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Great Britain is a country with a long history that has survived more than one conquest. In its current form, the coat of arms of Great Britain has existed since the reign of Queen Victoria, the most popular and beloved by the British Queen.

In the center is a shield, on which in the 1st and 4th quarters there are three leopards, which the British, according to the traditions of heraldry, call "British lions". Leopards are the emblem of the Plantagenet kings and the symbol of England.

In the 2nd quarter of the coat of arms, a red, rising lion, the symbol of Scotland, is depicted on a golden background. The 3rd quarter of the coat of arms depicts a golden harp, which is the symbol of Northern Ireland.

A lion and a unicorn hold a shield on both sides. The lion symbolizes England and the unicorn symbolizes Scotland.

The shield is girded with the ribbon of the Noble Order of the Garter, on which the inscription: “Honi soit qyi mal y pense” is written. From the old French language, the motto is translated "Shame on him who thinks badly about it."

There is a legend that at one of the royal balls, arranged at the court of King Edward III of Britain, the Countess of Salisbury lost her garter. When King Edward III third picked up a garter from the floor, laughter was heard among the guests.

Following the best traditions of chivalry of that time, King Edward III immediately established the original order, and the didactic phrase "Shame on him who thinks badly about it" became his motto.

At the bottom at the foot of the shield is a ribbon with the motto of the UK language: "God and my right." There are also three flowers on one stem: a rose, a thistle and a shamrock. Since ancient times, flowers have been a silent symbol of the indestructible unity of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The coat of arms is crowned with a golden tournament helmet, on which stands a golden crowned lion.

Motto of Great Britain

The original spelling of the motto of Great Britain was "Diet et mon droit", which in translation from old French means: "God and my right." Over time, the motto has changed somewhat and now it sounds like “Dieu et mon droit”, which also translates as “God and my right”.

Why is the motto on ? The fact is that after the conquest of England in 1066 by the Normans and the defeat of the Saxons, the local nobility of England, French began to enter the everyday life of the British nobility.

In those days, French was considered the height of sophistication and aristocracy, and English was considered the language of rude, uneducated Saxons and the common people. Speaking the language was considered bad manners.

Therefore, all documentation, correspondence, records, and indeed communication among aristocrats and the royal court, were conducted exclusively in French.

Not surprisingly, the motto of Great Britain is also written in French. In those distant times, it looked quite natural and can surprise only a modern person.

crowned leopard

golden royal

Dieu et mon droit (God and my right)

In all Acts of Parliament; in British passports; in various government departments; on coins (2008)

Royal coat of arms of Great Britain is the official coat of arms British monarch(currently - Elizabeth II). Other members royal family and the government of the country use other coats of arms. The royal coat of arms occurs in two versions, one of which is used only in Scotland.

On the usual version of the coat of arms there are two lions and seven heraldic leopards: six golden leopards with azure armament on the shield, three each in the 1st and 4th fields of the quadruple divided shield (they correspond to England). The scarlet lion with azure weapons in the second field represents Scotland. Crowned leopard in a crest. A golden crowned lion as a shield holder supports the shield on the right. On the other hand, the shield supports the chained unicorn.

The Scottish version has four lions and three leopards: five animals on the shield (of which three leopards correspond to England, two lions to Scotland), one upright-seated crowned lion is in a crest. The seventh predator, a crowned lion, supports the coat of arms on the left. On the right side, the shield is supported by a chained unicorn. On both versions of the coat of arms, a golden harp is placed in the third azure field (represents Ireland).

Story

Three leopards on a red field (officially they are called "walking lions on the lookout") appeared on the English coat of arms under King Richard I the Lionheart. Coat of arms with three leopards or lions for a long time remained the only symbol of England.

