Rosses - Passion or Socialism Answer Here
Name: Claudia Nye
Claudia asked LHL, why does Lancashire have the red rose has its emblem and
not the white rose and was the colour chosen because it represents passion or
socialism?
Funnily enough we have had this type of question several times before and in
part this reveals how people are influenced by the importance of symbols in
identification and also how these symbols are, in turn, of great importance.
Firstly, we can rule out any form of socialist influence. The choice of red rose to
represent the House of Lancaster dates back to the 14 th century, several
centuries prior to the Levellers, Robert Owen and Karl Marx. Claudia’s second
inclination is perceptive enough to suggest that passion may have been one of
the reasons for the choice of rose colour. From the early medieval period
onwards, rose colours were thought to represent certain qualities. Red roses
represented and represent still today, romance, love, beauty and perfection.
Orange roses represent life, energy, passion and excitement. Yellow roses
symbolize friendship, joy and gladness. White roses come with a variety of
meanings, including purity, innocence, grace and humility. Because these
flowers have long been popular for weddings, they have also come to
represent new beginnings and pink roses are given to express admiration of
someone’s refinement or femininity.
However, from a historical perspective, the House of Lancaster got its emblem
– the red rose from the badge of Edward I of England, which was originally a
gold rose. It was adopted in the 14th century by Edmund, the son of Henry III.
The species of rose that Edmund chose was believed to be Rosa Gallica. It was
then adopted by the subsequent earls of Lancaster. The red rose being adopted
as a heraldic badge by John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340–1399) third
surviving son of King Edward III of England and father of King Henry IV, the first
Lancastrian king, who seized the throne from his first cousin King Richard II.
The actual choice of a red rose by John of Gaunt 1 st Duke of Lancaster is open to
speculation but assumption (the evil of all historians) would lead us to reason
that the earlier influence of heraldic family choices and the importance of the
meaning of colours influenced John to his choice of colour. Interestingly, roses
became the symbols of the House of Lancaster and the House of York, but
neither Houses displayed them as their sole ‘signatures’ during the Roses War.
Over the border in Yorkshire, the White Rose of York (Latinised as rosa alba,
blazoned as a rose argent) was also adopted as an heraldic badge of the royal
House of York. The white rose was adopted as a symbol also in the 14th
century, when it was introduced by Edmund of Langley, the first Duke of York
and founder of the House of York, a dynasty related to the Plantagenet kings.
White was the colour of purity and virginity, so it had religious connotations
and no doubt would have been part of Edmund’s raison d’etre. Interestingly,
the white rose came to prominence again during the Seven Years War, when
the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry fought at the Battle of Minden, August
1, 1759, in Prussia. Here the troops picked white roses from bushes on the
battlefields as a tribute to their fallen comrades, and wore them in their
buttonholes.
The start of the bitter rivalry between the houses of Lancaster and York can be
traced back to 1399. This is when Henry Bolingbroke, the then Duke of
Lancaster overthrew his cousin King Richard II and claimed the throne. Over the
following years three Lancastrian kings held the English throne, these were
Henry Bolingbroke who became Henry IV (1399-1413). He was followed by his
son Henry V (1413-1422) who was in turn followed by his son Henry VI (1422-
1461). The subsequent war of the roses lasted for decades and saw the deaths
of many thousands of people.
The War of the Roses was brought to an end with the death of King Richard III
at the Battle of Bosworth Field, 1485. Richard was the leader of the House of
York and was slain on the battlefield by the forces of Henry Tudor, the leader of
the Lancaster faction. Henry VII then claimed the throne for himself. Knowing
that his claim on the throne was not as solid as it could have been, he wisely
made Elizabeth of York his wife and closed the chapter on the roses rivalry.
The Red Rose is the prime symbol for the House of Lancaster, immortalised in
Shakespeare’s verse "In the battle for England's head/York was white,
Lancaster red". John of Gaunt would have been influenced to choose a red rose
partly because of its symbolic connections to love and perfection and partly
because the rose as a heraldic flower had long been part of the royal armoury
of England royalty.
Am not sure if that helps any Claudia but we rather think red is soooo much
better than white or what?
Put kettle on mum!
Peter John Fyles
Subject: War of the roses
Message: As a tango dancer from Buenos Aires, I’d like to know the significance of the choice of the colour red for the rose of Lancashire (anything to do with socialism or passion or both?)
