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 History
of the Saltire Flag History
of the Lion Rampant
Who
was St Andrew?
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to Scottish history
Scottish Saltire Flag - St Andrew's Flag
 The
flag of Scotland features a white Saltire,
a crux decussate (X-shaped cross) representing the cross
of the Christian martyr Saint
Andrew, the patron
saint of Scotland,
on a blue field. It is named the Saltire or the Saint Andrew's
Cross. In heraldic
language, it may be blazoned Azure, a Saltire argent. The flag of Scotland is one of the oldest flags
in the world, traditionally dating back to the 9th
century, and is the oldest national
flag still in modern use.
In 832AD Angus MacFergus the High King of Alba was defending the land with
his army of soldiers against an English invasion lead by Northumbrian
warrior Athelstane. Thinking that they were facing a superior force King
Angus began to pray. He thought his prayers had been answered when he saw
a Saltire shape in the clouds of a white St Andrew's Cross on the blue sky
and promised that if they won the day with Saint Andrew's help,
he would
be adopted as Scotland's patron saint. The Scots won the battle and from
that day the Saltire became the flag of Scotland and the emblem of the
Scottish people.
By 1286
the seal of Scotland bore the crucified image of St Andrew and the Saltire
appeared in coin by about 1350. By 1385 an Act of Parliament bade that any
Scot's soldier invading England would wear a white St Andrew's cross. This
lead to many Chieftains adopting the Saltire to their family arms and
standards. By 1500 the Saltire started to appear on flags at sea and on
the land. In 1542 the Royal Arms of James V featured the Saltire. The Saltire
became the national flag whilst at sea in 1606 which also saw the
first Union flag combining the St George's and St Andrew's flag. Most modern
buildings that host flags have the Union Jack flag and the St Andrew's
flag flying side by side.
Within
the UK, on Saint
Andrew's Day, the Union Flag can only be flown if the building has
more than one flagpole- the Saltire will not be lowered to make way for the
Union Flag if there is only one flagpole.
This difference arose after Members
of the Scottish Parliament complained that Scotland was the only
country in the world that could not fly its national flag on its national
day. The Flag can be flown at
anytime by any individual, company, local authority, hospital or school.
There is no need to have planning permission to fly the flag from a
vertical flagpole.
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Who was St Andrew?
 Saint
Andrew is the patron
saint of Scotland and Saint
Andrew's Day, on 30
November, is Scotland's national day.
St
Andrew was one of Jesus' apostles who taught The Gospel throughout Scythia,
Epirus and Achaia. St Andrew was crucified in Patras, Achaia where he
preached to the crowds for 2 days - managing to convert many listeners
before dying. St Andrew thought himself unworthy to be crucified in the
same way as Jesus and requested to be crucified in another manner - hence
the shaping of the white of the flag. St Andrew is also the patron saint
of Russia.
Legend has it that St Rule (Saint Regulus), was charged with the safe
keeping of St Andrew's relics after experiencing a vision in which he was
told to take certain of Saint Andrew's bones to the most westerly part of
the known world by an angel. This he did at a place called Kilrymont,
where he built a church and became the first bishop - the town later
became known as St Andrews. St Andrew's day is celebrated on the 30th of
November.
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 The
Lion Rampant is also called the Royal Banner of Scotland - having been
used by the Kings of Scotland, with the first King to have done so being
Alexander 11 (1214 - 1249). It is much older than the St Andrews flag and
is often incorrectly used as an alternative national flag, especially at
sporting events.
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