rose of england

[johnno]

Why is the red rose the symbol of england

[happysax]

The rose is a Christian symbol, symbolizing charity and associated with the Virgin Mary. During the mediaeval War of the Roses, when the families of the royal houses of York and Lancaster were fighting for the throne, the House of York used the traditional white rose (representing purity and good) as their symbol, while the House of Lancaster used a red rose (representing the blood of Christ). The Lancaster side won, so the red rose became the symbol of England. Why it's the symbol of the Labour Party, however, is a different story :-D

[incitatus]

This was what I had heard too. but according to the historian Alison Weir, the use of the roses as symbols was a later conceit. The wars of the roses were not called such until shakespearean times a hundred years later. That henry vii adopted the tudor rose was certain, but this was often of a composite red/white or pink colour.

[archbishop]

I think you will find that the English(Tudor) rose is a combination of white and red and the later pure red symbols on shirts etc are a modern thing for simplicity.