A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...

symbol in the form of a diagonal

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...

, like the shape of the letter X in

Roman type In Latin script typography, roman is one of the three main kinds of historical type, alongside blackletter and italic. Roman type was modelled from a European scribal manuscript style of the 15th century, based on the pairing of inscriptional c ...

. The word comes from the

Middle French Middle French (french: moyen français) is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from the 14th to the 16th century. It is a period of transition during which: * the French language became clearly distinguished from t ...

''sautoir'',

Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin functioned ...

''saltatoria'' ("

stirrup A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ...

"). From its use as

field sign {{Distinguish, field mark A field sign is an unofficial differencing mark worn on a combatant's clothing to show the difference between friend and foe or a combatant and a civilian. Examples *A tabard in the livery colors of a lord and bearing h ...

, the saltire came to be used in a number of flags, in the 16th century for

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The ...

, in the 18th century also as the ensign of the Russian Navy, and for Ireland. Notable 19th-century usage includes some of the flags of the Confederate States of America. It is also used in the flag of Jamaica and on

seals Seals may refer to: * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...

, and as a heraldic charge in

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in i ...

. The term saltirewise or in saltire refers to heraldic charges arranged as a diagonal cross. The

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...

may also be

divided Division is one of the four basic operations of arithmetic, the ways that numbers are combined to make new numbers. The other operations are addition, subtraction, and multiplication. At an elementary level the division of two natural numbe ...

per saltire, i.e. diagonally. A warning sign in the shape of a saltire is also used to indicate the point at which a railway line intersects a road at a level crossing.

Heraldry and vexillology

The saltire is important both in

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known bran ...

, being found in many coats of arms, and in

vexillology Vexillology ( ) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. The word is a synthe ...

, being found as the dominant feature of multiple flags. Ötingen ZW

The saltire is one of the so-called ordinaries, geometric

charges Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * '' Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...

that span throughout (from edge to edge of) the shield. As suggested by the name ''saltire'' ("stirrup"; in French: '' sautoir'', in German: '' Schragen''), the ordinary in its early use was not intended as representing a Christian cross symbol. The association with

Saint Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Pete ...

is a development of the 15th to 16th centuries. The Cross of Burgundy emblem originates in the 15th century, as a field sign, and as the Saint Andrew's Cross of

was used in flags or banners (but not in coats of arms) from the 16th century, and used as naval ensign during the

Age of Sail The Age of Sail is a period that lasted at the latest from the mid-16th (or mid- 15th) to the mid-19th centuries, in which the dominance of sailing ships in global trade and warfare culminated, particularly marked by the introduction of nava ...

. When two or more saltires appear, they are usually

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The ...

ed as

couped The heads of humans and other animals are frequently occurring charges in heraldry. The blazon, or heraldic description, usually states whether an animal's head is couped (as if cut off cleanly at the neck), erased (as if forcibly ripped from t ...

(cut off). For example, contrast the single saltire in the arms granted to G. M. W. Anderson—with the three ''saltires couped'' in the coat of Kemble Greenwood.

Diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...

forms include the ''fillet saltire'', usually considered half or less the width of the saltire, and the ''saltorel'', a narrow or couped saltire. A field ''(party) per saltire'' is divided into four areas by a saltire-shaped "cut". If two

tinctures A tincture is typically an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Solvent concentrations of 25–60% are common, but may run as high as 90%.Groot Handboek Geneeskrachtige Planten by Geert Verhelst In chemi ...

are specified, the first refers to the areas above (in chief) and below (in base) the crossing, and the second refers to the ones on either side (in the flanks). Otherwise, each of the four divisions may be blazoned separately. The phrase ''in saltire'' or ''saltirewise'' is used in two ways: # Two long narrow charges "in saltire" are placed to cross each other diagonally. Common forms include the crossed

keys Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (m ...

found in the arms of many entities associated with

Saint Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupat ...

and paired arrows. # When five or more compact charges are "in saltire", they are arranged with one in the center and the others along the arms of an invisible saltire. Division of the field ''per saltire'' was notably used by the Aragonese kings of

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

beginning in the 14th century (

Frederick the Simple Frederick III (or IV) (1 September 1341 – Messina 27 July 1377Setton, Kenneth M. (1975) " Volume III: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries", Edited by Harry W. Hazzard, page 214.), called the Simple, was King of Sicily from 1355 to 1377. H ...

