National symbols of Wales

The national symbols of Wales include a diversity of official and unofficial images and other symbols.

Flags

	The Flag of Wales incorporates the red dragon, now a popular Welsh symbol, along with the Tudor colours of green and white. It was used by Henry VII at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 after which it was carried in state to St. Paul's Cathedral. The red dragon was then included in the Tudor royal arms to signify their Welsh descent. It was officially recognised as the Welsh national flag in 1959. The British Union Flag incorporates the flags of Scotland, Ireland and England but does not have any Welsh representation. Technically, however, it is represented by the flag of England due to the Laws in Wales’s act of 1535 which annexed Wales following the 13th century conquest.
	The flag of the Princely House of Aberffraw was first associated with Llywelyn the Great, who received the fealty of all other Welsh lords at the Council of Aberdyfi in 1216, becoming de jure Prince of Wales, according to historian Dr. John Davies.
	The flag of Owain Gwynedd, Prince of Wales, which combined the flags of Powys and Deheubarth. Owain was the senior heir of both Powys and Deheubarth. The flag is currently in use by the National Eisteddfod of Wales, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and widely amongst pro-independence groups.
	The Flag of Saint David is sometimes used as an alternative to the national flag (and used in part of Crusaders' crest), and is flown on St David's Day.

Heraldry

	The Red Dragon, part of the national flag design, is also a popular Welsh symbol. The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 820, but it is popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders. This myth is likely to have originated from the tale of Merlin's vision of a Red (The Native Britons) and a White (The Saxon Invaders) dragon battling, with the red dragon being victorious. Following the annexation of Wales by England, the red dragon was used as a supporter in the English monarch's coat of arms. The red dragon is often seen as a shorthand for all things Welsh, being used by many indigenous public and private institutions
	The Prince of Wales's feathers, the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales is sometimes adapted by Welsh bodies for use in Wales. The symbolism is explained on the article for Edward, the Black Prince, who was the first Prince of Wales to bear the emblem. The Welsh Rugby Union uses such a design for its own badge.
	The Coat of Arms of the Principality of Wales which are the historic arms of the Kingdom of Gwynedd are used by Charles, Prince of Wales in his personal standard. They are also the basis for the Royal Badge of Wales issued in 2008 for the use of the National Assembly for Wales.

Other symbols

	The leek is also a national emblem of Wales. According to legend, Saint David (the patron saint of Wales) ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the vegetable on their helmets in an ancient battle against the Saxons that took place in a leek field. It is still worn on St David's Day each 1 March
	The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, and is worn on St David's Day each 1 March. (In Welsh, the daffodil is known as "Peter's Leek")
	The red kite is sometimes named as the national symbol of wildlife in Wales.
	The Sessile Oak, also called the Welsh Oak is the national tree of Wales.
	Dame Wales, as a National personification, as depicted by Joseph Morewood Staniforth symbolising the maternal voice of the Welsh 'mam'

· Patriotic anthems for "the land of Song" include the national anthem "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" (English: Land of My Fathers), "Men of Harlech", the national hymn "Cwm Rhondda, "Delilah", "Calon Lan" and "Sosban Fach".

· Traditional Welsh costume, such as the Welsh hat and bedgown, is now recognised as the national dress of Wales. It was originally worn by rural women throughout Europe and Britain; it survived longest in Wales up until the 1880s. Today it is worn by women at events such as Royal visits, by choirs, at church and chapel, for photographs and occasionally at eisteddfodau. It was first worn by girls as a celebration on Saint David's Day just before the First World War.

National symbols ofNorthern Ireland

Flag of Northern Ireland

The Union Flag is flown on designated days from some government buildings in Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland is represented in the flag through the St Patrick's Saltire

St Patrick's Saltire is sometimes used by the British government to represent Northern Ireland.

The Ulster Banner – used officially by the former Government of Northern Ireland (1953–1972)

The official flag is that of the state having sovereignty over the territory, i.e. the Union Flag.

