Scottish flag enamel pin featuring the white Saint Andrew's cross on a blue background. A clear epoxy is applied on top for protection, which also gives it a shiny surface.

The Scottish Flag - Legend and History

The Scottish flag, the Saltire or Saint Andrew's Cross, is rooted in a 9th-century legend. According to the legend, the warlord Oengus of Dalriada sought divine intervention when his army of Picts and Scots was surrounded by the Angles. During the night, the Apostle Andrew (Saint Andrew) appeared to him. Saint Andrew, who was crucified in Greece on an X-shaped cross (crux decussata), promised Oengus victory. The next day, a white Saint Andrew's cross appeared against the blue sky, bolstering the Picts and Scots but filling the Angles with fear, leading to their defeat. Following the legend, the white cross on a blue background was then adopted as Scotland's flag. The legend became widely known around 1540, and the flag was adopted nationally.

Today, the Saint Andrew's cross is part of the United Kingdom's flag, the Union Jack, along with England's Saint George's cross and Ireland's Saint Patrick's cross.