During the Hundred Years' War, which lasted from 1337 to 1453, and is known as the War of the Leopard against the Lily, the English coat of arms underwent changes. When the French royal dynasty The Capetians were suppressed in 1328, among the contenders for the French throne was the English king from the dynasty Plantagenets Edward III(1312-1377). When Philip VI of Valois was elected king, Edward III, as a sign of his claims to the throne of France, cut and crossed the field of the shield, leaving traditional leopards in the second and third quarters, and in the first and fourth he placed an azure field strewn with golden lilies - the emblem of France. He followed the heraldic rule stating that the children of a heraldic heiress (a woman who has a family coat of arms) can place her coat of arms in their coat of arms along with the coat of arms of their father. To do this, they must divide the shield of the coat of arms into four parts, depicting the coat of arms of the father in the first and fourth quarters, and the coat of arms of the mother in the second and third. In full accordance with the rules, Edward should have placed leopards in the first and fourth quarters of the shield, but gave this position to the lilies, which, if he won, would more accurately reflect the ratio of the English and French parts of his future united kingdom. In this form, the English coat of arms lasted until 1800, when the mention of France disappeared from the royal title. Henry IV(1367-1413) left only three lilies on the coat of arms (this symbol is called "fleur-de-lis").

In 1603 to the English throne under the name Jacob I Jacob VI of Scotland ascended (in the Russian tradition, the names of biblical characters, saints, high clergy and European monarchs are given in Greek form - therefore Jacob, not James (James)). Under him, the coat of arms was replenished with the emblems of Scotland and Ireland. The Scottish red lion in a golden field was the old coat of arms of the county of Fife and the thane of Fife Macduff. In the XIII century, this coat of arms was decorated with red inner border, which later, in the 15th century, the Scottish Parliament unsuccessfully tried to cancel. The golden harp became the coat of arms of Ireland in the 15th century. The origin of this symbol is unclear. The Nassau and Hanoverian dynasties that succeeded the Stuarts placed shields with their family coats of arms on the English coat of arms. Finally, under Queen Victoria (1819-1901), the coat of arms of Great Britain took on a form that remains unchanged today.

The figures of the shield holders have changed many times over the centuries. IN different time the shield was supported by falcons, a white swan, a yawl, the white boar of King Richard III (1452-1485), a red Welsh dragon, indicating the Celtic origin of the Tudor dynasty, a silver hound dog of the county of Richmond. Since 1603, a crowned British lion and a unicorn have been established at the shield. The golden helmet of the English coat of arms is surmounted by the crown of St. Edward, which appeared in the coat of arms during the reign Charles II(1633-1701). The pommel of the helmet is a golden crowned leopard, called the British lion. Namet - gold, planted with ermine.

The coat of arms of Great Britain is disassembled into its component parts below:

“... on a green English lawn, a Gothic-shaped coat of arms, girded with a garter ribbon and embroidered on it with the motto of the Order of the Garter“ Honi soit qui mal y pense ”(French.“ Shame on him who thinks badly about it ”), a crowned lion rampant is supported on both sides (symbol of England) and a unicorn rampant on a chain (symbol of Scotland). Rose, clover and thistle grow on the lawn - symbolic plants of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. At the very bottom is the motto of the monarch in the UK: "DIEU ET MON DROIT" (French " God and my right“). The coat of arms is divided into 4 quarters. In the 1st and 4th quarters, the coat of arms of England is placed - 3 lions or a tradesman leopard. In the 2nd quarter is the coat of arms of Scotland - the lion rampant, and in the 3rd quarter - the coat of arms of Ireland - the Irish harp. The shield is crowned with a crowned tournament helmet, girded with a basting, and on top of the helmet is a crowned passant lion ... "

