the red cross symbol was first used in 1864.
the red cross symbol was first used in 1864.
when was the red cross symbol first used?
1864
the red cross symbol used by the international committee of the red cross, a red cross on white background, was the original protection symbol declared at the first geneva convention, the convention for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded in armies in the field of 1864. according to the icrc the design was based on the swiss flag by reversing of the colours of that flag, in order to honour switzerland, where the first geneva convention was held, and its inventor and co-founder, the swiss henry dunant.
flag of switzerland
from the late 14th century onwards (according to other sources from the 13th century), the double cross symbol was used both as a symbol for northern parts of the kingdom ("partes danubii septentrionales, partes regni superiores", i.e. approximately the territory of present-day slovakia and northeastern hungary) and as a symbol of kings of the kingdom of hungary. for example, the state symbol of louis the great (1342–1382) was a quartered coat of arms containing among other symbols the symbol of charles robert of anjou (containing in turn the stripes symbol) as the symbol for the southern parts of the kingdom ("partes regni inferiores") and the symbol for northern parts of the kingdom (the double cross symbol). a good example of the double meaning of the double cross symbol is the great seal of king sigismund of luxembourg (1387–1437): this seal contains the double cross symbol in the middle, surrounded by a circle of smaller coats of arms of territories under his rule. these smaller coats of arms include the double cross symbol (for a second time!) as the symbol of what is today slovakia and the stripes symbol as the symbol for pannonia.
coat of arms of slovakia