Scottish Flag

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Transcript of Scottish Flag

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The Flag of Scotland, known as Saint Andrew's Cross or the Saltire, is the national flag of Scotland. It is also, where possible, flown from Scottish Government buildings every day from 8am until sunset, with certain exceptions.It is made up of a great white cross which spans diagonally across the flag on a blue background. This was the supposed shape of the cross that St. Andrew was put to death on and therefore the flag is also known as the 'Cross of St. Andrew'. The Christian apostle and martyr Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, was crucified on an X-shaped cross at Patras (in Greece). The meaning of the name "Andrew (in greek) : manly, brave, from , Andreia, "manhood, valour"). Interestingly the Saltire, which dates back to the 12th century, is thought to be one of the oldest national flags in the world. According to legend, in 832 A.D. engus II led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles, led by thelstan, near modern-day Athelstanefor, East Lothian. The legend states that whilst engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, engus vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland; Andrew then appeared to engus that night in a dream and assured him of victory. On the morning of battle white clouds, forming an X shape in the sky, were said to have appeared. engus and his combined force, emboldened by this apparent divine intervention, took to the field and despite being inferior in terms of numbers were victorious. The earliest reference to the Saint Andrew's Cross as a flag is to be found in the Vienna Book of Hours, circa 1503, where a white saltire is depicted with a red background. In the case of Scotland, use of a blue background for the Saint Andrew's Cross is said to date from at least the 15th century, with the first certain illustration of a flag depicting such appearing in the Register of Scottish Arms, circa 1542.

The Parliament of Scotland decreed in June 1385 that Scottish soldiers serving in France shall wear a white Saint Andrew's Cross on their person, both in front and behind, for the purpose of identification.Throughout the history of fabric production natural dyes have been used to apply a form of colour, with dyes from plants, including indigo from Woad, having dozens of compounds whose proportions may vary according to soil type and climate; therefore giving rise to variations in shade. In the case of the Saltire, variations in shades of blue have resulted in the background of the flag ranging from sky blue to navy blue. In 2003 the Scottish Parliament specified the official colour of the flag using the international colour coding system and it was decided that the white St Andrew's Cross should appear on an azure background known as Pantone 300.

There is another Scottish Flag which is called the 'Royal Flag' of Scotland or the 'Rampant Lion'. This flag is only supposed to be used by Scottish monarchs or government officials acting in their capacity to govern the country but it has seen more wide-spread use in recent years. The rampant lion emblem was originally introduced by William the Lyon in 1165 to replace the boar emblem which once decorated the country's flags.Its correct use is restricted by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland to only a few Great Officers of State who officially represent The Sovereign in Scotland. It is also used in an official capacity at Royal residences in Scotland when The Sovereign is not present.Along with the royal flag, the Lion Rampant, the Saltire can be seen flying with gusto in the crowds of international sporting events, on churches and on national and local government offices.

The Saltire is one of the key components of the Union Flag which, since its creation in 1606, has appeared in various forms following the Flag of Scotland and Flag of England first being merged to mark the Union of the Crowns (the Union of the Crowns having occurred three years earlier, in 1603, when James VI, King of Scots, acceded to the thrones of both England and Ireland upon the death of Elizabeth I of England). From 1801, in order to symbolise the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland a new design, which included the St Patrick Cross, was adopted for the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Numerous flags are inspired by the saltire and the colours blue and white. The naval ensign of the Imperial Russian (16961917) and Russian navies (1991present) is a blue saltire on a white field. Saltires are also seen in several other flags, including the flags of Grenada, Jamaica, Alabama, Florida, Logroo, Amsterdam, Breda and Valdivia. The design is also part of the Confederate Battle Flag and Naval Jack used during the American Civil War. William Porcher Miles, designer of the Confederate Battle Flag never claimed it to be a St. Andrew's cross design, but rather a heraldic saltire without religious symbolism. The Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza also use a blue saltire on a white field, with their coats-of-arms at the hub. The flags of the Spanish island of Tenerife and the remote Colombian islands of San Andrs and Providencia also use a white saltire on a blue field.

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