Booing of the Welsh national anthem

[somerset]

It's a 'thing' you say to defend the case for the Queen being an imposter in this land.

Sorry, you lost me there.

 

[Yorkie]

George I was German

Who was the cousin of James. He couldn't be put on the throne because he was Catholic.

Both George 1 & James had the same Grandfather so the line is still direct back to James 1 of England and 6th of Scotland who was the cousin of Elizabeth 1 who died without children.

The line continues even though it may go sideways at times.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

In effect the link begins with William I who was a Norman (Frenchman of Viking ancestry) this Frenchness was increased by the accesion of Henry II Plantagenet. French was the language of the upper classes and monarchy until the 14th century when vernacular English began to take over. The Scottish element was added when James VI of Scotland (then an independent kingdom) became King of England. When James II was removed from the throne because of his Catholocism other Protestant Stuarts became monarchs until that line died out. The nearest successor was George I who was a grandson of Elizabeth of Bohemia (now Czech Republic) who was the daughter of James I. The link was pretty tenuous but maintained the Protestant line.

The first two Georges could not speak English and remained Kings of Hanover (an area of Germany) until 1837 when Victoria became Queen because Hanover did not recognise female monarchs. Victoria herself married another German, Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which in itself reinforced the German side of the British royal family. The Windsors came into being during the First World War when Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was deemed too German.

Prior to 1866 before Germany was unified into one country the area was split into a large number of Kingdoms, Duchies and other small independent statelets which provided a lot of suitable suitors for the bigger monarchies of Europe. German royals married into and took over through male members (ooh-ehh) a number of leading royal familes, including Denmark, Russia, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

 

[m20gull]

All the brouhaha about this I have never understood. The Queen is (nearly) half Scottish from her mother's side, Charles is partly Greek from his father's side. It's the monarchy that's British, not the Monarch.

 

[balloonboy]

I don't understand why England fans feel compelled to boo another country's anthem. Apart from being disrespectful, it winds the opposition up. No other nation seems to do this.

Wrong, I'm afraid. I went to see Spain v Belgium on Saturday night (slight coincidence, I just happened to be in Northern Spain, where the game was played). Anyway, as soon as the Belgian national anthem started the whole stadium erupted into a chorus of whistles and boos. The odd thing was, the spectator mix was VERY family oriented, with loads of kids and women - but they all still boo-ed and whistled. I don't know why we persist in the belief that we are the only nation that does this.....

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The Spanish booing of the Belgian national anthem was probably something to do with the fact that the first King of the Belgians, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (uncle of Queen Victoria) was installed in 1831 after centuries of Belgian disillusionment with the Dutch.

The Spanish people obviously identify with the Dutch (remember the Netherlands and Flanders had been ruled by Spain until the 16th century).

So they'd have been pretty miffed at the ingratitude of the Belgians in demanding their independence in 1831.

Booing seems quite reasonable in the circumstances.

 

[Gwylan]

Wrong, I'm afraid. I went to see Spain v Belgium on Saturday night (slight coincidence, I just happened to be in Northern Spain, where the game was played). Anyway, as soon as the Belgian national anthem started the whole stadium erupted into a chorus of whistles and boos. The odd thing was, the spectator mix was VERY family oriented, with loads of kids and women - but they all still boo-ed and whistled. I don't know why we persist in the belief that we are the only nation that does this.....

I did say "no other nation seems to boo". I couldn't say for definite as I obviously don't watch every international game. My observation was based on the Euro championship when England supporters were the only ones who booed anthems.

But, yes, I'm sure other countries do it, when there's some history between then, like Belgium v Spain: I bet Croatia v Serbia, say, is not played in a respectful atmosphere either. But England fans seem to do it whoever we're playing and t pisses me off.

 

[Brovion]

She is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror ( a Norman ), so that a thousand years of non-german influence, but also Alfred, Egbert and right back to Cerdic in the 6th century, where we find the first real 'german' ancestry, Cerdic being a Saxon.

What a load of rubbish! Where do you get this 'direct descendent' bit from? Although it might look like a nice straight line in a history book it's anything but.

PS - You missed out **** entirely.

PPS - The last true King of England and the last true Earl of Wessex was Harold Godwinson. When he died at Hastings England fell into foreign hands and since then we've been ruled by the French the Scots the Dutch and the Germans. Find me the direct descendants of Harold and I'll show you the true King of England.

 

[Brovion]

Why is the name of a Viking King deemed to be a swear word? Should I have used the more popular anglisied spelling of 'Canute'? His name was c.n.u.t.

 

[Cian]

I thought it was Knut, but yes, Canute is an anglised, bowlderdised version

 

[JJ McClure]

My observation was based on the Euro championship when
England supporters were the only ones who booed anthems.

England fans seem to do it whoever we're playing

Not sure that I'd agree with either of those statements Gwylan.