), showing the pales of Aragon and the "Hohenstaufen" eagle (argent an eagle sable).

Scotland

The

Flag of Scotland The flag of Scotland ( gd, bratach na h-Alba; sco, Banner o Scotland, also known as St Andrew's Cross or the Saltire) is the national flag of Scotland, which consists of a white saltire defacing a blue field. The Saltire, rather than the ...

, called ''The Saltire'' or ''Saint Andrew's Cross'', is a blue field with a white saltire. According to tradition, it represents

, who is supposed to have been crucified on a cross of that form (called a ''crux decussata'') at Patras,

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

. The Saint Andrew's Cross was worn as a badge on hats in Scotland, on the day of the

feast A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes i ...

of Saint Andrew. In the

politics of Scotland The politics of Scotland operate within the constitution of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a home nation. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the S ...

, both the Scottish National Party and

Scottish Conservative Party The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party ( gd, Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty), often known simply as the Scottish Conservatives and colloquially as the Scottish Tories, is a centre-right political par ...

use stylised saltires as their party logos, deriving from the flag of Scotland. Prior to the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

the

Royal Scots Navy The Royal Scots Navy (or Old Scots Navy) was the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland from its origins in the Middle Ages until its merger with the Kingdom of England's Royal Navy per the Acts of Union 1707. There are mentions in Medieval records of ...

used a red ensign incorporating the St Andrew's Cross; this ensign is now sometimes flown as part of an unofficial

civil ensign A civil ensign is an ensign (maritime flag) used by civilian vessels to denote their nationality. It can be the same or different from the state ensign and the naval ensign (or war ensign). It is also known as the merchant ensign or merchant flag ...

Scottish waters The Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 is a statutory instrument of the United Kingdom government, defining the boundaries of internal waters, territorial sea, and Exclusive economic zone, British Fishing Limits adjacent to Scotland. ...

. With its colours exchanged (and a lighter blue), the same design forms part of the

arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

and

flag of Nova Scotia The flag of Nova Scotia consists of a blue saltire on a white field defaced with the royal arms of Scotland. Adopted in 1929 after a royal warrant was issued, it has been the flag of the province since January 19 of that year. It is a b ...

(whose name means "New Scotland").

Cross of Burgundy

The Cross of Burgundy, a form of the Saint Andrew's Cross, is used in numerous flags across

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

and the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. It was first used in the 15th century as an emblem by the Valois Dukes of Burgundy. The

Duchy of Burgundy The Duchy of Burgundy (; la, Ducatus Burgundiae; french: Duché de Bourgogne, ) emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians, which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the ...

, forming a large part of eastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

, was inherited by the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

on the extinction of the Valois ducal line. The emblem was therefore assumed by the monarchs of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

as a consequence of the Habsburgs bringing together, in the early 16th century, their Burgundian inheritance with the other extensive possessions they inherited throughout

and the

, including the crowns of Castile and Aragon. As a result, the Cross of Burgundy has appeared in a wide variety of flags connected with territories formerly part of the Burgundian or Habsburg inheritance. Examples of such diversity include the Spanish naval ensign (1506-1701), the flag of Carlism (a nineteenth century Spanish conservative movement), the flag of the Dutch capital of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

and municipality of Eijsden, the flag of Chuquisaca in Bolivia and the flags of the US states of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

Gascony

Gascony has not had any institutional unity since the 11th century, hence several flags are currently used in the territory. Legend says that this flag appeared in the time of

Pope Clement III Pope Clement III ( la, Clemens III; 1130 – 20 March 1191), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 December 1187 to his death in 1191. He ended the conflict between the Papacy and the city of Rome, by all ...

to gather the Gascons during the

Third Crusade The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by ...

(12th century). That flag, sometimes called "Union Gascona" (Gascon Union), contains the

St Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Pete ...

's cross, the patron saint of

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

and the red color of English kingdom, which reigned over Gascony from 12th to mid-15th century. In Tome 14 of the Grande Encyclopédie, published in France between 1886 and 1902 by

Henri Lamirault Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the 'List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Montm ...

