A cross potent (plural: crosses potent), also known as a crutch cross, is a form of heraldic cross with crossbars at the four ends. In French, it is known as croix potencée, in German as a Kruckenkreuz, all translating to "crutch cross".
Cross potent
The Jerusalem cross, a cross potent with four Greek crosses
Potent is an old word for a crutch, from a late Middle English alteration of Old Frenchpotence "crutch"[a] The term potent is also used in heraldic terminology to describe a 'T' shaped alteration of vair,[1] and potenté is a line of partition contorted into a series of 'T' shapes.[2]
In heraldic literature of the 19th century, the cross potent is also known as the "Jerusalem cross" due to its occurrence in the attributed coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This convention is reflected in Unicode, where the character ☩ (U+2629) is named CROSS OF JERUSALEM. The name Jerusalem cross is more commonly given to the more complex symbol consisting of a large Greek cross or cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses.
History
The "cross potent" shape is found in pottery decorations in both the European and the Chinese Neolithic. In Chinese bronze inscriptions, the glyph ancestral to the modern Chinese character 巫 "shaman, witch" has the shape of a cross potent, interpreted as representing a cross-like "divining rod" or similar device used in shamanistic practice.[3][b]
Tremissis of Heraclius (c. 610–613)
The cross potent as a Christian cross variant is used on Byzantine coins of the 7th century, under the Heraclian dynasty, mostly as a "Calvary cross potent", i.e. a cross potent standing on a number of steps. A Tremissis of Heraclius, dated c. 610–613, also shows the cross potent without the steps. A cross potent, or cross patty, is already shown on a Tremissis of Theodosius II (first half of the 5th century).
Tremissis minted under Theodosius II (r. 402–450)
Visigothic tremissis (5th century)
Calvary cross potent minted under Heraclius (c. 613–638)
Calvary cross potent on a solidus minted under Tiberius Petasius (c. 730)
Early heraldic crosses are drawn to the edges of the shield, as ordinaries, but variations in the termination of the cross limbs become current by the later 13th century. The heraldic cross potent is found in armorials of the late 13th century, notably in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, argent, a cross potent between four plain crosslets or (Camden Roll, c. 1280).[4][1] Use of the cross potent remains rare in heraldry outside of the Jerusalem cross. In medieval heraldry, as in medieval seals, the distinction between the cross potent and the cross patty may be unclear. For example, the cross patty of the Teutonic Order is drawn as a cross patent for Tannhäuser in Codex Manesse (c. 1310).
Use of the cross potent in heraldry is revived in the 19th to early 20th century, and then as an emblem for Roman Catholicism directly based on the Jerusalem cross.
Modern use
Use of the cross potent as a charge in modern heraldry: Coat of arms of the Wingolf Christian student fraternity (1931).
A white cross potent on a black background was a candidate in the 2015 Hello Internet Podcast Flag Referendum.[6]
The New Columbia Movement, a self proclaimed Christian nationalist organization, uses the cross potent in their flag.[7]
References
Informational notes
^from Latinpotentia 'power', which in medieval Latin meant 'crutch'. du Cange; et al. (1883). "potentia 2". Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, éd. augm. Niort: L. Favre. t. 6, col. 437a, s.v. Scipio, fulcrum subalare, nostris vulgo Potence. See also Oxford English Dictionary, 1st. edition, entry "Potent (sb.¹ and a.²)".
^Tu Baikui 塗白奎 (quoted by Boileau 2002:354[full citation needed]) believes the wu oracle character "was composed of two pieces of jade and originally designated a tool of divination." Citing Li Xiaoding 李孝定 that gong 工 originally pictured a "carpenter's square", Allan (1991:77)[full citation needed] argues that oracle inscriptions used wu巫 interchangeably with fang方 "square; side; place" for sacrifices to the sifang四方 "four directions". A theory by Victor H. Mair connects the Chinese word (Old Chinese *myag, pinyin wū, Cantonese mou4 ) to Persian maguš. See:
Victor H. Mair, “Old Sinitic *Myag, Old Persian Maguš and English Magician”, Early China 15 (1990): 27–47;
Victor H. Mair, “The Earliest Identifiable Written Chinese Character”, Archaeology and Language: Indo-European Studies Presented to James P. Mallory, eds. Martin E. Huld, Karlene Jones-Bley & Dean Miller (Washington, D.C.: Institute for the Study of Man, 2012), 265–279;
Victor H. Mair, “Polysyllabic characters revisited”, Language Log, 8 June 2015.
