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Home , Canton (heraldry), Emblem, Flag of Great Britain, Flag of Scotland, National flag, Saltire

Numerous 17th century the of the St Birthplace of ’’s examples are found of ships George’s was obscured flying the : it became a by the St Andrew's blue. The true at sea. When Scots were angered that the St in 1672 the Public Register of George’s Cross was left entire, Arms was set up, the St and not only obscured the Andrew’s Cross was recorded cross of St Andrew but also The as the badge of Scotland, and cut it into pieces. Moreover, many seaport arms show ships in the the flag of flying it. remained predom- In the year 832AD, Angus mac Fergus, High King of The St Andrew’s Cross was also inant (the White con- Alba, clashed with a force of and Saxons led commonly the basis of the sisting of a St George’s Cross colours of Scottish with a relatively insignificant by Athelstan. Encouraged by the appearance of a in the Civil Wars, and later of those of the . Union Flag in the ). white cross of St Andrew in the blue sky, the Scots In 1672, by Act of Parliament, the legal jurisdiction over After the Act of Union, the use of the St Andrew’s Cross and Picts won the battle. Thereafter St Andrew the display of in Scotland came within the sole declined. A yellow gold saltire on a blue field was became the patron of Scotland, and his cross, or discretion of a Scottish authority - the Lord Lyon King used, however, during the Jacobite risings of 1715 and of Arms. He remains to this day supreme in heraldic 1745. saltire, the of the . matters throughout Scotland.

Such is the legendary origin of the Scottish flag. A There are other references in the 14th century to memorial stands in the churchyard at Athelstaneford, with fields which were not blue. The Douglas Standard, , and there the flag of St Andrew, “, a said to have been carried at the Battle of Otterburn in saltire ”, flies permanently, floodlit at night. 1388, included a saltire on a sage green background. St Andrew was probably the patron of Scotland by the About 1460, a white saltire on a blue background year 1000. In 1286, the of the Guardians of Scotland appears as part of a more complex design on the “Blue already , on the obverse, a representation of St Blanket” standard, said to have been given to the Andrew on his X-shaped cross, with the Latin inscription incorporated trades of by James III. “ANDREA SCOTIS DUX ESTO COMPATRIOTIS” (St By the start of the 16th century the plain In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a major Andrew be leader of the compatriot Scots). In 1390, St white saltire on a blue field had resurgence in the use of the St Andrew’s Cross, and it Andrew was used as a on a coin of the become established. For has regained its status as the legally established national realm, the five-shilling piece minted in the reign of Robert instance, in 1511, the Great flag of Scotland. It is used by all Scottish teams in III. Michael, the largest warship international competitions. It is now widely flown on In 1385, as the Scots made preparations to invade of its day, was built for King the flagstaffs of public England, the Scots Parliament decreed that “every man James IV and carried the One of the consequences of 1707 was the introduction buildings, sometimes shall have a sign before and behind, namely a white St St Andrew's Cross at its of the Union Flag as the flag of . Queen alone and sometimes Andrew’s Cross, and if his head. Anne duly saw fit to make the Scottish flag the ground side by side with the coat is white he shall of the new one, placing thereon that of St George, and Union Flag. The In 1606 James VI the same white cross on this continued to be the Union Flag until 1801 when saltire is also used by and I established a piece of black cloth”. the so-called cross of St Patrick (really the saltire of many bodies, both the first Union Note that blue as a the Fitzgerald private and public, as Flag combining background had not yet arms) was a , a purpose for the flags of been developed. The added. which it is well suited. St Andrew of St Andrew and and St The new flag was St George are so strikingly George. The St not generally Some examples of saltire . dissimilar as to be easily Andrew's Cross welcomed - recognisable in the heat was allowed to neither in of battle, and their The For more information about the Trust, about the continue as Scotland's England nor in importance in medieval Athelstaneford T-shirts, or for an application form to national flag, and the Union Flag was restricted to royal Scotland. The warfare is therefore English become a 'Friend', write to The Scottish Flag Trust, Armorial of Sir of the Mount ships by Charles I in 1634. 1542. © The National Museums of Scotland. understandable. protested that P.O.Box 84, Edinburgh, Scotland. Numerous 17th century the white field of the St examples are found of ships George’s Cross was obscured flying the saltire: it became a by the St Andrew's blue. The true national flag at sea. When Scots were angered that the St in 1672 the Public Register of George’s Cross was left entire, Arms was set up, the St and not only obscured the Andrew’s Cross was recorded cross of St Andrew but also The Flag of Scotland as the badge of Scotland, and cut it into pieces. Moreover, many seaport arms show ships in the Royal Navy the flag of flying it. England remained predom- In the year 832AD, Angus mac Fergus, High King of The St Andrew’s Cross was also inant (the con- sisting of a St George’s Cross Alba, clashed with a force of Angles and Saxons led commonly the basis of the Designs approved by the Earl of Nottingham circa 1604 for marrying the colours of Scottish Regiments crosses of St Andrew and St George in one flag. with a relatively insignificant by Athelstan. Encouraged by the appearance of a in the Civil Wars, and later of those of the Covenanters. Union Flag in the canton). white cross of St Andrew in the blue sky, the Scots In 1672, by Act of Parliament, the legal jurisdiction over After the Act of Union, the use of the St Andrew’s Cross and Picts won the battle. Thereafter St Andrew the display of flags in Scotland came within the sole declined. A yellow or gold saltire on a blue field was became the patron of Scotland, and his cross, or discretion of a Scottish authority - the Lord Lyon King used, however, during the Jacobite risings of 1715 and of Arms. He remains to this day supreme in heraldic 1745. saltire, the emblem of the Scottish people. matters throughout Scotland.

