At a rather interesting lecture this afternoon, hold by dr. M. Spiering at the University of Amsterdam, we were provided with a hilarious pun. As is often the case with the English language.
Let me give a short background story:
It was a short lecture on the 2000 years of British history. Dr. Spiering gave us the highligts of the British past, dividing it into a Celtic period (before 50 BC), a Roman period (50 BC - 500 AD), an Anglo-Saxon period (500-700), an Anglo-Saxon and Nordic period (700-1066) and the Anglo-Norman period.
He tried to give us a clear explanation of how the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland came into being. Next to that he explained how the nation's flag, the Union Jack, came into being.
And exactly this last part I would like to repeat.
Let me give a short background story:
It was a short lecture on the 2000 years of British history. Dr. Spiering gave us the highligts of the British past, dividing it into a Celtic period (before 50 BC), a Roman period (50 BC - 500 AD), an Anglo-Saxon period (500-700), an Anglo-Saxon and Nordic period (700-1066) and the Anglo-Norman period.
He tried to give us a clear explanation of how the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland came into being. Next to that he explained how the nation's flag, the Union Jack, came into being.
And exactly this last part I would like to repeat.
For a long time, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were seperate entities. England has always been the most dominant kingdom in Britain, and this was once again proven in 1563 when King Edward I annexed Wales and forged a Union between the two. The last prince of Wales was murdered and King Edward I gave this title to his eldest son. Ever since then the monarch's eldest son would wear the title of Prince of Wales. The flag of Wales, which contains a dragon, has never been shown on the flag of England.
The case was different in 1603. Queen Elizabeth I had died without issue and the next in line for the throne was King James VI of Scotland. This forged a natural Union between the two kingdoms and the merger lead to the new title of King of Great Britian, since all of the island Britain was in the hands of one monarach.
It also lead to a merger of the flags of Scotland and of England. The first Union flag appeared in 1606.
It also lead to a merger of the flags of Scotland and of England. The first Union flag appeared in 1606.
The Flag of England - the Cross of St. George
The Flag of Scotland - The Cross of St. Andrews
These two flags resulted in the first Union Jack, as shown below.
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Saint Patrick's Cross, the patron saint of Ireland.
Resulting in 1801 in
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It is starting to become fairly similar to the Union Jack that is used today. It needs only one more element and that is the flag of the Irish.
The case of Ireland is more complex. In 1169 the Anglo-colonists invaded Ireland, in 1175 King Henry II declared himself Lord of Ireland and in 1541 King Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland. Next to that a parliament was started in 1297 (in both England as in Ireland, but in Ireland only the Anglo-Irish were represented, the natives were kept out). In the end of the eighteenth century the Irish patriots sought military support of revolutionary France. In a reaction the British government forced the merger of the Irish and British parliaments, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Ireland.
Once again the flag was changed and the Irish cross of St. Patrick was added to the Union Jack.
The case of Ireland is more complex. In 1169 the Anglo-colonists invaded Ireland, in 1175 King Henry II declared himself Lord of Ireland and in 1541 King Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland. Next to that a parliament was started in 1297 (in both England as in Ireland, but in Ireland only the Anglo-Irish were represented, the natives were kept out). In the end of the eighteenth century the Irish patriots sought military support of revolutionary France. In a reaction the British government forced the merger of the Irish and British parliaments, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Ireland.
Once again the flag was changed and the Irish cross of St. Patrick was added to the Union Jack.
Saint Patrick's Cross, the patron saint of Ireland.
Resulting in 1801 in
The Union Jack!
However, the Scots were not pleased. They were far from pleased, actually. Just like the last merger of flags, the English flag was put on top of the Scottish flag and now the Irish emblem was put (below the English flag, but over) the Scottish flag.
In other words: The Scots were cross over the obscurity of their cross!
In other words: The Scots were cross over the obscurity of their cross!
Eventually they decided to countercharge the crosses of St. Andrew and St. Patrick, as you can see, the flag is not symmetric.
Everyone knows this, but we all dont know when they have used the cross sing as there flag, and not even a single straight line.
ReplyDeleteenglish flag