Cross pattée

A cross pattée or cross patty (, ), also known as a cross formée or cross formy, or even a Templar cross, is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at the perimeter. The form appears very early in medieval art, for example, in a metalwork treasure binding given to Monza Cathedral by Lombard queen Theodelinda (died 628) and the 8th-century lower cover of the Lindau Gospels in the Morgan Library. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper (i.e., about 1200) is found in the arms of Baron Berkeley.

Etymology

The word is a French adjective in the feminine form used in its full context as , meaning literally "footed cross", from the noun , meaning literally foot, generally that of an animal. The cross has four splayed feet, each akin to the foot, for example, of a chalice or candelabrum. In German it is called from , foot, paw. Planché provides a dubious suggestion that the term comes from the Latin verb , to lie open, be spread. He states it to be discernible on the standard of King Stephen (1135–1154).

Variants

Several variants exist as follows:

{| class="wikitable skin-invert"

|+ A sample of variants of the cross pattée

! Image !! Description

|center|64x64px||Best known for its use as the Iron Cross, based on the of the Teutonic Order (image), used as a symbol of the German Empire that was present in its War Ensign and war materiel, including on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft until April 1918 when the Balkenkreuz was introduced.

|center|64px||A cross pattée with a sharp point added to the lower limb, as if for use in staking into the ground, but used to represent a sword in the Cross of Saint James (also known as "sword cross").

|center|64x64px||With less curvature, used by the Knights Templar, and later on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft until April 1918, and the basis for the similar cross used by the armed forces of modern Germany, the Bundeswehr.

|center|64x64px||With the edges of the arms concave throughout. Bolnisi cross, official national symbol of the republic of Georgia, used on flag, coat of arms and various official and unofficial organizations of this country.

|center|64x64px||With the ends of the arms convex and curved; sometimes called cross alisée ().

|center|64x64px||With all edges straight, forming triangular arms which come close to filling a square. One example is an artistic variant of the cross pattee components in the Sancroft arms, seen thrice in the ecclesiastical coat of arms of William Sancroft (1617–1693), Archbishop of Canterbury in a mid-1740s stained glass at St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth.

|center|64x64px||With triangular arms that do not fill the square, used on flag, coat of arms and various medals, also known as the Saint George's Cross in Sweden and the Cossack cross in Ukraine.

|center|64x64px||With straight parallel lines at the centre, it still fits the general definition of "having branches that widen by curving at their ends", ().

Use in crowns

Many crowns worn by monarchs have jewelled crosses pattées mounted atop the band. Most crowns possess at least four such crosses, from which the half arches rise. Some crowns are designed so that the half-arches can be detached, allowing the circlet to be worn separately on occasion.

A cross pattée is particularly associated with crowns in Christian countries. It is often heavily jewelled, with diamonds and precious stones. The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set in a cross pattée on the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The British Imperial State Crown has a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis. A cross pattée on the Imperial State Crown holds the Black Prince's Ruby. The cross pattée also features in many of the other British Crowns including the St Edward's Crown, used for coronations, and the Imperial Crown of India created for George V as Emperor of India to wear at the Delhi Durbar of 1911.

Use by Crusaders, Prussia, and Germany

Teutonic Knights

This cross is often associated with the Crusades. The heraldic cross pattée was sometimes used by the Teutonic Knights, a Crusader order, though their more usual emblem was a plain straight black cross on white field.

File:Crux Ordis Teutonicorum.svg|Emblem of the Teutonic Order

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Iron Cross

In 1813, King Frederick William III of Prussia established the Iron Cross as a decoration for military valor, and it remained in use, in various forms, by Prussia and later Germany until 1945. A stylized version of the Iron Cross is used to date by the German military (Bundeswehr) as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications.

Prussian and Imperial German Landwehr and Landsturm troops used a Cross Pattée cap badge to distinguish them from regular army troops. A stylized version of the Cross Pattée is used by the modern German military as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications, with no border of any kind at the ends of each arm (as was the case with the Balkenkreuz used on German aircraft in 1918–1945).

File:German Cross.svg|German Iron Cross

File:Bundeswehr Kreuz.svg|Modern Bundeswehr emblem

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Modern usage

Belarus

The cross pattée is adopted in several municipal coats of arms of Belarus.

