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# Dictionary of Vexillology: Appendix VIII

## Crosses in Heraldry

Last modified: 2026-04-25 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- Cross Botonny (or Bottonny or Bottonnée
- Cross-Cantonée (or Cantoned)
- Cross-clechée
- Cross-Counterchanged
- Cross Counter-Quartered
- Cross-Couped
- Cross Crosslet
- Cross Fleury Fitchy
- Cross-Fitchy
- Cross Fleury (or Flory, Floretty or Fleuronny)
- Cross Formée
- Cross Gringolée
- Cross Gyronny
- Crosslet
- Cross Moline
- Cross of Calvary (or Cross of Crucifixion)
- Cross Pattée (or Patée, Patty or Paty)
- Cross Pomel
- Cross Potent
- Cross Potent Cantonée
- Cross Tau
- Cross-Voided
- Latin Cross

The following terms may be encountered when referring to a cross in a flag, or banner of arms, or heraldic flag of some other description.

## Cross Botonny (or Bottonny or Bottonnée)

The heraldic term for a cross that does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose ends are formed by three discs – a trefoil or treflee cross (see also cross 2), disc, trefoil).

Example; Flag of the Order of St Maurice, Italy; Flag of Massonnens, Switzerland

## Cross-Cantonée (or Cantoned)

The heraldic term 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).

Examples; Flag of Tianeti, Georgia; Kingdom of Jerusalem c1200; National Flag of Georgia

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 (constructed of a cross-potent and four Greek crosses or of five crosses-potent) is one specific type.

## Cross-clechée

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), fusil and lozenge).

Example; Arms and Flag of Mogilany, Poland

## Cross-Counterchanged

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 – but compare with cross gyronny (see also counterchanged, cross 2), dominican cross, quarter 2), tincture).

Flag of Zaprešić, Croatia; Flag of Davos, Switzerland; Flag of Tursko, Czechia

Notes:
a) A cross whose centre is obscured by a charge (as illustrated below) could be described as either a cross-counterchanged or a cross gyronny, however, the term "cross quartered" has now come into use – see cross quartered.

Flag of Palomares del Río, Spain

b) A cross that is divided only along either its horizontal or vertical centre-line is properly blazoned using a full description – for example, "per fess argent and azure a cross-couped counterchanged" or "per pale argent and gules a Maltese Cross counterchanged" as shown below.

Flag of Zurrieq, Malta; Flag of Villars-Sainte-Croix, Switzerland

## Cross Counter-Quartered

1) See "cross counterchanged" above.
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" below.

Flag and Arms of Zaprešić, Croatia; Flag of Palomares del Río, Spain

## Cross-Couped

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).

Example; Putative Flag of Constantine the Great c325 AD; Flag of Treiten, Switzerland

Please note that, unless referring to a plain cross, this term is always accompanied by a further description, for example a "cross tau couped" (as illustrated above), or "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)).

Example; Flag of Echt-Susteren, The Netherlands; Flag of Slupca, Poland

## Cross-Fitchy

The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, and which may have plain or decorated ends, but whose vertical arm comes to a point at its base (see also cross 2) and cross of Santiago).

Examples; Flag of Bernissart, Belgium; Flag of Avinyó, Spain

Please note that, unless referring to a plain cross, this term is always accompanied by a further description, for example a "cross crosslet fitchy".

## Cross Fleury Fitchy

See cross of Santiago.

Arms and Flag of Torrão, Portugal

## Cross Fleury (or Flory, Floretty or Fleuronny)

The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose ends are formed by fleur-de-lis – a fleur-de-lis or fleury cross, avis cross, or cross of calatrava (see also avis cross, cross 2), Dominican cross, cross of Calatrava, fleur-de-lis and fleury).

Suggested Flag of the Avis Order, Portugal; Flag of Guriezo, Spain; Flag of the Portuguese Legion c1928–1974

## Cross Gringolée

See snakehead cross.