The booing of national anthems has reduced drastically since FIFA sounded off about punishing countries that did it. The Welsh anthem was always going to get booed though. It's was a home nations game with added passion involved.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

The Spanish booing of the Belgian national anthem was probably something to do with the fact that the first King of the Belgians, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (uncle of Queen Victoria) was installed in 1831 after centuries of Belgian disillusionment with the Dutch.

The Spanish people obviously identify with the Dutch (remember the Netherlands and Flanders had been ruled by Spain until the 16th century).

So they'd have been pretty miffed at the ingratitude of the Belgians in demanding their independence in 1831.

Booing seems quite reasonable in the circumstances.

That is incorrect. The Netherlands and Spain fought out a long war for the former's independence that was intimately entwined with religion. Dutch Calvinists cannot stand Catholicism as represented by their former masters Spain. After the Dutch gained independence the Catholic part of the former Spanish Netherlands (half of Belgium) remained as part of Spain until the War of Spanish succession 1701-13 when it was decided that the new Bourbon dynasty in Spain (an offshot of the ruling French Kings) shouldn't be allowed to have that part of Belgium (it was the English who insisted on this as France was the main enemy at the time) and it should go to the Austrians instead. It remained part of Habsburg jurisdiction until 1815 when it became part of the Netherlands. This only lasted 16 years when Belgium gained independence.

I'd imagine the booing was more for Belgians knocking the Spanish out of the 1986 World Cup than anything else.

 

[Kryten]

That is incorrect. The Netherlands and Spain fought out a long war for the former's independence that was intimately entwined with religion. Dutch Calvinists cannot stand Catholicism as represented by their former masters Spain. After the Dutch gained independence the Catholic part of the former Spanish Netherlands (half of Belgium) remained as part of Spain until the War of Spanish succession 1701-13 when it was decided that the new Bourbon dynasty in Spain (an offshot of the ruling French Kings) shouldn't be allowed to have that part of Belgium (it was the English who insisted on this as France was the main enemy at the time) and it should go to the Austrians instead. It remained part of Habsburg jurisdiction until 1815 when it became part of the Netherlands. This only lasted 16 years when Belgium gained independence.

I'd imagine the booing was more for Belgians knocking the Spanish out of the 1986 World Cup than anything else.

get back to work

 

[Lammy]

Booing national anthems is all part of the build up of a good game! I wouldn't be offended if someone booed God save the Queen (What a SHIT anthem that is!) Land of Hope and Glory or Jeruselem (sp?) would both be better choices. To be honest if we didn't get booed I would be more offended as it would appear that they don't give a toss!

 

[NMH]

If we had Blake's 'Jerusalem' as national anthem, there'd be complaints of associations with religious exclusivity, and a town in Israel.

I believe the name 'Jeru salem' means something like 'God shelter'
or alternatively 'home of God' from hebrew.
The 'holy lamb of God' would refer to Jesus of course, making this anthem definitely Christian.
For many, the idea of Muslims, Buddhists, or Jews coming to live in England and teaching their English children to sing that as a national anthem might be amusing, but it would probably be contentious and divisive when they refuse to sing it despite their patriotism towards the country.

Blake was extremely religious and his poetry is brilliant, but as much as I have trouble (as a proud Englishman) in singing GSTQ, the concept of 'Jerusalem' as national anthem has inherent problems too.

 

[balloonboy]

I'd imagine the booing was more for Belgians knocking the Spanish out of the 1986 World Cup than anything else.

I'd hazard a guess that 90% of the crowd had no recollection or indeed knowledge of that great footballing triumph on the part of the Belgians. I think they were just boo-ing because the person next to them was boo-ing. Most of the crowd seemed to be women and kids.

The cheapest seats, by the way, were 5 Euros. I paid 15 Euros for a great seat. And you could drink beer throughout the game, at your seat!!

PS: Deliberate attempt to change subject

 

[Dave the OAP]

The times I have watched international footy on the telly and the fans boo the national anthems, i normally think what is the point of having a national anthem played at a football game?

I heard the Welsh singing "always shit on the English side of the bridge". It didn't annoy me, in the same way as when Cardiff come down in a couple of weeks time, I will sing "sheepshaggers" " Red sheep on your flag" "Engurland" " Your Welsh and you know you are" etc etc

Actually on aserious point here, If we do sing something anti Welsh, will we be hauled out by the PC brigade for being racist?

 

[Chesney Christ]

Re: Re: Booing of the Welsh national anthem

Can only agree with you

Blackadder: Baldrick, do you have any idea what irony is?

Baldrick/Terrace Dandy: Yeah, its like goldy or bronzy - only its made of iron.

 

[Chesney Christ]

Some of the wankers on here have reminded me why the English are hated so much by their fellow Brits.

 

[3gulls]

And did anyone hear the the ultimate expression of English arrogance? Taunting the Welsh with chants of "Are You Scotland in Disguise?"

Yes, I thought that was very funny too.