Scotland’s flag has a saltire cross on a blue background. Legend holds that the flag helped King Angus, leading the Picts and Scots against the Angles. During the night St. Andrew (patron saint of Scotland) appeared to Angus and assured him of victory. St. Andrew was martyred on a saltire cross. The next day a white saltire against the blue background of the sky appeared to both sides. It inspired the Picts/Scots and disheartened the Angles leading to Angus’s victory.
The historical record on this dates from 1165 A.D. when the flag is first mentioned vis a vis the 832 A.D. battle referred to in the legend. In 1385 the Scottish Parliament decreed that Scotland’s soldiers incorporate the saltire into their uniforms. By 1540, the flag as it appears above became the universal national symbol of Scotland and is generally considered to be the flag of the people.