, it says That saltire is also represented in the pattern of some in many

bullring A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are ...

s in Gascony.

Maritime flags

The naval

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

of the

Imperial Russian The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...

(1696–1917) and

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

navies (1991–present) is a blue saltire on a white field. The

international maritime signal flag International maritime signal flags are various flags used to communicate with ships. The principal system of flags and associated codes is the International Code of Signals. Various navies have flag systems with additional flags and codes, and ...

for ''M'' is a white saltire on a blue background, and indicates a stopped vessel. A red saltire on a white background denotes the letter ''V'' and the message "I require assistance".

Others

The flags of the Colombian archipelago of San Andrés and Providencia and the Spanish island of

Tenerife Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...

also use a white saltire on a blue field. The Brazilian cities of

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

and Fortaleza also use a blue saltire on a white field, with their coats-of-arms at the hub. Saltires are also seen in several other flags, including the flags of Grenada,

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...

Logroño Logroño () is the capital of the province of La Rioja, situated in northern Spain. Traversed in its northern part by the Ebro River, Logroño has historically been a place of passage, such as the Camino de Santiago. Its borders were disputed b ...

Vitoria Vitoria or Vitória may refer to : People * Francisco de Vitoria (c. 1483–1546), a Spanish Renaissance theologian * Alberto Vitoria (1956–2010), Spanish footballer * Rui Vitória (born 1970), Portuguese retired footballer * Steven Vitória (b ...

, Breda,

Katwijk Katwijk (), also spelled Katwyk, is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland, which is situated in the mid-western part of the Netherlands. The Oude Rijn ("Old Rhine") river flows through the town and into the North Se ...

, Potchefstroom, The Bierzo and

Valdivia Valdivia (; Mapuche: Ainil) is a city and commune in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau R ...

, as well as the former Indian princely states of

Khairpur Khairpur( Sindhi and ur, ) is a city and the capital of the Khairpur District, in Pakistan's Sindh province. History The Talpur dynasty was established in 1783 by Mir Fateh Ali Khan, who declared himself the first ''Rais'', or ruler of Sindh ...

, Rajkot and

Jaora Jaora is a city and a municipality in Ratlam district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Jaora is located in the Malwa region, between Ratlam and Mandsaur. It was the capital of the Jaora princely state of Jaora before Independence. During ...

. The design is also part of the

Confederate Battle Flag The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

and

Naval Jack A jack is a flag flown from a short jackstaff at the bow (front) of a vessel, while the ensign is flown on the stern (rear). Jacks on bowsprits or foremasts appeared in the 17th century. A country may have different jacks for different p ...

used during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

(see

Flags of the Confederate States of America The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

). Arthur L. Rogers, designer of the final version of the Confederate National flag, claimed that it was based on the saltire of Scotland. The saltire is used on modern-day Southern U.S. state flags to honour the former Confederacy.

Christian symbol

Anne Roes (1937) identifies a design consisting of two crossing diagonal lines in a rectangle, sometimes with four dots or balls in the four quarters, as an emblem or ''vexillum'' (standard) of

Persepolis , native_name_lang = , alternate_name = , image = Gate of All Nations, Persepolis.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Ruins of the Gate of All Nations, Persepolis. , map = , map_type ...

during the 3rd to 2nd centuries BC. Roes also finds the design in Argive vase painting, and still earlier in button seals of the Iranian Chalcolithic. Roes also notes the occurrence of a very similar if not identical ''vexillum'' which repeatedly occurs in Gaulish coins of c. the 2nd to 1st century BC, in a recurring design where it is held by a charioteer in front of his human-headed horse. A large number of coins of this type (118 out of 152 items) forms part of the Les Sablons hoard of the 1st century BC, discovered in Le Mans between 1991 and 1997, associated with the

Cenomani The Gaulish name Cenomani can refer to: * Aulerci Cenomani, an ancient Gallic tribe dwelling around modern Le Mans * Cenomani (Cisalpine Gaul) The Cenomani (Greek: , Strabo, Ptol.; , Polyb.), was an ancient tribe of the Cisalpine Gauls, who ...

