The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-01-09
Tho Arms Of Great Britain.

Ny young readers have 4 oubtless ofte
observed upon familiar objects, such q
books, china and steelware, etc, the de-
viceof Lion and horse sometimes rep
resented as unicorn) supporting between
them a shield, surmounted by d crown.
On the shield are certain divisions called
aquarterings,n in one Of which you will
observe two lions and a horse. Attached
to the whole is the motto, Dlcu ct. mon
droit T. French words, whose meaning is,
80 God and my right"
If you inquire, you will be told that
this device is the coat of-arms +" Of Great
Britain, as the eagle, shield and olive
branch is that of the United States, and
that all articles thus marked are of Brit
ish manufacture.
In old times the national symbol Of
England was the rose, Of Scotland the
thistle, of Ireland the shamrock, or clover.
When England claimed Ireland and
Scotland, these three were united on the
British royal shield, as we find them in
the time of Queen Elizabeth. On vic
tory over France, a unicorn, was also added,
the unicorn wearing chain, to denote,
the subsection of France to England.
When new sovereign succeeds to the
crown, he has right to place his own
family coat-of- arms on the royal shield of
Great Britain. George the First did this.
The two lions and the white horse, which
you see on one of the quarterings, is the
coat-of- arms of the Guelphs, who were
dukes Of Brunswick and Hanover in Ger
many. 1t is therefore called the arms of
the, House of Brunswick, and it is about
this that now design to tell you.
We read in history that when the great
Charle-magne conquered the northern
countries, one of the Saxon leaders, named
Wittikind, refused to submit to him, and
that, IN consequence, many bloody bat
ties were fought, wherein the Saxons bore
In their van a tall pole surmounted by a
wooden horses head. This was their en-
sign; and when they afterward became
more civilized, thoJ retained they same
emblem, "a white morse painted upon a
black ground, which remains to this
day the standard or banner OF the little
kingdom of Saxony.
In the year S61, Just about one thors-
and years ago,-Bruno, theson of Saxon
king, founded city in Saxony which he
called after himself Brunoins Vicus, now
known as Brunswick. He retained as
the standard Of Brunswick, the white
horse of Saxony, and thus it remained
until the end Of the three succeeding
centuries. About that time the reigning
prince of Brunswick was q certain Henry
Guelph, a leader in the Crusades, noted
for his strength and daring, which ac-
quired for him the title Of Henry the
Lion. This prince refused to own allie
giance to the great Emperor of Germany,
Frederick Barbarossa. He declared HIM
self independent, and as token of def
ance set up a great stone lion in Bruins
wick, and had the same symbol placed
upon his standard, two lions supporting a
shield beneath the white horse.
Thus you know the origin of the Bruins
wick coat Of arms. But how cam the ban
ner Of small German country to be adopt
ed on the arms of Great Britain. This
will now explain.
About the year 1850, the then reigning
Duke of Brunswick, afterward also Flee
tor OF Hanover, married the granddaugh-
ter of King James the First of England
Their eldest son was named George Louis
When, on the death of Queen Annie, the
English were in want of a successor, they
looked about those nearest Of kin to the
royal family, and decided to choose this
great grandson Of King James I. Thu,
it was that George Louis Guel ph---a
Saxon-German-came to be King George
the First Of England, and this was how
the =" lion alld-hors arms of Brunswick
and Hanover came to DO also part of the
arms of GreatBritain. His successors were
George the Second, George the Third
(aeg5ainst whose rule the American colonies
rebelled), George the Fourth, William,
and lastly Victoria, the present queen,
who is the granddaughter to George the
Third. Thus you understand how Queen
Victoria is descended from the princes
Of Brunswick. -houp she happens to be of
German instead Of English blood, -and
why her name is Guelph tSusap ArcAer
Weiss. ST Nicholas for January.
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