^"Archaic form is a cross-like device – probably a divining rod; later versions show two people 人 working 工". (chinese-characters.org); "Picture of a cross-shaped divination tool" (Mandarin-English Dictionary & Thesaurus yellowbridge.com).
^William Wood Seymour (1898). The Cross in Tradition, History and Art. p. 364.
^Scipione Mazzella, Giovan Battista Cappello (ed.), Descrittione del Regno di Napoli, Naples (1601), p. 133.
^"Hello Internet Flag Referendum". Retrieved 30 June 2017.
^Movement, The New Columbia. "WE CAN DO NO OTHERWISE". THE NEW COLUMBIA MOVEMENT. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
Bibliography
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles; Johnston, Graham (2004) [1909]. A Complete Guide to Heraldry. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN1-4179-0630-8.
cross, potent, cross, potent, plural, crosses, potent, also, known, crutch, cross, form, heraldic, cross, with, crossbars, four, ends, french, known, croix, potencée, german, kruckenkreuz, translating, crutch, cross, jerusalem, cross, cross, potent, with, four. A cross potent plural crosses potent also known as a crutch cross is a form of heraldic cross with crossbars at the four ends In French it is known as croix potencee in German as a Kruckenkreuz all translating to crutch cross Cross potentThe Jerusalem cross a cross potent with four Greek crosses Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Modern use 4 References 5 See alsoName EditPotent is an old word for a crutch from a late Middle English alteration of Old French potence crutch a The term potent is also used in heraldic terminology to describe a T shaped alteration of vair 1 and potente is a line of partition contorted into a series of T shapes 2 In heraldic literature of the 19th century the cross potent is also known as the Jerusalem cross due to its occurrence in the attributed coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem This convention is reflected in Unicode where the character U 2629 is named CROSS OF JERUSALEM The name Jerusalem cross is more commonly given to the more complex symbol consisting of a large Greek cross or cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses History EditThe cross potent shape is found in pottery decorations in both the European and the Chinese Neolithic In Chinese bronze inscriptions the glyph ancestral to the modern Chinese character 巫 shaman witch has the shape of a cross potent interpreted as representing a cross like divining rod or similar device used in shamanistic practice 3 b Tremissis of Heraclius c 610 613 The cross potent as a Christian cross variant is used on Byzantine coins of the 7th century under the Heraclian dynasty mostly as a Calvary cross potent i e a cross potent standing on a number of steps A Tremissis of Heraclius dated c 610 613 also shows the cross potent without the steps A cross potent or cross patty is already shown on a Tremissis of Theodosius II first half of the 5th century Tremissis minted under Theodosius II r 402 450 Visigothic tremissis 5th century Calvary cross potent minted under Heraclius c 613 638 Calvary cross potent on a solidus minted under Tiberius Petasius c 730 Early heraldic crosses are drawn to the edges of the shield as ordinaries but variations in the termination of the cross limbs become current by the later 13th century The heraldic cross potent is found in armorials of the late 13th century notably in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem argent a cross potent between four plain crosslets or Camden Roll c 1280 4 1 Use of the cross potent remains rare in heraldry outside of the Jerusalem cross In medieval heraldry as in medieval seals the distinction between the cross potent and the cross patty may be unclear For example the cross patty of the Teutonic Order is drawn as a cross patent for Tannhauser in Codex Manesse c 1310 Use of the Jerusalem cross is associated with the title of King of Jerusalem which passed from the kings of Cyprus to a number of royal houses of Europe in the late medieval period notably the kings of Naples and the House of Savoy via Louis II of Naples to the House of Lorraine via conquest