In Welsh mythology, what red dragon appears on the national flag of Wales?
Answer
Y Ddraig Goch
In Welsh mythology, Y Ddraig Goch is the red dragon that appears on the national flag of Wales.
The Welsh name Y Ddraig Goch means “the red dragon.” The creature is a major national symbol, and the modern Welsh flag shows it passant, or walking, against a divided white-and-green background. The flag was officially adopted in its present form in 1959, although the red dragon’s association with Wales is much older.
A famous legend appears in Historia Brittonum, a ninth-century Latin history traditionally associated with Nennius. King Vortigern is said to have discovered two dragons beneath a hill. A red dragon defeated a white dragon, and the conflict was interpreted as a prophecy about the Britons and invading Saxons. The red dragon therefore became linked with Welsh resistance and identity.
The symbol is also connected with medieval Welsh rulers, including Cadwaladr, whose banner may have helped strengthen the association. Y Ddraig Goch is not simply a modern heraldic decoration; it combines legendary prophecy, political symbolism, and a visible national emblem.