|Name||Saint Andrew's Cross |Design||On a Blue (Azure) field a
White (Argent) saltire.| The Flag of Scotland, (Scottish Gaelic:
Bratach na h-Alba, Scots: Banner o Scotland), also known as
Saint Andrew's Cross or the Saltire, is the national flag of
Scotland. As the national flag it is the Saltire, rather than
the Royal Standard of Scotland, which is the correct flag for
all individuals and corporate bodies to fly in order to
demonstrate both their loyalty and Scottish nationality. It is
also, where possible, flown from Scottish Government buildings
every day from 8am until sunset, with certain exceptions.
According to legend, the Christian apostle and martyr Saint
Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, was crucified on an
X-shaped cross at Patras, (Patrae), in Achaea. Use of the
familiar iconography of his martyrdom, showing the apostle bound
to an X-shaped cross, first appears in the Kingdom of Scotland
in 1180 during the reign of William I. This image was again
depicted on seals used during the late 13th cen