Flag of Greece of the exact reasoning behind its official adoption in early 1822. It has been suggested by some Greek historians that the current flag derived from an older design, the virtually identical flag of the powerful Cretan Kallergis family. This flag was based on their coat of arms, whose pattern is supposed to be derived from the standards of their claimed ancestor, Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas (963–969 AD). This pattern (according to not easily verifiable descriptions) included nine stripes of alternating blue and white, as well as a cross, assumed to be placed on the upper left. Although the use
Flag of the Nordic Council Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The flag was designed by Kyösti Varis, an artist from Finland. The full members of the Nordic council all use a Nordic Cross Flag. The Nordic Cross was also use in the Flag of the Kalmar Union. The Kalmar Union was the only time when all Nordic countries were under a single state - hence it has traditionally been a sign of unity before the Nordic Council adopted the swan flag. Flag of the Nordic Council The Flag of the Nordic Council is blue (PMS 300 U), with a