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Britannia is for freedom
• YOUR correspondent writing about the song Rule Britannia is quite right to raise its connection with slavery (Wrong Britannia, January 18).
Of course, the very word Britannia is an import from Europe.
The word was first used to name our island by Roman invaders.
One of the main reasons for this invasion in 43AD was that, apart from the acquisition of materials such as gold, tin and iron, Britain was considered a cheap source for the acquisition of slaves for the Roman Empire.
The origin of the very symbol of Britannia, which appears on some 50p pieces and the old English penny, first appeared on a roman coin of emperor Antonius Pius. Its original purpose was to represent the goddess Roma.
The creation of the modern symbol was recorded by Samuel Pepys on a medal of King Charles II when Britain was at the height of its involvement in the African slave trade.
KEITH ARMSTRONG
Seymour House, Churchway, NW1
• RULE Britannia though originally written in 1740 to commemorate the accession of George I, quickly became a celebration of Britain’s growing sense of nationhood, and growing naval power as a guarantee of the rights and freedoms that Englishmen of the day enjoyed – hard won after the years of civil war and upheaval in the 17th century – compared with the absolutist systems current in Europe, particularly our long-time enemy the French, whose “slaves” we never were to be.
And as to our naval power, we should also remember that when British public and political opinion did finally swing behind the abolitionist movement at the end of the 18th century, it was the Royal Navy’s untiring efforts that were largely responsible for stamping out the trade.
So, far from being ‘politically incorrect’, Rule Britannia should be an anthem to be sung unashamedly by freedom-loving peoples everywhere.
GM Zokante
Address supplied
q A reader asks about Rule Britannia
This famous song was written by two Scottish poets, James Thomson and David Malloch (anglicised as Mallett).
It was set to music by Thomas Arne for Alfred A Masque (1740) and reflects the political climate of its time.
King Alfred (c849-899) was revered in the mid-18th century as the Guardian of Liberty.
This information, and plenty more, will be found in A History of Britain Volume two by Simon Schama (Chapter six, The Wrong Empire).
He also comments on the terrible irony that an “empire of free Britons” should have been heavily dependent on slavery.
P GUEST
Fortune Green Road, NW6 |
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