Hype for the Future 73I: The Nordic Cross in Scotland

Introduction

Even though Scotland itself is not a Nordic country, portions of the territory now claimed by Scotland have historically been identified as Norwegian territory in particular. Following the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway and associated unions, most notably the Kalmar Union with Sweden, the Kingdom of Denmark would continue to claim the Faroe Islands, Iceland (now a sovereign state), and Greenland, in order from southeast to northwest.

Norse Heritage

While not all of Scotland is particularly notable for providing claim to Norse territory, particular counties have provided insights and interest into the Nordic crosses associated with select counties in the northern Scottish Highlands, including the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, and select counties claiming the Hebrides.

Today, the flag of the Shetland Islands is a Nordic bicolor flag, with white on the inside and blue on the outside, effectively the inverse of the Finnish flag, except with a lighter blue color. For the Orkney Islands to the south, the order of the colors is blue on the inside, yellow on the outline, and red on the outside, effectively identical to the Norwegian flag except with a yellow outline in place of the white outline.

Further south, now on the Scottish mainland, the Counties of Caithness and Sutherland are also identified as Nordic counties following Norse rule for over a millennium prior. Regionally within the County of Caithness, the galley is identified as the county symbol and is depicted in addition to the Nordic cross design, with the galley in red and yellow. Overall, however, the flag design is a Nordic tricolor, with blue on the inside, yellow on the outline, and black on the outside. Even further south and west, Sutherland, named for the “southern land” relative to the Orkney Islands from Viking control, is depicted with a Nordic cross combined with a Scottish-style saltire, with the intersection of the black saltire and cross on a white background forming an eight-pointed star symbolizing the southern land, the East Coast sunrises, and the West Coast sunsets on the county.

Hype for the Future 73C: Scotland’s Nordic Heritage

Introduction

While Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 is not a strictly Nordic country, centuries of rule by the Norwegians and other historic Nordic groups north of the Teutonic peoples have resulted in special Nordic treatment for the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands, and the Counties of Caithness and Sutherland, all from north to south. To the west are the Inner and Outer Hebrides, including notable islands such as the Isles of Skye, Barra, and the Uists, just to name a few.

Nordic Crosses

Today, the Nordic Cross is featured as the most prominent feature on the flags of Shetland and Orkney, while the Flag of Caithness adds a galley to symbolize the county atop the flag design. Sutherland also adds additional symbols, further deviating the flag design from the general Nordic cross.