White Dragon Emblem
The story of the White Dragon is as old as the idea of “England” itself. Merlin’s prophecies foretell a battle between a red dragon and a white dragon: the red being the Welsh Celtic Britons, the white being the invading Saxons, Jutes and Angles who became known as the “English”. There are many different versions of these myths and, depending whose side the writer was on, a different dragon won! The White Dragon was the emblem of Wessex, the territory of the West Saxons, the most powerful of the seven kingdoms of England before they merged in the 10th century. King Alfred the Great, the first person to call himself “King of England”, fought under a white dragon banner when he defeated the Vikings. King Harold also fought under the white dragon when he lost to the Normans in 1066. You can clearly see the dragon embroidered over Harold’s fallen body in the Bayeux Tapestry. Is it time to reinstate our oldest national emblem?
NOMINATION 1142 OF 1170
It's one of the earliest banners of England and the English.
Cyne
Sorry just to add to those who say there is no evidence: there is more just as sufficient evidence of the dragons as there is of St. George, just look a some tapesrties and do your research. Also consider that when the Normans and William the Conqueror came they did a little 'ethnic and cultural' cleansing...
Piers Wilson
I've done some research and I can safely say that this is the true flag/banner icon of England and St. Edmund - the true patron Saint. St. George was brought here by the Normans. I would actually suggest entwining both the cross and the white dragon so as to unite the two and to remind us of our English past. God knows it won't be taught in schools, which is pathetic to say the least!
Piers