File:Coat of Arms of Kličaŭ, Belarus.svg|Coat of arms of Klichaw

File:Coat of Arms of Kruhłaje, Belarus.png|Coat of arms of Kruhlaye

File:Coat of Arms of Kryčaŭ, Belarus.svg|Coat of arms of Krychaw

File:Coat of Arms of Vorsza, Belarus.svg|Coat of arms of Orsha

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Canada

The cross pattée, a traditional Royal symbol in Canada, has been incorporated into official national symbols, provincial symbols and the insignia of various national armed forces. The Arms of Canada, numerous provincial coat of arms and the badges of the Canadian Forces feature St Edward's Crown; that displays four cross pattée and four fleur-de-lys, supporting two dipped arches topped by a monde and another cross pattée. Numerous orders, decorations, and medals of Canada are designed with a cross pattée, including the nation's highest civilian honour, the Order of Merit and the Victoria Cross of Canada the highest military honour that is derived from that of the British original Victoria Cross.

File:Coat of Arms of Canada (1957).png|link=Arms of Canada|Arms of Canada (1957 rendition)

File:Coat of arms of Quebec.svg|link= Coat of arms of Québec|Coat of arms of Québec

File:Badge of the Canadian Armed Forces (1968–2026).svg|link=Canadian Forces|Badge of the Canadian Forces

File:Order of Merit Dorothy Hodgkin (cropped).jpg|link=Order of Merit|Order of Merit

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France

The cross pattée can be found on coats of arms of various French communes.

File:Blason ville fr Ambacourt (Vosges).svg|Coat of arms of Ambacourt

File:Blason ville fr Damouzy (Ardennes).svg|Coat of arms of Damouzy

File:Blason ville fr Fontaine-lès-Luxeuil 70.svg|Coat of arms of Fontaine-lès-Luxeuil

File:Blason ville fr Fontaines-Saint-Martin (Rhône).svg|Coat of arms of Fontaines-Saint-Martin

File:Blason de la ville de Saint-Gondon (Loiret).svg|Coat of arms of Saint-Gondon

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Georgia

The Bolnisi cross ( ') is a cross symbol, taken from a 5th-century ornament at the Bolnisi Sioni church, which came to be used as one of the oldest national symbol of Georgia. It was used on the flags and coat of arms of the Kingdom of Georgia and the current Republic of Georgia, with its various organizations and administrative divisions.

File:Bolnisi Sioni - Georgian inscription.JPG|Bolnisi Sioni inscriptions. Oldest Georgian inscription that uses the Asomtavruli script, predating the modern Mkhedruli script, inside Georgia

File:Flag of Georgia.svg|Flag of Georgia

File:Greater coat of arms of Georgia.svg|Coat of arms of Georgia

File:DFG small Emblem green.png|Roundel of the Georgian Defense Forces

File:Bolnisi COA.svg|Coat of arms of the city of Bolnisi

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Latvia

File:Schwarzhäupter 09.jpg|Coat of arms of the Brotherhood of Blackheads shown in the House of the Blackheads, Riga

File:Coat of Arms of Riga small.svg|Coat of arms of Riga

File:LVA Ventspils COA.svg|Coat of arms of Ventspils

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Montenegro

The Montenegrin cross-flag (Krstaš-barjak) has been used in Montenegro since medieval times to represent the state, and lately its military divisions. Use of this flag was first recorded in 1687. During the 1990s, it was used as a symbol of Montenegrin independence movement, most notably by the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro. Nowadays, Montenegro's Royal Capital City Cetinje uses krstaš flag as its flag. It is also used as an unofficial alternate Montenegrin flag, as well as by local trademarks and societies related to Montenegro.

File:Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro2.svg|Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro

File:Vucji Do flag.svg|Montenegrin flag used in the Battle of Vučji Do. The Н.I. initials indicate Prince Nicholas I. One of the most important historical Montenegrin flags.

File:Flag_of_Cetinje.svg|Flag of Old Royal Capital Cetinje

File:Niksic Coat-of-Arms.svg|Coat of arms of Nikšić Municipality

File:Roundel_of_Montenegro.svg|Modern Montenegrin Air Force roundel

File:Montenegrin_Police_Special_Counter-Terrorist_Unit_Insignia.png|Montenegrin Police Special Counter-Terrorist Unit Insignia

File:Flag of Montenegrins in Serbia.svg|Flag of Montenegrins of Serbia

File:Řád_knížete_Danila_I.jpg|Order of Prince Danilo I

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Poland

thumb|185px|Guards at Poland's [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Warsaw)|Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw. Behind them, the Virtuti Militari emblem.]]

