The English state is one of the few where the monarchy has been preserved to this day. The British love and honor their ruling Queen Elizabeth II. The attitude of the inhabitants of Britain towards all the attributes of royal power is respectful. The pride of the country is the emblem of Great Britain.
Monarchical sign
More than one generation worked on its creation, all the details are thought out and symbolic, there is nothing superfluous in it, only what speaks of honor and valor, events and ruling persons. The royal coat of arms of Great Britain is considered personal for the ruling monarch. All other members of the royal family have their own heraldic insignia. It is worth noting that there is a basic resemblance to the royal sign, but each individualizes individual details.
Two instead of one
The coat of arms of Great Britain is not the only heraldic sign of the whole United Kingdom. Recall that the state includes, in addition to England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Only three provinces consider the royal heraldic badge their emblem. Scotland has a different emblem. That is, at the moment in the country there are two active emblems with significant differences.
Heraldic symbols
The coat of arms of Great Britain (photo on the right) consists of two lions and seven heraldic leopards. Leo means strength, magnanimity and courage, and a leopard means courage and courage.
In heraldry there is no clear distinction between these animals. This difference is symbolic. Most often, the coat of arms shows a lion without a mane, and a leopard with it. A significant role is played by the color of the animal and its position. There are about eleven options, each of which has its own clear meaning.
It is also worth mentioning that a simple detailing - a description of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom - will not give anything, every little thing has an implication (the color of the claws / fangs of animals, the flowers on the lawn, the color of the coat, etc.), therefore it is necessary to evaluate the overall picture, only then You will have a clear understanding of the whole image.
Description
The heraldic insignia of the British monarch person includes a shield divided into four equal parts. In the first and fourth, three golden marching leopards are depicted (the official name is “walking lions on a watchman”). So, England is marked on the coat of arms. Ireland is represented in the third part of the shield in the form of a harp on the azure field, and Scotland in the second, in the form of a rising lion. The role of the shield holders is the crowned lion (English symbol) on the left and the unicorn chained (Scottish symbol) on the right. In the crest above the shield is a crowned leopard.
Second option (Scottish)
The Scottish coat of arms also includes a crowned lion and a unicorn chained, but the lion is on the right and the unicorn on the left. In the crest is a crowned lion sitting right upright. The shield is also divided into four equal parts. In the third niche is a harp symbolizing Northern Ireland. The first and fourth niches are occupied by the rising lions (one at a time), representing Scotland, and the second by three golden lions against a scarlet background.
In the Scottish version of the coat of arms on a crown crowning a golden helmet, instead of a marching golden crowned leopard sits a scarlet lion holding a sword and scepter in its paws. The Scottish version is significantly different in that the emblem shows a crowned unicorn. Moreover, the lawn is decorated only with thistle, while in the main version there are still roses and clover.
Creature
The history of the coat of arms of Great Britain is the history of the country. The symbol of the state has changed, improving, absorbing the spirit of the people. This heraldic insignia owes its appearance to Richard I the Lionheart. A shield with three leopards (lions) on a scarlet background was his symbol.
Edward III divided the shield into four parts, thus expressing his displeasure when the throne of France was taken by Philip VI of Valois. In the second and third parts he left the leopards, and in the first and fourth he placed the emblem of France (gold lilies on a azure background). Over time, the lilies were replaced by the symbols of Scotland and Ireland. This happened under King James I in the 17th century.
The helmet was adorned by the crown of St. Edward during the reign of Charles II. Later there appeared inscriptions stating: "Shame on those who think badly of this" and "God and my right." The shield with the shield-bearers was located in a clearing with flowers personifying England (roses, clover, thistle), too, not immediately. The coat of arms of Great Britain underwent changes not only in this. The shield holders at one time were white swans and falcons, a white boar and a red dragon, a dog and a yal (he is a yail - the basilisk's worst enemy). The heraldic sign received its last appearance under Queen Victoria.
Details
Each nuance of the coat of arms matters. For example, the azure color (blue / blue) in heraldry means honor and fidelity, greatness and glory, gentleness and chastity, dryness, clarity, sincerity and honesty. A symbol of Northern Ireland is depicted on a azure background.
The scarlet color (scarlet / red) was the basis for the English lions, which, among other things, had azure weapons (claws and fangs). In heraldry, this color is associated with courage and fearlessness, with blood shed for ideals (religious, political). So depicted blood, fire and heat.
The gold color for lions was also chosen not by chance. In heraldry, it is a symbol of justice and power, respect and grandeur, purity and constancy, mercy and humility.
Order of the Garter
The inscription “Honi soit qui mal y pense” adorning the coat of arms, the crown and the blue belt with a buckle are symbols of the Order of the Garter. It was founded at the time by Edward III. The principles that formed the basis of the order subsequently became the basis for almost all knightly orders. Its main attributes are insignia (rowing, flag), possession (land, castles). All members of the order were equal to each other, except for its head. The number of members is strictly limited, and membership in other orders was equated with treason.
Dominion
The coat of arms of the United Kingdom is considered the oldest heraldic mark in the world. Moreover, he formed the basis of almost all the emblems of British dominion. In particular, the Canadian coat of arms has the same shield holders as the British. The golden helmet does not adorn the crown of St. Eduard, but a marching crowned lion also settled on it. The shield is divided into five parts, three of which are symbols of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.