. The same design is found on coins of Christian Roman emperors of the 4th to 5th centuries (

Constantius II Constantius II (Latin: ''Flavius Julius Constantius''; grc-gre, Κωνστάντιος; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic ...

, Valentinian,

Jovian Jovian is the adjectival form of Jupiter and may refer to: * Jovian (emperor) (Flavius Iovianus Augustus), Roman emperor (363–364 AD) * Jovians and Herculians, Roman imperial guard corps * Jovian (lemur), a Coquerel's sifaka known for ''Zoboomafo ...

Gratianus Gratian (; la, Gratianus; 18 April 359 – 25 August 383) was emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers and w ...

Valens Valens ( grc-gre, Ουάλης, Ouálēs; 328 – 9 August 378) was Roman emperor from 364 to 378. Following a largely unremarkable military career, he was named co-emperor by his elder brother Valentinian I, who gave him the eastern half of ...

Arcadius Arcadius ( grc-gre, Ἀρκάδιος ; 377 – 1 May 408) was Roman emperor from 383 to 408. He was the eldest son of the ''Augustus'' Theodosius I () and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and the brother of Honorius (). Arcadius ruled the ...

, Constantine III,

Jovinus :''Jovinus is a Roman cognomen, most often used for a 5th-century Roman usurper emperor. This article is about the Roman usurper. For the saint, see Saint Jovinus. For the Frankish duke, see Jovinus of Provence.'' For the 4th century Roman genera ...

Theodosius I Theodosius I ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also called Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. During his reign, he succeeded in a crucial war against the Goths, as well as in two ...

, Eugenius and

Theodosius II Theodosius II ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος, Theodosios; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450) was Roman emperor for most of his life, proclaimed ''augustus'' as an infant in 402 and ruling as the eastern Empire's sole emperor after the death of his ...

). The letter Χ (Chi) was from an early time used as a symbol for Christ (unrelated to the Christian cross symbol, which at the time was given a T-shape). The ''vexillum'' on imperial coins from the 4th century was sometimes shown as the Labarum, surmounted by or displaying the

Chi-Rho The Chi Rho (☧, English pronunciation ; also known as ''chrismon'') is one of the earliest forms of Christogram, formed by superimposing the first two (capital) letters— chi and rho (ΧΡ)—of the Greek word ( Christos) in such a way tha ...

monogram rather than just the ''crux decussata''. The emblem of the ''crux decussata'' in a rectangle, sometimes with four dots or balls, re-appears in coins the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

, in the 9th to 10th centuries. Roes suggested that early Christians endorsed its

solar symbol A solar symbol is a symbol representing the Sun. Common solar symbols include circles (with or without rays), crosses, and spirals. In religious iconography, personifications of the Sun or solar attributes are often indicated by means of a hal ...

ism as appropriate to

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

. File:Alerque Cénoman statère.jpg, Gold

stater The stater (; grc, , , statḗr, weight) was an ancient coin used in various regions of Greece. The term is also used for similar coins, imitating Greek staters, minted elsewhere in ancient Europe. History The stater, as a Greek silver curre ...

of the

, on the reverse an androcephalous horse led by a charioteer extending a ''vexillum'' in front of it, riding over a fallen enemy. File:INC-3061-r Солид. Феодосий I Великий. Ок. 393—395 гг. (реверс).png, Coin of Theodosius I (393–395), with a ''vexillum'' displaying a ''crux decussata'' File:Tesoretto di sovana 070 solido di teodosio II (425-429), zecca di costantinopoli Θ (theta).JPG, Coin of Theodosius II (425–429), showing the emperor with globus cruciger and with the same ''vexillum'' The association with

develops in the late medieval period. The tradition according to which this saint was crucified on a decussate cross is not found in early hagiography. Depictions of Saint Andrew being crucified in this manner first appear in the 10th century, but do not become standard before the 17th century. Reference to the saltire as "St Andrew's Cross" is made by the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

(where Andrew had been adopted as

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

) in 1385, in a decree to the effect that every Scottish and French soldier (fighting against the English invasion of Scotland (1385), English under Richard II) "shall have a sign before and behind, namely a white St. Andrew's Cross". File:St Andrew crucified on a diagonal cross.jpg, Saint Andrew martyred on a decussate cross (miniature from an East Anglian missal, c. 1320) File:Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Taler 1688, Clausthal, CNG.jpg, Saint Andrew holding his cross on a ''Thaler, Taler'' of Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1688)

