Histoire du drapeau britannique (document en anglais)

The English flag, also known as the Union Flag or Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its composition is a powerful symbol of the history of the United Kingdom, because each cross contained therein recalls a step in the creation of that State.

This flag is the superposition of three existing flags: the flag of England, one in Scotland and one in Ireland.

Although Wales also makes part of Great Britain (including England and Scotland), the Welsh flag is not on the Union Jack. The emblem of Wales (red dragon) has not been included in the union flag because Wales is considered to be attached to the kingdom of England since the thirteenth century.

The Union Jack is a powerful symbol of the history of the United Kingdom, because its composition recalls every stage of the creation of this state.

Red Cross Central which is on the Union Flag refers to the English flag.

The English flag is a red cross on a white background also called Cross of St. George (St George's Cross). Indeed, Saint George is the patron saint of England since the thirteenth century.

In 1603, when Queen Elizabeth I of England died without an heir, the king of Scotland Stuart Jacques VI becomes King of England by the name of Jacques Ier. He created the kingdom of Great Britain flag overlaying the English flag and the Scottish flag (a white cross on a blue background called Cross of St. Andrew in reference to the patron saint of Scotland).

On the British flag, a white line separates the red from blue to enforce a law prohibiting Heraldry union of red and blue.

The current flag came into force on 1 January 1801 after the Union Act ("Act of Union") of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland. Was then added to the British flag a cross of St. Patrick (red X shape on white background).

Today, Union Jack flag is part of some countries that once belonged to the British Empire (such as Australia, New Zealand and Fiji). It also appears on the flag of the Royal Navy and the flag of the Royal Air Force.

The English flag or Union Flag is often called "Union Jack". If the word "union" is explicit, there are several theories on the origin of the word "Jack".

It could be a reference to Jacques I, the king who is at the origin of a common flag between the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland.

The word "jack" could also be the nautical term for the Royal Navy was the first major user of this flag. "Jack" is actually the term designating marine flags.

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