The Welsh Dragon flag: DDRAIG COCH
On 23rd February 1959, the flag currently in use was officially recognised as the national flag of Wales.
It is thought that the Romans brought the dragon emblem to what is now Wales in the form of the Draco standards carried by Roman cavalry units. The Draco itself originated with the Sarmatians, a unit of whom were stationed in Britain from the 2nd to 4th centuries.
The oldest known use of the dragon to represent Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, which is commonly attributed to the Welsh monk Nennius around 830. The text describes a struggle between two serpents who prevent King Vortigern from building a fortress. This story was later adapted by Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136) into a prophecy by Merlin that the white dragon, representing the Saxons would at first dominate but would eventually be conquered by the red dragon, symbolising the Celts. Geoffrey also tells us that King Arthur had a golden dragon banner.
In 1400 Owain Glyndwr raised a golden dragon on a white background as his banner during his revolts against the occupation of Wales by the English crown.
Henry VII's banner at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 incorporated a red dragon, which he attributed to Cadwaladr, King of Gwynedd from c.655 to 682, on the Tudor colours of green and white. Afterwards it was carried in state to St Pauls Cathedral and included as a supporter of the Tudor royal arms to signify their Welsh descent.
Source: History of Wales