Other

The diagonal cross (decussate cross) or X mark is called "saltire" in heraldic and vexillological contexts. A black diagonal cross was used in an old European Union standard as the hazard symbol for irritants (Xi) or harmful chemicals (Xn). It indicated a hazard less severe than skull and crossbones (poison), skull and crossbones, used for poisons, or the corrosive sign. The Maria Theresa thaler has a Roman numeral ten to symbolize the 1750 debasement of the coinage, from 9 to 10 thalers to the Vienna mark (a weight of silver). A diagonal cross known as "crossbuck" is used as the conventional road sign used to indicate the point at which a railway line intersects a road at a level crossing, called a in this context. A white diagonal cross on a blue background (or black on yellow for temporary signs) is displayed in UK railway signalling as a "cancelling indicator" for the Automatic Warning System (AWS), informing the driver that the received warning can be disregarded. In Cameroon, a red "X" placed on illegally constructed buildings scheduled for demolition is occasionally referred to as a "St Andrew's Cross". It is usually accompanied by the letters "A.D." ("à détruire"—French for "to be demolished") and a date or deadline. During a campaign of urban renewal by the Yaoundé Urban Council in Cameroon, the cross was popularly referred to as "Tsimi's Cross" after the Government Delegate to the council, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna. In Timber framing, traditional timber framing a pair of crossing braces is sometimes called a saltire or a St. Andrew's Cross. Half-timbering, particularly in France and Germany, has patterns of framing members forming many different symbols known as ornamental bracing. Unicode encoded various X mark#Unicode, decussate crosses under the name of saltire, they are , , , , , , and .

Gallery

Coats of arms

File:Neville.svg, Gules a saltire argent (House of Neville, Neville) File:St Albans COA.svg, Azure a saltire or (Saint Alban's Cross, St Albans 1634) File:Katwijk wapen.svg, Argent a saltire azure (

) File:Arms of the Gage family of Hengrave.png, Per saltire azure and argent, a saltire gules (Rokewode-Gage baronets, Gage of Hengrave) File:Scarsdale (Leke) Escutcheon.png, Argent on a saltire engrailed sable nine annulets of the field (Earl of Scarsdale) File:BeaumontWillingtonArmsGittishamDevon.JPG, Quarterly 1st & 4th: Barry of six [seven] vair and gules; 2nd & 3rd: Gules, a saltire vair (Henry Beaumont of Devon, d.1591) File:Blason ville fr Busséol (Puy-de-Dôme).svg, Argent a saltire floretty gules (Busséol) File:DEU Klein-Winternheim COA.svg, Gules a fillet saltire couped argent above a wheel of the same (Klein-Winternheim) File:Escudo de San Andrés y Providencia.svg, Coat of arms of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, San Andrés Archipelago ;saltirewise File:Coat_of_arms_of_the_Vatican_City.svg, Gules two keys in saltire argent (Coats of arms of the Holy See and Vatican City) File:Arms of Navarre-Coat of Arms of Spain Template.svg, Gules a cross saltire and orle of chains linked together or, in the fess point an emerald vert (Kingdom of Navarre) File:C o a Nicolaus V.svg, Gules two keys argent saltirewise (Papal coat of arms for Pope Nicholas V, 1447) File:BodleyArms.png, Argent five martlets saltirewise sable on a chief azure three ducal crowns or (Thomas Bodley, Bodley) File:Coat of arms of Kharkiv.svg, Vert bordure or a caduceus argent and or and a cornucopia or with fruits and vegetables proper saltirewise (Coat of arms of Kharkiv, Ukraine) File:Emblem of the Federal Customs Service of Russia.svg, Vert bordure or a torch and a caduceus or saltirewise (Federal Customs Service of Russia) ;in supporters File:Wernigeroder Wappenbuch 022.jpg, Papal coat of arms for Pope Innocent VIII with the Keys of Peter saltirewise (Wernigerode Armorial, c. 1490) File:Royal Coat of arms of Spain (1700-1761)-Common Version of the Colours.svg, Coat of arms of the King of Spain#Ornamented versions of the historical royal coats of arms, Royal Coat of Arms of Spain (1700–1761)*Álvarez Abeilhé, Juan. L''a bandera de España. El origen militar de los símbolos de España.'' Revista de Historia Militar Año LIV (2010). Núm extraord. Madrid: Ministerio de Defensa. . PP. 37-69. File:National Coat of arms of Spain (Until 1931)-Version of the Colours.svg , Coat of arms of Spain#Historical Spanish coats of arms, Coat of arms of Spain (1874–1931) File:Coat of arms of Barbados (3).svg, Coat of arms of Barbados with Sugar Cane held saltirewise. File:Brasao-Brigantina.png, Coat of arms of the House of Braganza.

