What is the origin of the white cross over red background of the switzerland flag?
Origin of the Swiss flag Where does the cross on the Swiss flag come from? The Old Swiss Confederacy (1291 – 1515) was so loose a federation of autonomous regions, that Switzerland had no common field sign nor uniforms, not even a common high commander during most of its history. When swiss troops went to war (and they did so quite often back in late middle ages), they carried the flags of their region with them. Nevertheless, the characteristic white cross and the red background of Switzerland’s flag have their origin in late middle ages. Until 1648, Switzerland was still part of the German Empire. The member states of the Old Swiss Confederacy did not try to build a nation, they just wanted to get rid of the counts of Habsburg that had tried to strengthen their influence. In the 13th century, the German emperor carried with him a flag with the cross as a holy sign, understanding himself as a protector of christianity. Besides, he also carried a blood-red flag as a sign of his power o
