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>>From what I know, heard etc. St. Andrews cross, the white "X" on blue
>represents the crucifixtion of St. Andrew who insisted he was unworthy
>to be crucified like Christ. So he insisted that they crucify him
>horizontally and the "X" represents that.
St. Andrew's cross is also called a Saltire.
The white on blue color scheme has to do with such a cross that
appeared in clouds in the sky at a battle, signalling Scottish
victory. I think it was the battle of Largs in 1263,
http://www.scotclans.com/clans/1263.htm
The white on blue St. Andrew's cross flag is also called the Saltire.
As a flag, it is one of the oldest national flags in the world.
http://www.worrall.net/clients/fotw/flags/gb-scotl.htm
>In the British flag, if you look there is the St. Andrews cross as well
>as St. George's cross (vertical and horizontal red) and I believe the
>cross representing Wales as well. The flag came about after the
>unification of Scotland, Wales and England.
That's the Union Jack. Its blue was darkened about 1801 and again in
1869, and is much darker than the blue color of the Saltire.
http://www.worrall.net/clients/fotw/flags/gb.html
What blue the Saltire should be is a subject of much debate.
The best answer I've seen is to wait to see what flies outside
the new Scottish Parliament House when it opens; the color of
that flag will have been pedanted to death.
The Saltire also appears in many other flags, including those of
Nova Scotia, Hawaii, and Georgia, all of which may be seen in
http://www.mids.org/sinclair/
There is also the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia,
http://www.worrall.net/clients/fotw/flags/us-anv.html
and its derivative the Confederate battle flag.
All of these Saltires are derived by various historical processes
from the Scottish Saltire. The Hawaii flag, for example, incorporates
a Union Jack. And if you count all the other flags that do the same,
such as Australia, the total number is probably rather large.
There are other Saltire flags that are probably not related,
such as the red on white St. Patrick's Saltire Irish flag,
and the green historical Polish flag.
Thanks,
John
--
John Sinclair Quarterman <jsq@mids.org>
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