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# Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Cross Patence – Crosstree)

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Last modified: 2026-05-09 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- CROSS PATENCE
- CROSS PATRIARCHAL
- CROSS PATTÉE (PATÉE, PATTY or PATY)
- CROSS PATTÉE FOURCHÉ
- CROSS PATTÉE ROUNDED
- CROSS PATTÉE VOIDED
- CROSS POMEL (POMÉE, POMMY, POMMETTY or POMMELLY)
- CROSS POTENT (or POTENCE)
- CROSS POTENT REBATED
- CROSS POTENT CANTONÉE
- CROSS QUARTERED
- CROSS QUARTER-PIERCED
- CROSS RAGULY
- CROSS RECERCELÉ
- CROSS TAU
- CROSS THROUGHOUT
- CROSS TREFOIL (or TREFLEE)
- CROSS VOIDED
- CROSSBOW
- CROSSED BRANCHES
- CROSSES OF CALVARY
- CROSSLET
- CROSSTREE

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).

  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.

  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).

  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).

  Flag of Pontével, Portugal; Flag of Portel, Portugal; Flag of Reiden, Switzerland

CROSS PATTÉE ROUNDED
  A heraldic term for a rounded cross.

  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).

  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)).

  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)).

  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.

  Flag of Niawier, The Netherlands

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

  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)).

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

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

  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.

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

CROSS RECERCELÉ
  In heraldry see cross moline.

  Flag of Estinnes, Belgium

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).

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

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

  Flag of Chambéry, France

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

  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).

  House Flag of Law, Leslie & Co., c1912; Flag of De Haan, Belgium; 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.

  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 arrow, halberd, pavisade with its following note).

  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).

  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.

  Banner of Sandberg, Germany; Flag of Santa Cruz das Flores Municipality, Portugal

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

  Official Flag and Arms of Galicia, Spain; Flag of Bernes-sur-Oise, France

  Notes
  a) Although traditionally restricted to two crosses or more, in one 19th century source and in modern heraldry, this term is often used to describe a single example, and: b) Unless describing a plain cross, a further description is required, for example a crosslet patty as illustrated above.

CROSSTREE
  1) In largely US usage, a yard if fitted to a flag mast ashore.
  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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