Bizzare Facts

National animals are usually chosen to represent the strength and character of a country: the Bald Eagle for the USA, the Lion for England, the Kangaroo for Australia. **Scotland**, however, chose a creature of pure fantasy: the **unicorn**. While it might seem like a whimsical choice today, in Celtic mythology and medieval heraldry, the unicorn was not a cute pony with a horn; it was a symbol of wild, untamable power, purity, and masculinity.

The choice was also deeply political. In folklore, the unicorn was believed to be the only animal capable of defeating a **lion**. Since the lion is the national animal of England—Scotland's historic rival and neighbor—adopting the unicorn was a symbolic act of defiance. It represented Scotland's intent to remain unconquered and sovereign.

When King James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, unifying the crowns, he combined the two animals on the Royal Coat of Arms. Today, you can see the English Lion and the Scottish Unicorn supporting the shield together. However, if you look closely, the unicorn is always depicted bound by a golden chain. This is because a free unicorn was considered a dangerous beast, too wild to be left unchained—a fitting metaphor for the fierce independence of the Scottish spirit.