Many countries have a certain plant as a national symbol, which reflects their culture and history, represents it to the whole world. So, the floral symbol of England is the queen of flowers - a red rose.
Why is the floral symbol of England a rose?
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 sociocultural coding. Secondly, the origin of the symbol is largely associated with legends and traditions in which information about the past is transmitted. Thirdly, the choice can be justified by some historical events. In the case of England, the last factor became decisive, since the plant symbol of this country arose due to an epoch-making historical event - the famous War of the Roses.
Symbol of England in honor of the war of the Scarlet and White Roses
For war, this is a rather unusual name. Of course, it was not the flowers that fought among themselves, but the personalities whose clan emblems were decorated with roses. These people, who failed to share power peacefully, belonged to two lines of the noble dynasty of Plantagenets - 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 disputed 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 is worth noting that a luxurious flower first appeared on the British Isles only in the XIV century. Breeding of beautiful roses was carried away by the most notable English ladies and lords. Thanks to the painter John Petty, who skillfully portrayed on his famous canvas a scene from the first part of Shakespeare’s play “Henry VI”, the current viewer can imagine how the supporters of the warring factions chose white and red roses.
In 1455, the feud of two noble families turned 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 - the 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, the emblem of which adorned the colors of two roses.
