Saltire
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Arms-st-albans.jpgA saltire is an X-shaped ordinary in heraldry. It usually occupies the entire field in which it is placed.
A saltorel is a narrow saltire; the term is usually defined as one-half the width of the saltire, and is a relatively recent "innovation".
A saltire is couped when it only occupies the middle part of the field, without extending to the edges.
A field that is party per saltire is divided into four areas by x-shaped cuts. If two tinctures are specified, the first refers to the areas above and below the X, and the second refers to the ones on either side. Otherwise, each of the four divisions may be blazoned separately, the sequence being then top, left, right, bottom.
When charges are blazoned as in saltire, there are generally two possibilities. When there are two such charges, they are crossed in an "X"; otherwise, five or more charges are arranged in an X-shaped pattern (obviously five or more are necessary for this to be feasible).
Image:Andreyevsky Ensign.svg A saltire is used by a supporter of the royal arms of Scotland, and the Scottish flag, called The Saltire or St Andrew's Cross, is a blue field with a white saltire; it represents Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, who is supposed to have been crucified on a cross of that form (called Crux decussata) at Patras. Also the patron saint of Russia, a blue saltire on a white field is the naval ensign of the Russian Navy.
Saltires on other flags
Because of its use in the Scottish arms and flag, the saltire appears in the Union Flag. A similar saltire design is also found on the Confederate Navy Jack, which are related to the red Irish saltire, St. Patrick's cross, which is the smaller red saltire found in the Union Jack. A reversed version (blue saltire on a white field) is to be found in the naval jack of Russia (see Russian Navy) used before and after the Soviet Union (Saint Andrew is also a patron saint of Russia). Additionally, the blue saltire on white design is featured on the Coat of Arms of Nova Scotia, Canada and its flag (Nova Scotia was originally a Scottish colony), but the blue used for Nova Scotia is generally a light blue. Similarly, the Spanish island of Tenerife and the remote Colombian islands of San Andrés and Providencia also use the saltire on their flags. Other saltire flags include the flags of Alabama, Florida, Jamaica, Grenada, Jersey and Potchefstroom.
Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Image:Flags of the Union Jack.png
See also
da:Andreaskors de:Andreaskreuz la:Crux decussata nl:Andreaskruis sl:Andrejev križ sv:Andreaskors