Flags

File:Flag of the Vatican City.svg, Vatican City's flag (Flag of Vatican City) File:Saint Alban's cross.svg, Saint Alban's Cross, Saint Alban's flag (13th century) File:Kingdom of Sicily naval flag.svg, Naval flag of the Kingdom of Sicily (after Guillem Soler c. 1380), inheriting the ''per saltire'' division from the List of monarchs of Sicily#House of Barcelona, 1282–1410, royal coat of arms. File:Flag of Scotland (1-1).png,

(c. 1507)As a naval flag for the carrack ''Great Michael''. As square flag carried by heraldic supporters c. 1542. File:Gascogne drapeau.svg, Flag of Gascony (15th century?) File:Flag of the Low Countries.svg, Cross of Burgundy, Cross of Burgundy Flag,

and Burgundian Netherlands (15th century) File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg, Cross of Burgundy, Cross of Burgundy Flag, Spanish Empire (16th century) File:Bandera de Chuquisaca y Sucre.svg, Flag of Sucre, La Plata City ( Chuquisaca), (currently Bolivia) (1540) File:Flag of Valdivia, Chile.svg, Flag of Valdivia, Chile (1552) File:Tercio - Liga.svg, ''Tercio de la Liga'' (1571) File:St Patrick's saltire.svg, Saint Patrick's Saltire, Saint Patrick's Flag (1783) File:Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800).svg, Union Jack (1606) File:Union Jack 1606 Scotland.svg, Union Jack in Scotland (1606) File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg, Union Jack (1801) File:Tercio - Spínola.svg, ''Unknown Tercio flag (appears near commander Ambrogio Spinola in the painting "The Surrender of Breda" of Diego Velázquez)'' (1621) File:Tercio - Alburquerque.svg, ''Tercio de Alburquerque'' (1643) File:Tercio - Morados Viejos.svg, ''Tercio Morados Viejos'' (1670) File:Tercio - Amarillos Viejos.svg, ''Tercio Amarillos Viejos'' (1680) File:Scottish Covenanter Flag.svg, Covenanters, Scottish Covenanter flag (17th century) File:Reconstructed battle standard of Earl of Argyll 1685.svg, Flag of Argyll's Rising (1685) File:Naval Ensign of Russia.svg, Russian Navy Ensign, St Andrew's flag of the Russian Navy and Imperial Russian Navy (1712) File:Naval Jack of Russia.svg, Jack (flag), Jack of the Russian Navy (1992) File:Military ensign of Vistula Flotilla of Congress Poland.svg, Flag of Congress Poland (1815) File:Flag of Nova Scotia.svg, Flag of Nova Scotia (1858) File:North Virginia Third Bunting.svg, Confederate States of America, Confederate Army of Northern Virginia battle flag (1863–1865) File:Confederate Navy Jack (light blue).svg, Flags of the Confederate States of America#Naval flags, Confederate Naval jack (1863–1865) File:Flag of the Shanghai International Settlement pre-WWI.svg, Flag of Shanghai Municipal Council, Shanghai International Settlement (1869 – ) File:Flag of the Shanghai International Settlement.svg, Flag of Shanghai Municipal Council, Shanghai International Settlement (c. 1917 – 1943) File:South African Burgers Flag.svg, Flag of the South African Republic ("Thomas François Burgers, Burgers Flag") (1874–1875), also flag of Potchefstroom. File:Flag of Peru (1821-1822).svg, Flag of Peru (1821–1825) File:Bandeira da cidade do Rio de Janeiro.svg, Flag of Rio de Janeiro (city), Flag of Rio de Janeiro (1908) File:Flag of the Empire of China (1915–1916) - variant.svg, Flag of the Empire of China (1915–1916) File:Black St. Andrew flag.svg, White movement, White Army Sergey Markov, General Markov's Regiment flag (1917–1922) File:Naval Ensign of the Far Eastern Republic.svg, Naval flag of the Far Eastern Republic (1921–1922) File:Naval Jack of Estonia.svg, Jack of the Estonian Navy (1926–1940, 1992) File:Flag of Minister of Finance of ROC.svg, Flag of Minister of Finance (Taiwan), Minister of Finance of the Republic of China (1929) File:Bandeira de Fortaleza.svg, Flag of Fortaleza (1958) File:Flag of Jamaica.svg, Flag of Jamaica (1962) File:Village flag of Katwijk (ZH) 1970.svg, Flag of

