1) Two stripes or bands of equal width (and in the same colour) but of unequal
length, that extend to the outer edges of the flag, canton or panel they
occupy, and intersect at right angles in the exact centre of that flag, canton
or panel – a St George-type cross, a cross fixed, cross throughout, an upright centred,
centred, regular or (inaccurately) a square cross – see
square cross 1) (also
St George’s Cross).
2) A charge, which may or may not reach the outer edges of the shield, flag, canton
or panel it occupies, and which may not have straight edges but which has four segments
meeting at right angles at a central point – but see note below.
Flag of Savoy, France;
National Flag of Switzerland;
Flag of Pisa, Italy;
State Flag/Naval Ensign of Denmark
Please note however, that whilst
several of the types
used on flags are detailed separately herein – the cross throughout as given in
1) above, the Greek cross, the
Celtic cross, the
Scandinavian cross, the
saltire (or diagonal cross),
Cross of Lorraine,
the swastika,
and the Maltese cross – numerous other
variants exist (mostly used in heraldry but which also sometimes appear on flags),
and the majority of these are listed below.
CROSS ANCHORY
An alternative heraldic term for a cross moline – see cross moline.
The alternative heraldic terms for a cross that does not usually extend to the edges of a shield,
flag, canton or panel, but whose ends each are formed by three discs – a trefoil or treflee
cross – but see note below (also cross 2),
disc and trefoil).
Please note that this phrase is often seen spelt as "cross bottony", and whilst perfectly
understandable, this version remains unsupported by definitive heraldic sources.
The alternative heraldic terms for a cross which may or may not extend to the edges of a shield,
flag, canton or panel, but which has four further crosses (or other charges) arranged around it – a
cross cantoned (see also canton 3),
cantoned 1),
cross 1),
cross pattée, and
cross potent and
cross potent cantonée).
Please note as may be seen in the illustrations above, various types of cross can be used to make up a
cross cantonée, and that a Jerusalem Cross (a cross-potent cantonée constructed of a
cross-potent and four Greek crosses or of five crosses-potent) is one specific type.
CROSS-CELTIC
The heraldic term for a Celtic cross – see Celtic cross
The heraldic term for a cross that does not generally extend to the edges of a shield, flag, panel
or flag, but whose arms are in the form of (usually irregular) lozenges or fusils – a cross-lozengy
or cross-fusilly (see also cross
2),
cross of Pisa, fusil,
lozenge
and occitan cross).
The heraldic term for a cross that generally extends to the edges of a shield, panel, banner of arms
or flag, and which is divided along its horizontal and vertical centre-line with the tinctures of the
field and cross usually (but not exclusively) alternating in adjacent quarters – a counterchanged
cross or cross counter-quartered – but compare with
cross gyronny [☞ not to
be confused with!] (see also
counterchanged,
cross 2),
Dominican cross,
quarter 2) and
tincture).
Please note that a cross that is divided only along either its horizontal or vertical centre-line is
properly blazoned using a full description – for example, "party per fess argent and azure a
cross-humetty counterchanged" as shown below.
1) See cross counterchanged.
2) The term that may also be used when the centre of a cross of this general type is obscured as
illustrated below – see cross gyronny.
A heraldic term sometimes used when a cross (either plain or decorated) does not extend to edges of
a shield, banner of arms or flag (see also
couped 2) and
Greek cross).
"Cross of Pisa couped" as illustrated above, or a
"cross crosslet couped"
as shown in the following definition.
CROSS CROSSLET
The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag canton or
panel, but whose arms have a short transverse bar inserted (see also
cross 2)).
Flag of Dobrzyca, Poland;
Flag of Costuleni, Moldova;
Former flag of Echt, The Netherlands
![[cross]](../images/v/vx-fr-savoy.gif)
![[cross]](../images/v/vx-ch_pant.gif)
![[Pisa, Italy]](../images/v/vx-it-pi-pi.gif)
![[cross]](../images/v/vx-dk~.gif)
vu-ne.gif)
![[cross-counterchanged]](../images/v/vx-hr-zg-zap.gif)
![[cross-counterchanged]](../images/v/vx-ch-gr151.gif)
![[cross-counterchanged]](../images/v/vx-de-gs-gs-we.gif)
![[cross-counterchanged]](../images/v/vx-mt-67.gif)
![[cross-counterquartered]](../images/v/vx-cz-pz-tk.gif)
![[cross-counterquartered]](../images/v/vx-cz-pz)tk.gif)
![[cross-counterquartered]](../images/v/vx-es-se-pr.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
