “Y Ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn” translated into English either means ‘The red dragon gives impetus’ or ‘The red dragon leads the way’ was added to the motto.

Following this 1959, the Welsh flag was finally official recognised.

I would like to thank those readers, who have been following and reading my articles that were published in The Bay magazine, this year.  Things can only get better during 2021, than what has happened during 2020.

I will be back next year, 2021.