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Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Cross Patence – Crosstree)

Last modified: 2024-12-07 by martin karner
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CROSS PATENCE
An early heraldic form of cross resembling a cross fleury with expanded arms – see cross fleury (also the note below and cross potent)

Cross patence
Flag of Abingdon-on-Thames, UK

Please note that this is not to be confused with a cross potence/potent as referenced above.


CROSS PATRIARCHAL
A heraldic term for the cross of Lorraine – see cross of Lorraine.

Cross patriarchal
Flag of Roeselare, Belgium


CROSS PATTÉE (PATÉE, PATTY or PATY)
The alternative heraldic terms for a cross that may or may not extend to the outer edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, whose arms are generally (but not exclusively) flat-ended but which are wider at their outer ends than they are in the centre. These arms can be straight-sided or curved throughout their length, or they can be straight-sided and parallel until being flared at their outer end – a cross formée, formé or formy, a patée, patty or paty cross, a formée, formé or formy cross, or an iron or Hanseatic, Hansa, cavalier or cavalier’s cross – Maltese cross 2) and rounded cross (also cross 2) and Cross of the Order of the Knights of Christ).

Cross pattee Cross pattee Cross pattee
House Flag of Christoph Lamprecht, Germany; Flag of Oensingen, Switzerland; Flag of Elbląg city, Poland


CROSS PATTÉE FOURCHÉ
In strict heraldic usage the correct term for a type of Maltese cross – see Maltese cross 2) and cross fourché with their following notes (also cross pattée).

Cross pattee fourche Cross pattee fourche Cross pattee fourche
Flag of Pontével, Portugal; Flag of Portel, Portugal; Flag of Reiden, Switzerland


CROSS PATTÉE ROUNDED
A heraldic term for a rounded cross – see rounded cross.

Cross pattee rounded
Flag of Outeiro Major, Portugal


CROSS PATTÉE VOIDED
1) In heraldry see cross pattée and voided.
2) A term sometimes (incorrectly) applied to the cross on (for example) the air force roundel of Portugal – see Cross of the Order of the Knights of Christ and its following note a).

Cross pattee voided Cross pattee voided
Flag of Cananéia, Brazil; Air Force Roundel of Portugal showing a Cross of the Knights of Christ


CROSS POMEL (POMÉE, POMMY, POMMETTY or POMMELLY)
The alternative heraldic terms for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose arms finish in a roundel (see also cross 2), pommeled and roundel 3))

Cross pomel Cross pomel Cross d2574
Flag of Lagoa, Portugal; Arms of Santa Cruz, Portugal; Flag of Vétroz, Switzerland


CROSS POTENT (or POTENCE)
The alternative heraldic terms for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose arms terminate in a transverse bar – a cross potence, or a crutch or Teutonic Cross – but see the note below, and cross patence with its following note (also cross 2), cross-cantonée and potent 2)).

Cross potent Wielka Nieszawka flag, poland Cross potent
Flag of the Nationalist Party, Puerto Rico; Flag of Wielka Nieszawka, Poland; Flag of Russian Action

Pease note that this cross has been adopted by several neo-fascist groups in Continental Europe as is (partly) illustrated above.


CROSS POTENT CANTONÉE
The heraldic term for a Jerusalem cross – see cross potent and cross-cantonée.

Cross potent canotnee
Flag of Niawier, The Netherlands


CROSS POTENT REBATED
The heraldic term for a swastika – see swastika (also cross potent).

Cross potent rebated
Flag of Hirosaki, Japan


CROSS QUARTERED
A translation of the Spanish term cruz cuartelada, and German "geviertes Kreuz", sometimes used in place of their (English) heraldic equivalents – see cross counterchanged and cross gyronny (also cross counter-quartered 2)).

Bormojus, Spain Palomares del Río, Spain
Flag of Bormujos, Spain; Flag of Palomares del Río, Spain


CROSS QUARTER-PIERCED
In heraldry see equipollé and its following note.

Ħ'Attard, Malta
Flag of Ħ'Attard, Malta


CROSS RAGULY
1) See ragged cross and raguly.
2) The heraldic term also used for an upright cross (as opposed to a saltire) whose arms have any number of small regular projections set at an angle on both sides – see raguly.

cross raguly cross raguly Gloucester, Canada
Flag and Arms of Poshekhon-Volodarsk, Russia (fotw & Wikipedia); Flag of Gloucester, Canada


CROSS TAU
The heraldic term for a cross that may or may not extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but in which the vertical arm does not extend above the horizontal thus creating a letter ‘T’ – a Cross of St Anthony or St Anthony’s Cross, and in some Christian denominations, an advent cross (see also acorn cross).

cross tau cross tau St Antönien-Ascharina
Flag of Trubschachen, Switzerland; Flag of Lagoaça, Portugal; Flag of St. Antönien-Ascharina, Switzerland


CROSS THROUGHOUT
A heraldic term that covers a standard cross – cross 1).

Pontrieux, France
Flag of Chambéry, France


CROSS TREFOIL (or TREFLEE)
Alternate heraldic terms for a cross botonny – see cross botonny.

cross trefoil
Flag of the Order of St Maurice, Italy


CROSS-VOIDED
The heraldic term for a cross that may or may not reach the edges of a shield, banner of arms or flag and may be either closed or open-ended, but from which the centre is removed so that the field may be seen through it – but see note b) below (also cross of athletics and voided).

cross voided cross voided cross voided
House Flag of Law, Leslie & Co., c1912; Earlier Viking Flag of Vendée, France

Notes
a) Unless referring to a plain cross, this term is always accompanied by a further description, for example "a cross pattée voided".
b) This term is sometimes (incorrectly) used to describe a Cross of the Order of the Knights of Christ as illustrated below – see cross of the Order of the Knights of Christ.

cross voided
A banner of the Order of the Knights of Christ


CROSSBOW
The image of a medieval weapon used (particularly in Continental Europe) for both war and hunting (see also pavisade and its following note).

crossbow crossbow crossbow
Flags of Oleyres, Immensee, Hildisrieden, Switzerland


CROSSED BRANCHES
1) Short lengths of (occasionally differing) foliage, sometimes with flowers/fruit etc., and sometimes without, which intersect at their lowest point.
2) A phrase occasionally used in place of the more precise terms "garland" and "wreath" – see garland 2) and wreath 1).

crossed branches crossed branches crossed branches
Flag of 1848, Hungary; Arms of Pennsylvania, US; Detail from the National Flag of Turkmenistan


CROSSES OF CALVARY
The term that should be used to describe three Latin crosses displayed in a staggered row – but see cross of calvary (also Latin cross).

Banner of Sandberg
Banner of Sandberg, Germany


CROSSLET
The heraldic term used when two or more miniature crosses appear on the same coat of arms – see cross crosslet (also coat of arms 2)).

crosslet crosslet crosslet
Official Flag and Arms of Galicia, Spain; Flag of Òdena, Spain


CROSSTREE
1) In largely US usage, a yard if fitted to a flag mast ashore (see also yard).
2) A cross bar attached near the top of an unstayed flagpole for the purpose of providing additional halyards to the one reeved at the truck (see also reeve, yard and stayed mast).

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