Such is the legendary origin of the Scottish flag. A There are other references in the 14th century to saltires memorial stands in the churchyard at Athelstaneford, with fields which were not blue. The Douglas Standard, East Lothian, and there the flag of St Andrew, “azure, a said to have been carried at the Battle of Otterburn in saltire argent”, flies permanently, floodlit at night. 1388, included a saltire on a sage green background. St Andrew was probably the patron of Scotland by the About 1460, a white saltire on a blue background year 1000. In 1286, the Seal of the Guardians of Scotland appears as part of a more complex design on the “Blue Young Scottish painted up with the Saltire seating at Hampden! already bears, on the obverse, a representation of St Blanket” standard, said to have been given to the national flag before an international match. Andrew on his X-shaped cross, with the Latin inscription incorporated trades of Edinburgh by James III. “ANDREA SCOTIS DUX ESTO COMPATRIOTIS” (St By the start of the 16th century the plain In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a major Andrew be leader of the compatriot Scots). In 1390, St white saltire on a blue field had resurgence in the use of the St Andrew’s Cross, and it Andrew was used as a national symbol on a coin of the become established. For has regained its status as the legally established national realm, the five-shilling piece minted in the reign of Robert instance, in 1511, the Great flag of Scotland. It is used by all Scottish teams in III. Michael, the largest warship The “Scottish ” shown here flying on the Jean de la Lune in Leith Docks, is making international competitions. It is now widely flown on a comeback! In 1385, as the Scots made preparations to invade of its day, was built for King the flagstaffs of public England, the Scots Parliament decreed that “every man James IV and carried the One of the consequences of 1707 was the introduction buildings, sometimes shall have a sign before and behind, namely a white St St Andrew's Cross at its of the Union Flag as the . Queen alone and sometimes Andrew’s Cross, and if his head. Anne duly saw fit to make the Scottish flag the ground side by side with the coat is white he shall bear of the new one, placing thereon that of St George, and Union Flag. The In 1606 James VI the same white cross on this continued to be the Union Flag until 1801 when saltire is also used by and I established a piece of black cloth”. the so-called cross of St Patrick (really the red saltire of many bodies, both the first Union Note that blue as a the Fitzgerald private and public, as Flag combining background had not yet arms) was a logo, a purpose for the flags of been developed. The added. which it is well suited. St Andrew crosses of St Andrew and and St The new flag was St George are so strikingly George. The St not generally Some examples of saltire logos. dissimilar as to be easily Andrew's Cross welcomed - recognisable in the heat was allowed to One of the definitive neither in of battle, and their The Great Michael Scottish postage stamps England nor in For more information about the Trust, about the continue as Scotland's issued in June 1999 to importance in medieval Athelstaneford T-shirts, or for an application form to national flag, and the Union Flag was restricted to royal mark the reestablishment Scotland. The warfare is therefore of Scotland’s parliament. become a 'Friend', write to The Scottish Flag Trust, ships by Charles I in 1634. English understandable. The Saltire is the regimental flag of the Royal Scots, the oldest protested that P.O.Box 84, Edinburgh, Scotland. infantry of the whose origins go back to 1633.