History, head, capital, coat of arms, flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

"Land Isze Capital of the British and Northern Island" - this phrase with varying degrees of pronunciation can be spoken by anyone who at least once began to learn English. Indeed, everyone knows the capital, but is it so easy to remember what the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland looks like, how do the Scots differ from the English and which of the regions is considered the most industrialized? We suggest remembering what was forgotten, and finding out what was not known before, about the mysterious Foggy Albion.

History

To begin with, the history of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as it is now called, began many centuries ago. First to the lands of modern Britain arrived the Roman conquerors, who founded the fort, which later became the capital of the world empire. In the eleventh century, the territory settled by the descendants of the Romans was conquered by the Norman conquerors. It was 1066 is the beginning of the history of the kingdom as an independent state formation.

The years passed, centuries changed, the kingdom was shaken both by civil strifes and wars with the countries of continental Europe. In the fifteenth century, the War of the Scarlet and White Roses led to the overthrow of the then ruling dynasty and the accession to the British throne of the Tudors. This family stayed in power for many years, beginning the colonial empire, it was with them that the United Kingdom achieved its highest power. Wise kings combined successful foreign policy with the internal - in the seventeenth century, still on the throne, the Tudors annexed Scotland to England. A century later, the stability of the empire with a multitude of foreign possessions shook the national ups and the struggle for US independence, but even the loss of lands beyond the Atlantic could not cause serious damage - at that time the iron hands of England squeezed both India and Ireland. The Napoleonic wars only strengthened the position of the British Empire in the world arena, and in the twentieth century the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland entered completely as a powerful industrial power.

Modernity

But already in the twenties rebellious Ireland still managed to achieve independence, after the Second World War India demanded sovereignty, and in the fifties and sixties the empire completely ceased to exist. Currently, the coat of arms, the hymn and the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland unites under itself England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, 49 former colonies and 12 possessions of the great empire, called the British Commonwealth.

Coat of arms

Let us now turn to such signs of sovereignty as the hymn and the coat of arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The latter is not only a symbol of directly Britain, but also a personal coat of arms of the ruling dynasty. It combines all four nations that make up the kingdom: in the center there is a shield divided into four parts, representing leopards (England), a golden lion (Scotland), a lyre (Northern Ireland) and a unicorn (Wales), at their feet - a thistle (a floral symbol of Scotland), a shamrock (Northern Ireland) and a rose (England). In the upper part of the emblem, royal power is embodied by the crowned leopard. The words on the arms are "Shame on who thinks about it" - the ribbon with them is wrapped around a shield - and "God and my right" is the motto of the ruling monarch, placed directly under the shield. Thus, the coat of arms in this situation unites in itself all the symbols of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, demonstrating the unity and cohesion of a great power.

Flag

What about the symbol of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? Everyone knows it, does not it? It is already considered a unique business card of the island state. It should be noted that this year, used for the first time in 1606, celebrated the anniversary - the 410th anniversary. This flag is called Union Jack.

History of the flag

His appearance is associated with the development of the fleet of the kingdom - for the identification of ships needed some kind of sign, so they decided to unite the cross of St. Andrew (Scotland) and St. George (England) on one canvas, however, the official status of the banner was received only after the signing of the union between two Countries in the seventeenth century. With the accession of Ireland, this is the very beginning of the nineteenth century, a diagonal cross was added to the flag. Thus, the modern flag also displays all the components of the kingdom, except Wales, on the national banner of which is depicted a red dragon that does not fit, apparently, in the concept of the British flag.

Policy

The head of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the monarch of the ruling dynasty. Currently, this is Elizabeth II Windsor. The problem of the British monarchy is that the king or queen, although on the throne, does not have the right to make decisions. All power is concentrated in the hands of parliament - thus, the kingdom is the clearest example of a constitutional monarchy. Parliament, in turn, is divided into the House of Lords (whose members are not elected by citizens) and the House of Commons (formed as a result of democratic elections) and is headed by the Prime Minister, whom the ruling monarch appoints. Moreover, it is important to note that the UK and Northern Ireland lack the Constitution as such - there is no clearly written code of laws. Thus, the powers of the queen are limited to accepting or disagreeing with the bills and the right to dissolve the parliament, while the rest royal prerogatives (such an official name have the power of the ruling monarch) are exercised only through the Prime Minister. We can say that the function of the British monarchs is purely decorative - they are present at solemn events, head various funds, participate in various ceremonies. The most famous phrase: "The King in Britain reigns, but does not rule" as accurately reflects the real political situation in the United Kingdom.

London

Speaking of Britain, we must not forget about London - the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland really deserves attention. The population of the main city and its environs, the so-called London urbanized zone, is twelve million people, the city is so multinational that it is difficult to transfer. Historically, it is divided into several regions: the city is a financial center, where 300,000 people come to work every day, the West End is the most prestigious area of luxury apartments and mansions, old buildings and elite educational institutions, the East End is the industrial heart of the city, filled with Unsightly gloomy houses and ship docks. The historical past of London will not leave indifferent any tourist - Big Ben, Tower, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Madame Tussauds Museum - there are hundreds of places to visit. Separate attention deserves branded scarlet telephone booths, Her Majesty's soldiers and double-decker buses - they can be considered as symbols of the city.

Conclusion

About what London is like, how the British behave, what the coat of arms and flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland look like, you can talk for a long time. But it's better to see once than to hear a million times, right?