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Across pattée orcross patty (French:croix pattée,German:Tatzenkreuz), also known as across formée orcross formy, or even aTemplar cross, is a type ofChristian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at the perimeter. The form appears very early in medieval art, for example, in a metalworktreasure binding given toMonza Cathedral byLombard queenTheodelinda (died 628) and the 8th-century lower cover of theLindau Gospels in theMorgan Library. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper (i.e., about 1200) is found in the arms ofBaron Berkeley.
The wordpattée is aFrench adjective in the feminine form used in its full context asla croix pattée, meaning literally "footedcross", from the nounpatte, meaning literallyfoot, generally that of ananimal.[1] The cross has four splayed feet, each akin to the foot, for example, of achalice orcandelabrum. InGerman it is calledTatzenkreuz fromTatze, foot, paw.Planché provides a dubious suggestion that the term comes from the Latin verbpateo, to lie open, be spread. He states it to be discernible on thestandard ofKing Stephen (1135–1154).[2]
Several variants exist as follows:
| Image | Description |
|---|---|
| Best known for its use as theIron Cross, based on theLeechkirche [de] of theTeutonic Order (image), used as a symbol of the German Empire that was present in itsWar Ensign and war materiel, including onLuftstreitkräfte aircraft until April 1918 when theBalkenkreuz was introduced. |
 | A cross pattée with a sharp point added to the lower limb, as if for use in staking into the ground, but used to represent a sword in theCross of Saint James (also known as "sword cross").[3] |
 | With less curvature, used onLuftstreitkräfte aircraft until April 1918, and the basis for the similar cross used by the armed forces of modern Germany, theBundeswehr. |
 | With the edges of the arms concave throughout.Bolnisi cross, official national symbol of the republic ofGeorgia, used on flag, coat of arms and various official and unofficial organizations of this country. |
 | With the ends of the arms convex and curved; sometimes calledcross alisée (French:croix pattée alésée arrondie,lit. 'rounded reamedpatté[4] cross'). |
 | With all edges straight, forming triangular arms which come close to filling a square. One example is an artistic variant of thecross pattee components in the Sancroft arms, seen thrice in the ecclesiastical coat of arms ofWilliam Sancroft (1617–93),Archbishop of Canterbury in a mid-1740s stained glass atSt Lawrence's Church, Mereworth. |
 | With triangular arms that do not fill the square, used on flag, coat of arms and various medals, also known as theSaint George's Cross in Sweden and theCossack cross in Ukraine. |
 | With straight parallel lines at the centre, it still fits the general definition of "having branches that widen by curving at their ends",[4] and is consideredpattée inRudolf Koch'sThe Book of Signs[5] (German:Das Zeichenbuch). |
Manycrowns worn bymonarchs have jewelled crosses pattées mounted atop the band. Most crowns possess at least four such crosses, from which thehalf arches rise. Some crowns are designed so that the half-arches can be detached, allowing thecirclet to be worn separately on occasion.
A crosspattée is particularly associated with crowns in Christian countries. It is often heavily jewelled, with diamonds and precious stones. TheKoh-i-Noor diamond is set in a cross pattée on theCrown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The BritishImperial State Crown has a base of four crosses pattée alternating with fourfleurs-de-lis. A crosspattée on the Imperial State Crown holds theBlack Prince's Ruby. The cross pattée also features in many of the other British Crowns including theSt Edward's Crown, used for coronations, and theImperial Crown of India created forGeorge V asEmperor of India to wear at theDelhi Durbar of 1911.
This cross is often associated with theCrusades. The heraldic cross pattée was sometimes used by theTeutonic Knights, a Crusader order, though their more usual emblem was a plain straight black cross on white field.[citation needed]
In 1813, KingFrederick William III ofPrussia established theIron Cross as a decoration for military valor, and it remained in use, in various forms, by Prussia and laterGermany until 1945. A stylized version of the Iron Cross is used to date by the German military (Bundeswehr) as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications.
Prussian and Imperial GermanLandwehr andLandsturm troops used a Cross Pattée cap badge to distinguish them from regular army troops. A stylized version of the Cross Pattée is used by the modern German military as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications, with no border of any kind at the ends of each arm (as was the case with theBalkenkreuz used on German aircraft in 1918-1945).
The cross pattée is adopted in several municipal coats of arms ofBelarus.
The cross pattée, a traditional Royal symbol in Canada,[6] has been incorporated into officialnational symbols,provincial symbols and the insignia of variousnational armed forces. TheArms of Canada, numerous provincial coat of arms and the badges of the Canadian Forces featureSt Edward's Crown; that displays four cross pattée and fourfleur-de-lys, supporting two dipped arches topped by a monde and another cross pattée.[7] Numerousorders, decorations, and medals of Canada are designed with a cross pattée, including the nation's highest civilian honour, theOrder of Merit and theVictoria Cross of Canada the highest military honour that is derived from that of the British originalVictoria Cross.[8]
The cross pattée can be found on coats of arms of various French communes.
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The Bolnisi cross (Georgian:ბოლნისის ჯვარიbolnisis ǰvari) is a cross symbol, taken from a 5th-century ornament at the Bolnisi Sioni church, which came to be used as one of the oldest national symbol of Georgia. It was used on the flags and coat of arms of theKingdom of Georgia and the current Republic of Georgia, with its various organizations and administrative divisions.
The Montenegrin cross-flag (Krstaš-barjak) has been used inMontenegro since medieval times to represent thestate, and lately itsmilitary divisions. Use of this flag was first recorded in 1687.[9][better source needed] During the 1990s, it was used as a symbol of Montenegrin independence movement, most notably by theLiberal Alliance of Montenegro. Nowadays, Montenegro's Royal Capital CityCetinje useskrstaš flag as its flag. It is also used as an unofficial alternateMontenegrin flag, as well as by local trademarks and societies related to Montenegro.
ThePortuguese heraldry makes a very common use of three variants of the cross pattée, the standard form (also as a variant of theMaltese cross proper, associated with theKnights Hospitaller), the Alisee form (associated with theKnights Templar) and the Order of Christ cross (associated with this order of chivalry and also used as one of the main national symbols of Portugal). These crosses are often present on the arms of the municipalities located in former domains of these orders.
The cross pattée is adopted by Russian Border Service, it is also found on coats of arms of some Russian regions.
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Thecross alisée version of the cross pattée, with rounded edges, has been used in Russia since the 19th century. This cross shape was used in the badges of theNarodnoe Opolcheniye, during thePatriotic War of 1812 and theCrimean War as well as theAleksandrovskoe Military School [ru].[10] Although it was not used for decorations before, in the modern-dayRussian Federation, thecross alisée was adopted for theOrder of Courage,[11] as well as for other emblems such as the logo of theWagner Group.[12]
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![Medal "For Bravery" [ru]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMedal_%2522For_Bravery%2522_1st_%25D0%25A1lass_(Russia).png)
InSweden, the term "Saint George's Cross" sometimes refers to the cross pattée used bySwedish Freemasons.[13] For example, the cross of theSwedish Order of Freemasons was defined by theKing of Sweden in 1928 to be a "red St George's cross with triangular arms".[14]
InUkraine, the "cossack cross" was used historically in banners bycossacks, installed on their graves, and nowadays part of emblems of a number of Ukrainian state bodies connected with security, including theArmed Forces of Ukraine.
InUnicode, a cross pattée character is encoded under the name "Maltese cross" in theDingbats range at code point U+2720 (✠).
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