Arms of Chevaigné, France

## Cross Gyronny

The heraldic term for a cross that may or may not extend to the edges of a shield, flag or panel, but is composed of two tinctures meeting at the centre point and alternating either side of the vertical and horizontal meridians (thus giving it a three-dimensional appearance) – a gyronny cross – see gyronny and compare with "Cross Counterchanged" above (also Dominican cross, faceted).

Flag of Safiental, Switzerland; Flag of Studnice, Czechia

Notes:
a) Unless describing a plain cross throughout, this term should always be accompanied by a further description, for example a "cross fleury gyronny couped".
b) A cross whose centre is obscured by a charge (as illustrated below) could be described as either a cross gyronny or a cross-counterchanged, however, the term cross quartered has now come into use.

Flag of Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain

## Crosslet

1) The heraldic term used when two or more crosses are borne (couped) on the same coat – but see "cross-cantonée" and "cross-crosslet" above (also couped).
2) A term also (incorrectly) used to describe a single small cross.

Flag and Arms of Batalha, Portugal; Flag of Òdena, Spain; Flag of Somerville College Oxford, UK

## Cross Moline

The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose ends are split into two curved pieces – an anchor or moline cross (see also cross 2) and snakehead cross).

Example, Flag of Annœullin, France

## Cross of Calvary (or Cross of Crucifixion)

The heraldic term for a Latin cross that does not usually (although it may) extend to the edges of a shield, flag, panel or flag, but which is mounted on three steps steps – a cross of crucifixion, a calvary cross or calvary (see also Latin cross).

Flag of Geraardsbergen, Belgium; Flag of Fulleda, Spain

## Cross Pattée (or Patée, Patty or Paty)

The heraldic term 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 is wider at its outer ends than it is in the centre. The 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 pattée, patée, patty or Paty cross, a formée, formé or formy cross, or an iron, Hanseatic, Hansa, cavalier or cavalier's cross – but see Maltese cross, rounded cross (also cross 2) and Cross of the Order of the Knights of Christ).

Example; Flag of Wallis and Futuna; Civil Ensign of Guernsey; House flag of Chr. Jensen, Denmark

## Cross Pomel (Pomée, Pommetty or Pommelly)

The heraldic term 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))

Example (Parker); Flag of Lagoa, Portugal; Arms and Flag of former Santa Cruz, Portugal

## Cross Potent (or Potence)

The heraldic term 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 potent, or a crutch or Teutonic Cross (see also cross 2) and cross-cantonée and potent 2)).

Example; Flag of Goumoëns-la-Ville, Switzerland

## Cross-Potent Cantonée

See "Cross Potent" and "Cross-Cantonée" above.

Example; Flag and Arms of Niawier, The Netherlands

## 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 tau cross, Cross of St Anthony or Saint Anthony's Cross, and in some Christian denominations, also an Advent Cross.

Flag of Lede, Belgium; Arms of Nossa Senhora da Graça dos Degolados, Portugal; Flag of St Antönien-Ascharina, Switzerland

## 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 (see also cross of athletics and voided).

Example; Flag of Mouvement Normand, France; Flag of De Haan, Belgium

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.

A banner of the Order of the Knights of Christ

## Latin Cross

The heraldic term for a cross that does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, panel or flag, but whose horizontal arm is shorter than its vertical and which is set above the centre line – a long cross (see also Greek cross and cross 2)).

Flag and Arms of Budinšcina, Croatia; Flag of the Muzzle Loaders of Manitoba, Canada; Arms and Flag of Vila de Ala, Portugal

Notes:
1) Unless referring to a plain cross, this term should always be accompanied by a further description, for example a "Latin cross treflée" as illustrated below.

Flag of Negoslavci, Croatia

2) In vexillological terms a Latin cross throughout becomes an off-centred cross – see off-centred cross 2) (also throughout).

Flag of Thunstetten, Switzerland

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