Northern Ireland has not had its own unique, government-sanctioned flag since the Northern Ireland parliament and government were prorogued in 1972, and abolished in 1973. During official events, the British government uses the Union Flag, which is the official flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and is the only flag used by the government in Northern Ireland. The former Northern Ireland flag, also known as the "Ulster Banner" or "Red Hand Flag", is a banner derived from the coat of arms of the Government of Northern Ireland until 1972. Since 1972, it has had no official status. The Union Flag and the Ulster Banner are used exclusively by unionists. UK flags policy states that in Northern Ireland, "The Ulster flag and the Cross of St Patrick have no official status and, under the Flags Regulations, are not permitted to be flown from Government Buildings."

The Saint Patrick's Saltire is sometimes used by the government to represent Northern Ireland alongside the other countries of the United Kingdom, and is the centrepiece of the badge of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Neither the Saint Patrick's Saltire nor the Ulster Banner may be flown on government buildings in Northern Ireland.

The 'Ulster Banner' is one name that was given to the flag, which may be referred to as 'the flag of Northern Ireland', the '[former] Northern Ireland flag', the 'Red Hand Flag' or as the 'Ulster Flag' (not to be confused with the provincial Flag of Ulster). The Ulster Banner was the official flag that was used to represent the Government of Northern Ireland from 1953 to 1973. In common with other British flags, any civic status of the flag was not defined in law.

In 1924, the Government of Northern Ireland was granted arms (the Coat of arms of Northern Ireland) by Royal Warrant and had the right to display these arms on a flag or banner. This right was exercised for the Coronation in 1953. Between 1953 and 1972, this flag was the arms of the Government of Northern Ireland. When the Parliament of Northern Ireland was dissolved by the British government under the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, the flag ceased to have official standing but remains the only flag to date which represents Northern Ireland at international level in sport.

The flag is based on the flag of England and the flag of the province of Ulster. As with the flag of the province of Ulster, it contains the Red Hand of Ulster at the centre. The points of the star represent the six counties that make up Northern Ireland.

Anthem	The United Kingdom national anthem of "God Save the Queen" is often played at state events in Northern Ireland. At the Commonwealth Games and some other sporting events, the Northern Ireland team uses the Ulster Banner as its flag—notwithstanding its lack of official status—and the Londonderry Air (usually set to lyrics as Danny Boy), which also has no official status, as its national anthem. The Northern Ireland football team also uses the Ulster Banner as its flag but uses "God Save The Queen" as its national anthem.
Motto	Quis separabit? (Latin) “Who will separate us?” (de facto)
Coat of arms of Northern Ireland	The coat of arms of Northern Ireland was granted to the Government of Northern Ireland in 1924, and went out of official use in 1972 when that government was abolished.

People

Saint Patrick Saint Patrickwas a 5-th – century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, along with Saints Brigit and Columba. He is also venerated in the Orthodox Church as Equal-to-the-Apostles. The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty but, on a widespread interpretation, he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the second half of the fifth century. He is generally credited with being the first bishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland. According to the Confessio of Patrick, when he was about 16, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Great Britain, and taken as a slave to Ireland, looking after animals, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming a cleric, he returned to northern and western Ireland. In later life, he served as an ordained bishop, but little is known about the places where he worked. By the seventh century, he had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day is observed on 17 March, which is said to be the date of his death. It is celebrated inside and outside Ireland as a religious and cultural holiday. In the dioceses of Ireland, it is both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation; it is also a celebration of Ireland itself.

Other symbols

As St. Patrick is Ireland's patron saint, shamrock has been used as a symbol of Ireland since the 18th century, in a similar way to how a rose is used for England, thistle for Scotland and daffodil for Wales. The shamrock first began to change from a symbol purely associated with St. Patrick to an Irish national symbol when it was taken up as an emblem by rival militias, during the turbulent politics of the late eighteenth century. Since the 1801 Act of Union between Britain and Ireland the shamrock was incorporated into the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, depicted growing from a single stem alongside the rose of England, and the thistle of Scotland to symbolise the unity of the three kingdoms. Since then the shamrock has regularly appeared alongside the rose, thistle and (sometimes)leek for Wales in British coins such as the shilling and crown, and in stamps. The rose, thistle and shamrock motif also appears regularly on British public buildings such as Buckingham Palace.

