Brunswick Star: Bowling's Unique Achievement

The Brunswick star is an emblem with eight or sixteen points, composed of many narrow rays. It is used in the UK to surround the royal cypher on various badges, including those worn by police and fire services in England and Wales. The emblem gets its name from the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, also known as the principality of Hanover, which was ruled by the House of Hanover, whose heads also became kings of Great Britain and Ireland. The Brunswick Star Cross is a background decoration for the Brunswick Cross, which is used with several other emblems, including those for the police and fire brigade in Britain and Commonwealth countries.

The Brunswick star is an emblem with eight or sixteen points

The name Brunswick refers to the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, which was also known as the principality of Hanover. The duchy was ruled by the House of Hanover, whose heads also became kings of Great Britain and Ireland. The star is based on the Glory Cross and is used in British heraldry to show allegiance to the crown.

The Brunswick Star is also used as a background decoration for the Brunswick Cross, which is a common design for some German and British military decorations. The Brunswick Cross is often seen with the star as a background, and the star's rays can be either straight or wavy.

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) uses a 16-point star in its logo, while the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) ensign features an eight-pointed compass that resembles the Brunswick Star but is actually called a Compass Cross.

It is used to surround the royal cypher on badges of police and fire services in England and Wales

The Brunswick star is an emblem with an outline of an eight- or sixteen-pointed star, composed of many narrow rays. The emblem is used in the United Kingdom to surround the royal cypher on badges, including those worn on the caps and helmets of police and fire services in England and Wales. The name 'Brunswick' refers to the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, better known as the principality of Hanover, which was ruled by the House of Hanover, whose heads also became kings of Great Britain and Ireland.

The royal cypher is a heraldic monogram of the monarch, containing their name and title. These devices are used by monarchs around the world and have been used in Britain since at least the reign of Henry VIII of England in the 16th century. They serve to identify the reigning monarch and act as a mark of their authority.

The use of the royal cypher, aside from the police badge, can be seen on Royal Mail, buildings, telephone boxes, and state documents. For example, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the cypher 'E II R' was replaced by 'C R III' for King Charles III, combining his initial 'C' with 'R' for 'Rex' (the Latin word for king) and 'III' as he is the third English monarch of that name.

The inclusion of the Brunswick star surrounding the royal cypher on badges of police and fire services in England and Wales, therefore, demonstrates allegiance to the crown. This custom was established when modern police and fire services were set up, with ex-military officers involved in selecting appropriate uniforms and insignia, explaining the star's prevalence.

The name comes from the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg

The name of the Brunswick star comes from the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, which was also known as the principality of Hanover. The duchy was a historical state that existed from the late Middle Ages to the Late Modern era within the Holy Roman Empire. It was located in what is now northwestern Germany. The name of the duchy came from the two largest cities in the territory: Brunswick and Lüneburg.

The duchy emerged in 1235 from the allodial lands of the House of Welf in Saxony and was granted as an imperial fief to Otto the Child, a grandson of Henry the Lion. The duchy was divided several times during the High Middle Ages amongst various lines of the House of Welf, but each ruler was styled "Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg" in addition to his own particular title.

The various lines of the House of Welf that ruled over the duchy included the Old, Middle and New Houses (or Lines) of Brunswick, and the Old, Middle and New Houses of Lüneburg. The number of simultaneously reigning dynastic lines varied from two to five.

By 1692, the territories had consolidated to two: the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg (commonly known as the Electorate of Hanover) and the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. In 1714, the Hanoverian branch of the family succeeded to the thrones of Great Britain and Ireland, which they ruled in personal union with Hanover until 1837.

Many cities and provinces in former British colonies are named after Brunswick or Lüneburg. The Hanoverians never ruled Brunswick while they held the British throne, as the city was part of neighbouring Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. After the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15, the Brunswick-Lüneburg territories became the Kingdom of Hanover and the Duchy of Brunswick.

The Brunswick Cross is a background decoration for the Brunswick Star Cross

The Brunswick Star is an emblem with eight or sixteen points, composed of many narrow rays. The emblem is named after the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, also known as the principality of Hanover, which was ruled by the House of Hanover, whose heads also became kings of Great Britain and Ireland. The emblem is used in the United Kingdom to surround the royal cypher on various badges, including those worn by police and fire services in England and Wales.

The Brunswick Star is also used as a background decoration for the Brunswick Cross. The Brunswick Cross is a symbol used by the police and fire brigade of Britain and other Commonwealth countries. The star is based on the Glory Cross and is used in British heraldry to surround emblems such as the Royal Cypher on military and civilian badges. The central feature of these badges is often a local identity, such as a county's coat of arms, with the star surrounding this feature to show allegiance to the crown.

The Brunswick Star is also used as a background for badges and decorations in other countries, though these are not necessarily of Christian origin. For example, the fire service in Britain and historically related countries such as Australia, New Zealand, India, and many African countries, use the Brunswick Star, which resembles flames. In contrast, in former Soviet bloc countries, Christian symbols are less common in civil and military badges, and other images describing the nature of the job are often used.

The Brunswick Star is also used in Japanese society, incorporated during the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century, for the military Order of the Golden Kite (abolished in 1947) and the current Order of the Rising Sun. The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) ensign also resembles the Brunswick Star, though it is actually an eight-pointed compass, sometimes called a Compass Cross.

The Brunswick Star is used in British heraldry to show allegiance to the crown

The Brunswick Star is an emblem with eight or sixteen points, composed of many narrow rays. The emblem is used in the UK to surround the royal cypher on various badges, including those worn on the caps and helmets of police and fire services in England and Wales. The name Brunswick refers to the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, better known as the principality of Hanover, which was ruled by the House of Hanover, whose heads also became kings of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Brunswick Star is a central feature of police and fire brigade badges, often accompanied by a local identity, such as a county's coat of arms. Its presence on these badges signifies loyalty to the crown. The emblem is also used by the military and police in several other countries, including Germany, Estonia, Guyana, Jamaica, Lithuania, Spain, and the Netherlands.

The modern British police helmet, introduced around 1875, was designed by ex-military officers and based on the army's ceremonial helmet. This replaced the top hat style worn by earlier constables. The Brunswick Star, with its association with royalty, was a fitting choice to adorn the new helmets, further emphasising allegiance to the crown.

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