of Naples to the House of Aragon and via Francis I to the Habsburg Emperors of Austria A simple cross potent is used as the arms of northern Calabria Calabria Citra as a province of the Kingdom of Naples in the early modern period Ferdinand Duke of Calabria 5 Cross potent on an escudo minted under Charles V r 1519 1556 rinceau cross potent at a side entrance of St Pierre Cathedral 18th century Use of the cross potent in heraldry is revived in the 19th to early 20th century and then as an emblem for Roman Catholicism directly based on the Jerusalem cross Modern use Edit Use of the cross potent as a charge in modern heraldry Coat of arms of the Wingolf Christian student fraternity 1931 Fatherland s Front rally in Vienna 1936 Upon the passage of the 1924 Schilling Act the cross potent was used as a national symbol of the Austrian First Republic minted on the back of the Groschen coins In 1934 it became the emblem of the Federal State of Austria adopted from the ruling Fatherland s Front the Catholic traditionalist organisation led by Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss A reference to the Jerusalem Cross it served as a counter symbol for both the Nazi swastika and the communist hammer and sickle as the Fatherland Front was both anti Nazi and anti Communist The symbol was also adopted by the Russian far right People s National Party and the obscure Cambodian militia MONATIO in the 1970s Today the cross potent is used by many mostly Roman Catholic Scouting and Guiding organisations in their logos and insignia It is currently used in the coats of arms of the Santa Cruz Department in Bolivia and of the Wingolf Christian student fraternities in Germany Austria and Estonia A white cross potent on a black background was a candidate in the 2015 Hello Internet Podcast Flag Referendum 6 The New Columbia Movement a self proclaimed Christian nationalist organization uses the cross potent in their flag 7 References EditInformational notes from Latin potentia power which in medieval Latin meant crutch du Cange et al 1883 potentia 2 Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis ed augm Niort L Favre t 6 col 437a s v Scipio fulcrum subalare nostris vulgo Potence See also Oxford English Dictionary 1st edition entry Potent sb and a Tu Baikui 塗白奎 quoted by Boileau 2002 354 full citation needed believes the wu oracle character was composed of two pieces of jade and originally designated a tool of divination Citing Li Xiaoding 李孝定 that gong 工 originally pictured a carpenter s square Allan 1991 77 full citation needed argues that oracle inscriptions used wu 巫 interchangeably with fang 方 square side place for sacrifices to the sifang 四方 four directions A theory by Victor H Mair connects the Chinese word Old Chinese myag pinyin wu Cantonese mou4 to Persian magus See Victor H Mair Old Sinitic Myag Old Persian Magus and English Magician Early China 15 1990 27 47 Victor H Mair The Earliest Identifiable Written Chinese Character Archaeology and Language Indo European Studies Presented to James P Mallory eds Martin E Huld Karlene Jones Bley amp Dean Miller Washington D C Institute for the Study of Man 2012 265 279 Victor H Mair Polysyllabic characters revisited Language Log 8 June 2015 Citations a b Fox Davies amp Johnston 2004 p 85 Fox Davies amp Johnston 2004 p 94 Archaic form is a cross like device probably a divining rod later versions show two people 人 working 工 chinese characters org Picture of a cross shaped divination tool Mandarin English Dictionary amp Thesaurus yellowbridge com William Wood Seymour 1898 The Cross in Tradition History and Art p 364 Scipione Mazzella Giovan Battista Cappello ed Descrittione del Regno di Napoli Naples 1601 p 133 Hello Internet Flag Referendum Retrieved 30 June 2017 Movement The New Columbia WE CAN DO NO OTHERWISE THE NEW COLUMBIA MOVEMENT Retrieved 2022 01 26 Bibliography Fox Davies Arthur Charles Johnston Graham 2004 1909 A Complete Guide to Heraldry Kessinger Publishing ISBN 1 4179 0630 8 See also EditJerusalem cross Fylfot MONATIO Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cross potent amp oldid 1113645049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
