The Red Lion of Scotland

[McDink]

WHATS with the Red Lion in the Royal Standard of Scotland? As far as I am aware, it was first used by King William I of Scotland around the 12th century as his standard, but they're sure as hell weren't any lions, nevermind red ones, roaming wild in Scotland then and i'm pretty sure William the Lion never made it as far as Africa to see them himself? Whats the deal?

[Lothian Sky]

Originally Posted by McDink

WHATS with the Red Lion in the Royal Standard of Scotland? As far as I am aware, it was first used by King William I of Scotland around the 12th century as his standard, but they're sure as hell weren't any lions, nevermind red ones,

With blue tongues and claws! They must have been partial to a raspberry bacardi breezer or two.

[bell-the-cat]

Originally Posted by McDink

but they're sure as hell weren't any lions, nevermind red ones, roaming wild in Scotland then and i'm pretty sure William the Lion never made it as far as Africa to see them himself? Whats the deal?

I don't recall that there were ever herds of unicorns either.

[NovaBritannia]

Originally Posted by bell-the-cat

I don't recall that there were ever herds of unicorns either.

True enough!

I imagine it's Norman in origin. The Royal line of Scotland were obviously Normans post-1066 etc, and the Lion is commonly found in their symbolism (see the standards of England, Normandy etc).

It is somewhat queer though how the UK's national animal (effectively) used in some form all the nations on Great Britain is something you wouldn't actually find here outside of a zoo... then again, we've always been a bit eccentric.

[McDink]

Originally Posted by bell-the-cat

I don't recall that there were ever herds of unicorns either.

I believe the 'Unicorn' was created through various passed down tales of the Rhino, with the narwhal's horn as 'proof' of it's existence.

[McDink]

Originally Posted by NovaBritannia

It is somewhat queer though how the UK's national animal (effectively) used in some form all the nations on Great Britain is something you wouldn't actually find here outside of a zoo... then again, we've always been a bit eccentric.

NOT if the Holyrood's culture committee get their way. New symbol for Scotland

[NovaBritannia]

Originally Posted by McDink

I believe the 'Unicorn' was created through various passed down tales of the Rhino, with the narwhal's horn as 'proof' of it's existence.

I thought the Rhino-Unicorn confusion was from Marco Polo, who claimed to have witnessed unicorns in the wild, but pointed out that they were big, gray and ugly...

Originally Posted by McDink

NOT if the Holyrood's culture committee get their way. New symbol for Scotland

That's the national bird... oddly enough, birds don't seem to be considered animals for the purposes of symbolism...