The Secret History Behind Sweden's Flag

Sweden's flag, according to legend, comes from a golden cross in the sky.

The story goes that in 1157, when King Eric IX landed in Finland during the First Swedish Crusade, he saw a golden cross in the sky, took it as a sign from God and adopted a golden cross on a blue background as his banner. Historians consider that expedition possibly mythical, and the tale is a later legend.

What the record does show is that the blue and gold are believed to come from the Swedish coat of arms of 1442 — blue divided by a golden cross — and that the cross itself was modeled on the Danish flag. The flag's proportions were officially set in 1906.

The date printed on every Sweden design in our catalog, June 6, 1523, is the day Gustav Vasa was elected king in Strängnäs, ending the Kalmar Union with Denmark. Today it is Sweden's National Day.

A legend in the sky, and a very real king on the ground.

See the Sweden Midnight Sun Tee → · Browse the North Europe collection → — or explore the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page.