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Notes

An excerpt characterizing the coat of arms of Great Britain

Walking lions on the lookout
Citizens of the United Kingdom, who so zealously honor traditions, of course, are proud that the coat of arms of their state was formed under Queen Victoria, who ruled from 1837 to 1901, and its main elements survived for many centuries. We have a reason to talk about the most “exemplary” coat of arms, in which you can definitely find all the elements of the classical coat of arms of the monarchy: shield, helmet, crown, crest, namet, shield holders, motto ribbons.
It is customary to begin stories about coats of arms with a description of the shield. We will not deviate from this well-established rule. The heraldic shield may consist of several fields formed by division, that is, dissected or crossed, beveled, divided into several parts. In the state emblem of Great Britain, the shield is four-part (The fields are counted in the description of the heraldic shield from right to left and from top to bottom.). In its first and fourth fields we see the same images - three golden leopards on a red background. The second field is gold with a double red border, and in it is a red lion. In the third blue field is a golden harp...
Heraldic figures depicting a lion and a leopard appeared in early middle ages. And do not look in vain for differences between them in the zoological sense. Since time immemorial, in the language of heraldry, the same image of a lion has been called a lion and a leopard. But the figure is called a lion only when the beast stands on its hind legs. In this position, any heraldic animal is called a rebel. There may be a rising horse, a rising bear, or someone else. But if you see in the coat of arms a lion walking on four legs, as on a British shield, then such a heraldic figure should be called a leopard.
It was the leopard that became the emblem of the Plantagenets, a dynasty of English kings who ruled from 1154 to 1399. Its founder was the Count of Anjou, who became the English king under the name of Henry II. The name of the dynasty comes from the nickname of his father, Count of Anjou Geoffroy the Handsome, who decorated his helmet with a branch of gorse - in Latin "Planta genista".

Three red leopards on a red background appeared in the English coat of arms under Richard the Lionheart after 1195 and are still there today. As true islanders, the British stubbornly adhere to their traditions and, perhaps, therefore, the "leopards" generally accepted in all heraldic science are called in their own way: "Walking lions on the alert."
Once upon a time, the British seriously laid claim to France, and the coat of arms of England was decorated in advance with golden lilies in a blue field. It was the time of the Hundred Years War: the battles of Crecy and Agincourt, the famous English archers, famous in battles with French knights, the heroine of France, Jeanne d "Arc ... Lilies pushed the "lions walking on guard", and then the heraldic shield was divided into four parts.

The red rising lion in the second gold field represents Scotland. In the XIII century, this ancient coat of arms of the county of Fife, as well as Macduff (Macduff), Tan of Fife and his descendants, acquired an intricate red border. In the 15th century, the Scottish Parliament tried to abolish the border. But the efforts of the adherents of the "purity of the coat of arms" were not crowned with success. The border still remained, and in this form the coat of arms was established on the heraldic shield of the United Kingdom.
In the third field is a golden harp. As the emblem of Ireland, it appeared in the 15th century. Why this one musical instrument become a symbol? Perhaps the point here is in the ritual music-making of the Irish sovereigns? Or were there especially gifted musicians in Ireland? Hard to say.

In 1921, Ireland separated from Great Britain as a dominion, sixteen years later it was proclaimed " sovereign state Eire". The mysterious golden harp with silver strings in a blue field is now depicted on the heraldic shield of this small country, but it also remained on the British coat of arms, having received a new official interpretation as the coat of arms of Northern Ireland, subordinate to the British crown. When King James VI Stuart of Scotland ascended the English throne in 1603 under the name of James I, the coats of arms of England, Scotland and French lilies were combined with the coat of arms of Ireland.
In addition to lilies, the coats of arms of the European dynasties that replaced the English throne - Nassau and Hanover - managed to visit the shield. Finally, in the 19th century, the British established the design of the coat of arms, which has been preserved to this day.
Now let's move on to the elements surrounding the shield. The magnificent golden helmet with a closed visor attracts attention. He wears an imperial crown with a crest - a golden crowned leopard, which is colloquially called the "British lion". To the right and to the left of the helmet is a golden mantling, lined with ermine.
The figures of the shield holders have changed many times over the centuries. The silver antelope, and the silver swan, and the silver boar of Richard III, and the red Welsh dragon, indicating the Celtic origin of the Tudor dynasty, and the silver hound dog county of Richmond. Since 1603, a crowned British lion and a unicorn have been established at the shield - White horse with a helical horn in the forehead.
In medieval heraldry and art, the image of a unicorn was very common. This fantastic, according to our ideas, animal was considered a symbol of caution, prudence, prudence, purity, purity, severity, severity. Many believed in its existence. There was even a legend that a hunter would never catch a unicorn and that he would submit only to an immaculate maiden. In the writings of Christian writers, the unicorn is mentioned as a symbol of the Annunciation and the incarnation of Christ, born of the Virgin. In the Middle Ages, the unicorn was considered the emblem of the Virgin Mary, Saint Justinian of Padua and Saint Justin of Antioch.