Flax is the emblem of Northern Ireland and used by the Northern Ireland Assembly. In a coronet, it appeared on the reverse of the British one-pound coin to represent Northern Ireland on coins minted in 1986, 1991 and 2014. Flax also represents Northern Ireland on the badge of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and on various logos associated with it.

Unit 9

Robert Walpole

Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745), known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. Although the exact dates of his dominance are a matter of scholarly debate, 1721–1742 are often used. He dominated the Walpole–Townshend Ministry and the Ministry and holds the record as the longest serving Prime Minister in British history. Critics called his system the "Robinocracy." Speck says that Walpole's uninterrupted run of 20 years as Prime Minister "is rightly regarded as one of the major feats of British political history.... Explanations are usually offered in terms of his expert handling of the political system after 1720, [and] his unique blending of the surviving powers of the crown with the increasing influence of the Commons."

Walpole was educated at Eton College and Cambridge University and entered Parliament in 1701 at the age of 25. He was a Whig from the gentry’ class, who was first elected to parliament in 1701, and held many senior positions. He was a country squire and looked to country gentlemen for his political base

Within 10 years he was secretary at war and treasurer of the navy. When the Tories came to power in 1710 he lost his office. He became leader of the opposition in the Commons and a Tory target. In 1712, Walpole was accused of venality and corruption in the matter of two forage contracts for Scotland. Although it was proven that he had retained none of the money, Walpole was pronounced "guilty of a high breach of trust and notorious corruption". He was impeached by the House of Commons and found guilty by the House of Lords; he was then imprisoned in the Tower of London for six months and expelled from Parliament. While in the Tower he was regarded as a political martyr, and visited by all the Whig leaders. After he was released, Walpole wrote and published anonymous pamphlets attacking the Harley ministry and assisted Sir Richard Steele in crafting political pamphlets. Walpole was re-elected for King's Lynn in 1713. His star began to rise again in 1714 after George I became king.

In April 1721 he was appointed First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. Walpole's de facto tenure as "Prime Minister" is often dated to his appointment as First Lord of the Treasury in 1721. His brother-in-law Lord Townshend, served as Secretary of Statefor the Northern Department and controlled the nation's foreign affairs. The two also had to contend with the Secretary of State for the Southern Department, Lord Carteret. Townshend and Walpole were thus restored to power and "annihilated the opposing faction".

Before becoming 'prime minister' in 1721, Walpole was first lord of the treasury in the government dominated by James Stanhope and Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland. While at that post, he introduced the first sinking fund (1717), but resigned his office shortly thereafter. He returned in 1720 as paymaster general and was first lord of the treasury for a second time in 1721 prior to becoming prime minister.

Walpole's first year as Prime Minister was also marked by the discovery of a plot formed by Francis Atterbury, the Bishop of Rochester. The exposure of the scheme crushed the hopes of the Jacobites whose previous attempts at rebellion (most notably the risings of 1715 and 1719) had also failed. The Tory Party was equally unfortunate even though Lord Bolingbroke, a Tory leader who fled to France to avoid punishment for his Jacobite sympathies, was permitted to return to Britain in 1723.

During the remainder of George I's reign, Walpole's ascendancy continued; the political power of the monarch was gradually diminishing and that of his ministers gradually increasing. In 1724 the primary political rival of Walpole and Townshend in the Cabinet, Lord Carteret, was dismissed from the post of Southern Secretary and once again appointed to the lesser office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In Ireland, Lord Carteret used his power to secretly aid in the controversy over Wood's Halfpence and support Drapier's Letters behind the scenes and cause harm to Walpole's power. Walpole was able to recover from these events by removing the patent. However, Irish sentiment was situated against the English control.

Townshend, working with the king, helped keep Great Britain at peace, especially by negotiating a treaty with France and Prussia in 1725. Walpole was not consulted and stated that Townshend was "too precipitate" in his actions. Great Britain, free from Jacobite threats, from war, and from financial crises, grew prosperous, and Robert Walpole acquired the favour of George I. In 1725 he persuaded the king to revive the Knight of the Bath, and in 1726 a Knight of the Garter, earning him the nickname "Sir Bluestring". Moreover, his eldest son was granted a barony.

