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Scotland
Alba
Origin of the flag
The Saint Andrew cross is one of the oldest
national flags of all, dating back at least to
the 12th century.
Stuart Notholt
The history of the Scottish saltire may be
summarised as follows:
c.1180: The first use of the St. Andrew's Cross
in Scotland - but as a religious, not a national,
emblem (the seal of the Chapter of St. Andrew's
cathedral).
1286: The first appearance of the figure of St.
Andrew on his cross as a national emblem (the
seal of the guardians of Scotland).
1385: The first evidence of the use of the cross,
without the saint, as a national emblem - but
this was on soldiers' uniforms rather than as a
flag (an act of the Scottish parliament).
Late 15th Century: Several references to flags
with a St. Andrew's Cross, but it is not known
whether it was the only emblem on such flags.
1503: The first certain use of a plain St.
Andrew's Cross flag - but the field was red, not
blue (the Vienna Book of Hours).
1542: The first certain illustration of the St.
Andrew's Cross on a blue field as we have it
today (armorial of Sir David Lindsay).
It would therefore be better to say that the flag
dated from the 16th Century.
Kenneth Campbell Fraser, 23 November 1998
Here's some additional information on the early
St Andrew's cross from Perrin:
1385: The ordinances for its use on soldier's
uniforms read: 'Item every man French and Scots
shall have a sign before and behind, namely a
white St Andrew's Cross, and if his jack is white
or his coat white he shall bear the said white
cross in a piece of black cloth round or square'.
Two quotes from the Accounts of the Lord High
Treasurer of Scotland:
1512: Payment for a roll of blue say (woollen
bunting) for the banner of a ship 'with Sanct
Androis cors in the myddis'.
1540: Delivered to be three ensigns for the ships
sixteen 'elnis' red and yellow 'taffites'.
Delivered to be the crosses thereof, four 'elnes'
half 'elne' white 'taffities' of Genoa.
I've left out details of the dates and price and
people concerned and turned the old Scots into
modern English where I am certain of the meaning.
I presume 'elnis/elnes' are measures and that
'taffities' is a type of fabric. Red and yellow
were the Stuart livery colours and were sometimes
used as the field of the white cross. There is no
indication of how the two colours were arranged.
David Prothero, 24 November 1998
Legendary Origin of the Flag
One legend, (very much a story but of interest
nonetheless), concerns the fact that it is
believed by generations of Scotsmen that our
national flag, the white saltire on a blue
ground, the oldest flag in the British
Commonwealth, originated in a battle fought, a
little more than a mile from present day
Markle,in the Parish of Prestonkirk in East
Lothian, in the Dark Ages between the Picts and
Scots on one side and the Angles of Northumbria
on the other. There are various versions of the
tale but it is generally agreed around the time
of the 8th century, an army of Picts and Scots
under King Hungus found themselves surrounded by
a force of Angles under their leader Athelstan.
King Hungus prayed earnestly for deliverance to
God and the saints and that night St Andrew
appeared to the King and promised them victory.
Next day, when battle was joined, the vision of
the white saltire (the diagonal cross on which
the Apostle had been martyred) was seen by all in
the blue sky. This so encouraged the Picts and
Scots and affrighted their adversaries that a
victory was won. King Athelstan was slain at the
crossing of the burn, still known to this day as
Athelstaneford. The story continues that this all
was seen as a 'Miracle' and may have been the
origin of the name "Markle"! In the
nearby East Lothian village of Athelstaneford, a
flag heritage centre commemorates and discusses
the development of the legendary white cross on
the blue background.
Thomas Middlemass, 6 February 2000
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