The shield is surrounded by a blue strap with a buckle. This is a garter, the badge of the highest and oldest English order of the Garter, established by King Edward III in 1348. The motto, written on the ribbon in old French, reads: "Honi soit qui mal y pense" - "Let him be ashamed who thinks badly of this." famous legend tells that once at a ball the king picked up from the floor a garter that had been lost by some absent-minded lady. And, following the best traditions of chivalry, he established an original order with an edifying saying as a reproach to immodest scoffers.

If you look closely, then on the green foot, where the shield holders stand, you can see unusual plants. These are the so-called silent (because they are not expressed in words) mottos of England, Scotland and Ireland.
From the history textbook and historical novels many people remember the war, which received the romantic name of the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. This event is reflected in the coat of arms. Victory won by the Duchy of Lancaster (Red Rose) over the Duchy of York ( White Rose) represents the double Tudor rose - it has a silver (white) center with a red border.
Caledonian thistle became a symbol of Scotland, too, not by chance (the Ancient Romans called Scotland Caledonia.). After all, the tenacious and prickly thistle in heraldry indicates stamina, endurance in the difficult struggle for existence. Scotland had to defend its independence for centuries - remember at least Schiller's tragedy "Mary Stuart" or famous novel Stefan Zweig under the same name.
Two flowers on one stem - that's Great Britain, uniting England and Scotland.

Finally, in 1801, when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed, the stem of this amazing heraldic plant was complemented by a clover shamrock. According to folk legend, Saint Patrick, the educator of the Irish, explained to his flock the Christian dogma of the triune god with the help of clover shoots. Hence the shamrock.
At the bottom, the motto of the English kings "Dieu et mon droit" - "God and my right" is inscribed on the ribbon. To tell the truth, now no one can accurately explain the meaning of the phrase. It is said to be an abbreviated phrase "God and my right guard me."
Subsequently, other mottos existed, but at the beginning of the 18th century, the inscription about God and law returned and finally established itself in its rightful place.
To what we have said about the coat of arms of the Republic of Ireland, it remains to add the following. Having gained independence from the British crown, Ireland used either a coat of arms with a harp, or a four-part shield with the coats of arms of the four main provinces.

In the first part - a golden harp in a green field in the province of Leinster. In the second - the coat of arms of Connaught: a dissected shield, on which half of a black eagle in a silver field, and in blue - a silver hand with a dagger extending to the right. The third part of the shield was occupied by the coat of arms of Ulster (Alster) - a red cross in a gold field, and the fourth - the coat of arms of Munster in a blue field with three crowns.
Currently state emblem Ireland is considered a shield, on the blue field of which is placed a golden harp with silver strings.

There are a lot of emblems and symbols in the United Kingdom.

John Bull is the national symbol of Great Britain, similar to the American Uncle Sam. It is sometimes attributed to the whole of the United Kingdom, but is not widely accepted by the Scots and Welsh, and is regarded more as English than British.

John Bull is a fictional character depicted in cartoons and cartoons. His appearance is that of a typical eighteenth century gentleman or auspicious farmer. It was he who created the most popular museum in the country today.

By the way, it is worth noting that museums are a non-profit organization, and registration non-profit organizations be carried out . In general, the registration of a company of this kind is not too different from the usual one, but still there are certain nuances.