Premiership under George II

Walpole's position was threatened in 1727 when George I died and was succeeded by George II. For a few days it seemed that Walpole would be dismissed but, on the advice of Queen Caroline, the King agreed to keep him in office. Although the King disliked Townshend, he retained him as well. Over the next years Walpole continued to share power with Townshend but the two clashed over British foreign affairs, especially over policy regarding Austria. Gradually Walpole became the clearly dominant partner in government. His colleague retired on 15 May 1730 and this date is sometimes given as the beginning of Walpole's unofficial tenure as Prime Minister. Townsend's departure enabled Walpole to conclude the Treaty of Vienna, creating the Anglo-Austrian alliance.

His position as prime or first minister was solidified by his response to a Jacobite conspiracy uncovered in April, 1722, known as the Atterbury plot after Francis Atterbury, the tory bishop of Rochester. The conspiracy was to have taken control of the government, but was aborted. One conspirator was executed and Atterbury was exiled for life. Walpole used the episode to advantage, branding all Tories as Jacobites. The resulting public sentiment not only gave Walpole a secure hold on his new post, but effectively kept the Tories out of office until 1770.

From the Atterbury plot onwards, Walpole was the single most influential politician in England for a period of 20 years. He played the game of influence and power brokering very well. To protect his position he engineered the resignations of his rivals, Carteret (1724) and Townshend (1730). Under the guidance of Walpole, Parliament attempted to deal with the financial crisis brought on by the South Sea Bubble. The estates of the directors of the South Sea Company were used to relieve the suffering of the victims, and the stock of the company was divided between the Bank of England and East India Company. The crisis had significantly damaged the credibility of the King and of the Whig Party, but Walpole defended both with skillful oratory in the House of Commons.

Walpole's first year as Prime Minister was also marked by the discovery of a plot formed by Francis Atterbury, the Bishop of Rochester. The exposure of the scheme crushed the hopes of the Jacobites whose previous attempts at rebellion (most notably the risings of 1715 and 1719) had also failed. The Tory Party was equally unfortunate even though Lord Bolingbroke, a Tory leader who fled to France to avoid punishment for his Jacobite sympathies, was permitted to return to Britain in 1723.

During the remainder of George I's reign, Walpole's ascendancy continued; the political power of the monarch was gradually diminishing and that of his ministers gradually increasing. In 1724 the primary political rival of Walpole and Townshend in the Cabinet, Lord Carteret, was dismissed from the post of Southern Secretary and once again appointed to the lesser office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In Ireland, Lord Carteret used his power to secretly aid in the controversy over Wood's Halfpence and support Drapier's Letters behind the scenes and cause harm to Walpole's power. Walpole was able to recover from these events by removing the patent. However, Irish sentiment was situated against the English control.

Townshend, working with the king, helped keep Great Britain at peace, especially by negotiating a treaty with France and Prussia in 1725. Walpole was not consulted and stated that Townshend was "too precipitate" in his actions. Great Britain, free from Jacobite threats, from war, and from financial crises, grew prosperous, and Robert Walpole acquired the favour of George I. In 1725 he persuaded the king to revive the Knight of the Bath, and in 1726 a Knight of the Garter, earning him the nickname "Sir Bluestring". Moreover, his eldest son was granted a barony.

After George II took the throne, Walpole survived an attempt by the king to replace him with Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, by securing the backing of Queen Caroline.

Remembered for little in the way of legislation or leadership, Walpole was the first prime minister to occupy the official residence at 10 Downing Street. He took up residence there in 1735 and its proximity to Parliament, a mere five minute walk, surely contributed to Walpole's longevity. It was said that while he was an accomplished debater he dominated the Commons by his ever-presence, most other members of Parliament making the trip to London infrequently.

Walpole concentrated on building influence in the House of Commons and held sway by force of personality, leaving the administration of foreign affairs to others. His support of the status quo and propensity for doing little, led to criticism from William Pitt. His attempt to raise the excise tax on wine and tobacco, to shift the tax burden from landowners to merchants, failed due to widespread opposition. After being forced into war with Spain in 1739, his hold on the Commons waned. He resigned in 1742 due to failing health. He was named 1st Earl of Orford, a newly created title, and served in the House of Lords till his death in 1745.

Unit 10