Many countries have a specific plant as a national symbol, which reflects their culture and history, and represents it to the whole world. So, the floristic symbol of England is the queen of flowers - the red rose.
Why is the rose as the floral symbol of England?
The choice of a plant as a symbol is determined by various circumstances. Firstly, such a plant can grow precisely in the territory where the people live, who use it as a sign of a certain socio-cultural coding. Secondly, the origin of the symbol is largely associated with legends and traditions, which convey information about the past. Third, the choice can be justified by some historical events. In the case of England, the last factor was decisive, since the plant symbol of this country arose thanks to an epochal historical event - the famous War of the Roses.
The symbol of England in honor of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses
This is a rather unusual name for a war. Of course, it was not flowers who fought among themselves, but individuals whose family coats of arms were decorated with roses. These people, who did not manage to share power peacefully, belonged to two lines of the noble Plantagenet dynasty - York and Lancaster.
Today the red rose is considered the symbol of England. Her image was present in the coat of arms of the House of Lancaster, whose representatives challenged the right to the English throne among the ambitious members of the House of York. The coat of arms of the latter was decorated with a white rose.
It should be noted that the luxurious flower first appeared in the British Isles only in the XIV century. The most notable English ladies and lords were fond of the cultivation of beautiful roses. Thanks to the painter John Petty, who skillfully depicted on his famous canvas a scene from the first part of Shakespeare's play "Henry VI", today's viewer can imagine how the supporters of the warring factions made the choice of white and red roses.
In 1455, the enmity between the two noble families grew into a long 30-year war, which ended only in 1485. The bloody feudal struggle for the throne ended with the wedding of Henry VII of the Lancaster family and Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV (York). The 30-year war, ending the period of the English Middle Ages, became the starting point at the beginning of the history of New England. During this period, the Tudor dynasty reigned on the throne, on the emblem of which the colors of two roses flaunted.
The symbol of England: the Tudor rose
Since that time, the flower - the sign of England - has been depicted as a white rose of York, bordered by the petals of a red rose of the Lancaster family. This emblem has become an integral part of the heraldic tradition of Great Britain and Ireland. Earlier, the symbol of England could be seen very often. This emblem was used to decorate the ceilings in many English houses, and it was also featured in the decoration of the facades of many buildings.
The ancient symbol of England is still present on the uniforms of the royal life guards, as well as the guards in the Tower. The Tudor rose is part of the badge of the British intelligence forces. This symbol is depicted on various coins. The rose adorns the Royal Coat of Arms of Great Britain, as well as the State Emblem of Canada.