(1970) File:Banner of Krakow.svg, Symbols of Kraków, Banner of Kraków (2004) File:Flag of Grenada.svg, Flag of Grenada (1974) File:Flag of Amsterdam.svg, Flag of Amsterdam (1975) File:Flag of the Basque Country.svg, Flag of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country (the ''Ikurriña, Ikurrina'') (1978) File:Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.svg, Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador (1980) File:Flag of Jersey.svg, Flag of Jersey (1981) File:Flag of Burundi.svg, Flag of Burundi (1982) File:Flag of Tenerife.svg, Flag of Tenerife (1989) File:Russia, Flag of the Customs 1994.svg, Flag of the Federal Customs Service of Russia (1994) File:Flag of the Georgian Coast Guard.png, Ceremonial ensign of the Coast Guard of Georgia (1999) File:Battle ensign of the Coast Guard of Georgia.svg, Battle ensign of the Coast Guard of Georgia (2004) File:Naval Ensign of Georgia.svg, Naval Ensign of Georgia (2004–2009) File:Russia, Flag of border service 2008.svg, Flag of the Coast Guard (Russia), Russian Coast Guard (2008) File:Flag of Arkhangelsk Oblast.svg, Flag of Arkhangelsk Oblast (2009) File:Katwijk vlag.svg, Flag of

(2009) File:War Flag of Novorussia.svg, Flag of Novorossiya (2014) File:Auto Racing White Cross.svg, Auto racing Racing flags, disqualification flag ;International Code of Signals File:ICS Mike.svg, International Code of Signals#Single-flag signals, Mike File:ICS Victor.svg, International Code of Signals#Single-flag signals, Victor ;US states File:Flag_of_Alabama.svg, Flag of Alabama (1895) File:Flag_of_Florida.svg, Flag of Florida (1868) File:Flag of the State of Georgia (1956–2001).svg, Flag of Georgia (U.S. state), Flag of Georgia (1956–2001) File:Flag_of_Mississippi_(2001–2020).svg, Flag of Mississippi (1894–2020)

Military insignia

File:Royal Regiment of Scotland TRF.png , Tactical recognition flash, Tactical Recognition Flash of the Royal Regiment of Scotland File:Spanish Air Force fin flash.svg , Spanish Air Force fin flash File:Roundel of Bulgaria (1941-1944).svg , Bulgarian Air Force roundel (1941–1944) File:10th Mountain Division SSI.svg, Bayonets ''in saltire'' create Roman numeral X for the US Army's 10th Mountain Division.

Orders

File:Insignia of Knight of the Thistle.png, Order of the Thistle File:Insignia of Knight of St Patrick.jpg, Order of St Patrick File:Ridder in de Militaire Willems-Orde.jpg, Military Order of William File:Andrey1.jpg, Order of St Andrew

Notes

References

External links

* {{Christian crosses Andrew the Apostle Christian crosses Cross symbols Crosses in heraldry Flags of saints Heraldic ordinaries Saltire flags Timber framing

Heraldry and vexillology

Scotland

Cross of Burgundy

Gascony

Maritime flags

Others

Christian symbol

Other

Gallery

Coats of arms

Flags

Military insignia

Orders

See also

Notes

References

External links