File:POL województwo podkarpackie COA.svg|Coat of arms of Podkarpackie Voivodeship

File:POL Przemyśl COA.svg|Coat of arms of Przemyśl

File:POL Rzeszów COA.svg|Coat of arms of Rzeszów

File:POL Skierniewice COA.svg|Coat of arms of Skierniewice

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Portugal

thumb|185px|Black tapestries used in [[Belém Palace with a golden cross alisée in each corner]]

The Portuguese heraldry makes a very common use of three variants of the cross pattée, the standard form (also as a variant of the Maltese cross proper, associated with the Knights Hospitaller), the alisée form (associated with the Knights Templar) and the Order of Christ cross (associated with this order of chivalry and also used as one of the main national symbols of Portugal). These crosses are often present on the arms of the municipalities located in former domains of these orders.

File:PFR1.png|Coat of arms of Paços de Ferreira

File:Coat of arms of Madeira.svg|Coat of arms of Madeira

File:Roundel of Portugal.svg|Roundel of the Portuguese Air Force

File:Portuguese_Football_Federation.svg A Seleção (The Selection)

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Russia

The cross pattée is adopted by Russian Border Service, it is also found on coats of arms of some Russian regions.

File:Russian Federation. Emblem of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service.svg|Emblem of the Border Service

File:Coat of arms of Kaliningrad.svg|Coat of arms of Kaliningrad

File:Coat of arms of Kirov Region.svg|Coat of arms of Kirov Oblast

File:Coat of Arms of Perm Krai.svg|Coat of Arms of Perm Krai

File:Coat of Arms of Borisovka (Belgorod oblast).svg|Coat of arms of Borisovka, Belgorod Oblast

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The cross alisée version of the cross pattée, with rounded edges, has been used in Russia since the 19th century. This cross shape was used in the badges of the Narodnoe Opolcheniye, during the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Crimean War as well as the . Although it was not used for decorations before, in the modern-day Russian Federation, the cross alisée was adopted for the Order of Courage, as well as for other emblems such as the logo of the Wagner Group.

File:1903-MilitarySymbol-Russia.png|Narodnoe Opolcheniye badge, 1903 version

File:Order of Valour (rus).jpg|Order of Courage

File:Medal "For Bravery" 1st Сlass (Russia).png|Medal "For Bravery"

File:Life_Saving_Medal.jpg|Medal "For Life Saving"

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Spain

File:Coat of Arms of El Bierzo.svg|Coat of arms of El Bierzo

File:Coat of Arms of Mondoñedo.svg|Coat of arms of Mondoñedo

File:Escudo de Morcín.svg|Coat of arms of Morcín

File:Escudo de Oviedo.svg|Coat of arms of Oviedo

File:Escut del Priorat.svg|Coat of arms of Priorat

File:Coat of Arms of Sabiñánigo.svg|Coat of arms of Sabiñánigo

File:Coat of Arms of Sitges.svg|Coat of arms of Sitges

File:Coat of Arms of Villafáfila.svg|Coat of arms of Villafáfila

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Sweden

In Sweden, the term "Saint George's Cross" sometimes refers to the cross pattée used by Swedish Freemasons. For example, the cross of the Swedish Order of Freemasons was defined by the King of Sweden in 1928 to be a "red St George's cross with triangular arms".

File:Frimurarflagga.svg|Flag of the Swedish Order of Freemasons

File:Svenska Frimurar Orden vapen.svg|Coat of arms of the Swedish Order of Freemasons

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Ukraine

In Ukraine, the cossack cross was used historically on banners by cossacks, installed on their graves, and nowadays part of emblems of a number of Ukrainian state bodies connected with security, including the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

File:Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich.svg|link=|Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich (16th–18th century) and Danubian Sich (17th–18th century)

File:Myrhorod polk.svg|link=|Coat of arms of the Myrhorod regiment of the Cossack Hetmanate (1625–1782)

File:Emblem of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.svg|Emblem of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

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United Kingdom

File:Durham shield.png|Coat of arms of the University of Durham

File:College of St Hild & St Bede, Durham.svg|Coat of arms of the College of SS Hild and Bede, Durham

File:John Snow College, Durham.svg|Coat of arms of John Snow College, Durham

File:Wiltshire Regiment Cap Badge.jpg|Wiltshire Regiment cap badge

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United States

File:Southern Cross of Honor presented to Capt. William M. Miller, C.S.A.jpg|Southern Cross of Honor, used to honor Confederate Veterans

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Encoding

In Unicode, a cross pattée character is encoded under the name "Maltese cross" in the Dingbats range at code point U+2720 (<big>✠</big>).

Etymology

Variants

Use in crowns

Use by Crusaders, Prussia, and Germany

Teutonic Knights

Iron Cross

Modern usage

Belarus

Canada

France

Georgia

Latvia

Montenegro

Poland

Portugal

Russia

Spain

Sweden

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Encoding

See also

References