How did the English rose originate?

Answer 1

Simply, from the Wars of the Roses.

The Wars of the Roses were a series of conflicts fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York (and their supporters).

The Forces of Lancaster adopted an emblem that was of a red rose to distinguish themselves from their opponents. Originally the House of York just used the emblem of the English monarch, the rampant lion, but towards the end they adopted the white rose.

Henry Tudor emerged victorious from the wars and started the Tudor period of English history. He married the daughter of the Duke of York in an attempt to settle the country down and unify the sides. In addition to this he created a new emblem, the English rose which is the red rose of Lancaster with the centre of the white rose of York.

Henry Tudor, defeating Richard III at Boswick, was a member of the Lancaster side of the War of the Roses, using a Red Rose as their symbol. Because Henry's claim to the throne was a bit shaky, he strengthened his claim by marrying the daughter of Edward IV, Elizabeth of York. By combining the Red Rose of the Lancasters with the White Rose of York, the modern day English Rose, Henry ended the War of the Roses which had, in a sense, began when Henry Bolingbroke took the throne from Richard II.