| The origin of the Welsh Dragon is believed to be | | | | a host in green and white." It was also these |
| from the Roman 'draconi' standards of the | | | | colors that the Black Prince, Edward of |
| cohorts. The cohorts were far more numerous | | | | Woodstock clad his Welsh contingent in 1346. So |
| than the legions, especially after the legions | | | | by the middle of the fourteenth Century, green |
| withdrew. The people who remained behind | | | | and white appear to have been accepted as the |
| probably naturally considered the dragon the | | | | national colours of Wales. Then Henry Tudor used |
| symbol of the Roman civilization to which then | | | | these colors as the field for the Red Dragon and |
| now belonged and to which they were now | | | | this is as they remain today as the colours of the |
| defending from barbarian invaders. It is thought | | | | national flag. |
| that the resistance to the Saxons was originally | | | | The colours of the Dragon itself fluctuated |
| organized by Romans or 'Romanized' Britons. So | | | | between gold and red throughout the Middle Ages |
| then the Dragon seemed to be the most natural | | | | A chronicler tells of Henry Tudor's standard |
| emblem for their battle standard. | | | | containing a red dragon passant, breathing flames, |
| The Welsh people are said to date back to about | | | | set upon a horizontally divided field of green and |
| the seventh century, with the advance of the | | | | white, with the background of flames and white |
| Saxons, they were isolated from the rest of | | | | and red roses along with a golden Fleur-be-lis. |
| Celtic Britain. The Saxon's carried a white dragon, | | | | There is no dragon in the arms of any Welsh |
| so it was somewhat natural that the British | | | | nobility of the fourteenth century. This is because |
| people chose their red dragon as a fighting | | | | the red dragon has long been considered a |
| standard. The red dragon is also associated with | | | | national symbol and not one of any single princely |
| Merlin who it is said gave counsel to the earliest | | | | family. In 1807, it was declared that a red dragon |
| kings of Briton. In the Welsh language, the words | | | | passant, standing on a mound should be the King's |
| draig, and dragon meant warrior. Great warriors | | | | badge for Wales. In 1953, it was decreed by |
| were often referred to as pendraig or pendragon, | | | | Queen Elizabeth II that the royal badge of Wales |
| which basically meant chief dragon. | | | | should be augmented with the famous motto 'Y |
| The color choice for the dragon remains unclear | | | | ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn'. In 1958, the Gorsedd |
| to this day, though it is thought that the national | | | | of Bards made it known that he wished the Red |
| dragon of Medieval Wales was red or golden to | | | | Dragon flag to become recognized as the national |
| simulate fire. Though the warriors, chiefs and | | | | flag of Wales in place of the augmented badge. |
| princes of Wales were commonly known as | | | | In 1959, Her Majesty commanded that none but |
| dragons, there is no evidence that they used a | | | | the Red Dragon on the green and while field |
| dragon of any color for their military standard | | | | should be flown over any Government buildings in |
| before the fifteenth century. They may have | | | | Wales and also in London where it was |
| indeed used them; there is just no historical | | | | appropriate. The red dragon from those early |
| documentation to show that they did. The first | | | | times has been the national symbol, representing |
| documentation of the red dragon on the standard | | | | Wales at rugby stadiums and battle grounds alike. |
| wasn't until 1401. | | | | It has been used in royal heraldry and as |
| It appears that the green and white background | | | | newspaper logos. This beautiful flag is proudly held |
| came into existence through Llywelyn and his | | | | as the mark of a national identity, a standard with |
| army where it was written "There is my lord | | | | a rich and colourful history. |
| Llywelyn and tall warriors follow him; a thousand, | | | | |