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| Maltese Cross a Brief History |
| The Maltese cross
or Amalfi cross is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors
known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta. It was originally the
symbol of Amalfi, a small Italian republic of the 11th century. The cross is
eight-pointed and has the form of four "V"-shaped arms joined
together at their tips, so that each arm has two points. Its design is based on
crosses used since the First Crusade. The eight points are said to symbolise
the eight points of courage. * Loyalty * Piety * Frankness * Bravery * Glory and honour * Contempt of death * Helpfulness towards the poor and the sick * Respect for the church |
| The Maltese cross
remains the symbol of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and other Orders of
St John, and St. John Ambulance. In recent centuries it has come to be adopted
as the insignia of numerous orders of chivalry, and appears on the coat-of-arms
of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz district. In Australia the Maltese Cross is part of the state emblem of Queensland. In the United Kingdom, the Maltese Cross is the symbol used by Rifle Regiments, and has been incorporated into the badges of virtually all rifle units, including the amalgam, The Royal Green Jackets. The first postmark employed for the cancellation of the then new postage stamps in the 1840s was the shape of a Maltese cross and named accordingly. The Maltese cross also forms the basis for the design of the Order of the Bath. The Maltese cross is also the symbol of Neath Rugby Football Club in Neath, Wales. |
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In Sweden a
Maltese Cross forms the basic form for all Royal Orders, such as Order of
Seraphim and the Order of the Sword.
The Maltese cross
flower (Lychnis chalcedonica) is so named because its petals are similarly
shaped, though its points are more rounded into "heart"-like shapes.
The Geneva drive, a device that translates a continuous rotation into an
intermittent rotary motion, is also sometimes called a "Maltese cross
mechanism" after the shape of its main gear.
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