John Bull is usually depicted as a corpulent man in a tailcoat, trousers with the National Flag on the waistcoat. He wears a low hat and is often accompanied by a bulldog. His appearance embodies well-being, like a full face, at that time it was a symbol of good health.

During the war with Napoleon, John Bull began to symbolize freedom and loyalty to the king. Today, many Britons continue to view the figure of John Bull as a generous, honest and talkative man, ready to defend his faith.

It's interesting to know... In reality, John Bull really existed, he was an organist and thought to create a melody for National Anthem"God save the Queen", which was found among his papers after his death.

Another character that can represent single state- bulldog. Like John Bull, he symbolizes strength and perseverance.

"Britain" is the ancient name of Great Britain given by the Romans. It is only a name given to the female incarnation of Britannia. She is always depicted wearing a helmet, sitting on the globe holding a trident in his hand and leaning on a shield. She represents Britain as a victorious and maritime nation. The image of Britain was depicted on many British coins.

National Flag of the United Kingdom.

The national flag of the United Kingdom is the most obvious symbol of the United Kingdom. It's called the Union Jack.

Jack is an old word meaning sailor. It explains the name of the flag. King James (1566 - 1622) ordered that the Union Jack be flown on all masts of British ships, excluding warships.

The Union Jack is a mixture of superimposed flags. This is a combination of three flags: England, Scotland and Ireland.

The Cross of Saint George of England is a red cross on a white background. Crossing of St. Andrew of Scotland - diagonal white intersecting lines on a blue base. The Cross of Saint Patrick of Ireland is a diagonal red cross on a white canvas. Saint David of Wales is not represented because Wales is not considered a kingdom.

National symbol of England.

The red rose is known to be the symbol of England. It came from the history of the country. This symbol goes back to the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. In the fifteenth century, two houses fought for the English throne - the Lancasters and the Orcs.

The red rose was the emblem of the Lancasters, and the white of the Orcs. The struggle ended when King Henry the Seventh of the Lancaster dynasty married Princess Elizabeth, daughter of an Orc dynasty. Since that time, the red rose has been the symbol of England.

Oak is also a symbol of this country.

The national symbol of Scotland.

The thistle has been the Scottish national emblem for centuries. There is a legend about how the thistle became the emblem of Scotland. According to this legend, the ancient inhabitants of Scandinavia wanted to plunder the Scottish city and settle it. But, they settled on the west coast of Scotland.

The Scots raised an army to defend the city. They gathered at the Tai River and set up camp in order to rest after a long journey. The Scots were asleep and did not notice the enemies.

When the Scandinavians decided to attack the Scots, they took off their shoes so as not to make a lot of noise. But one of the attackers stepped on a thistle, which suddenly caused a sharp pain that made him scream. The Scots heard this and defeated the northern newcomers.

This is how the thistle became the emblem of Scotland.

National symbol of Wales.

Wales got two national symbol narcissus and leeks. Both are associated with the patronage of the Welsh saints. According to legend, during the battle against the Saxons, Saint David advised his soldiers to put leeks on their hats, which gave them the freedom known since antiquity.

Another link that connects the leek and Saint David is the belief that he was able to live on bread and onions during the famine years.

Now, on the caps of the military, you can see badges with the image of a leek.

But outside the army, many Welsh have substituted leeks for daffodils, perhaps because they are more attractive to look at and, of course, they smell much nicer.

National emblem of Northern Ireland.

The shamrock is the symbol of Northern Ireland. It is associated with Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick is famous for bringing Christianity to Ireland. The legend says. How he, using a shamrock, depicted the Holy Trinity. He showed how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could connect all life with any other events.

The red hand is another symbol of Northern Ireland. We can see her on the flag. According to the myth, there was a time when the question of the heir to the throne was unresolved. All the heirs decided to assemble, and the winner (the first to reach the shores of the Alster) would be king. One of the competitors so desired to rule the country that when he saw that his other relatives were ahead of him, he cut off his hand, threw it on the coast and won. The hand is probably red because it was completely covered in blood.