In modern time the national flag of Switzerland represents the image of the white ravnokonechny truncated cross on a red square background. The history of formation of a flag goes to the Middle Ages, however rather recently (the 19th century) Switzerland officially accepted national symbolics.
Before the beginning of the 19th century Switzerland had no uniform national flag. At the time of various historical fighting the soldiers battled under banners of certain cantons. However it is worth saying that the national symbolics of the state arose for a long time. In the first half of the 14th century during military operations white crosses which were sewed on a military uniform were a distinctive symbol of Swisses.
The white cross on a red background or just red banner became the first prototype of a modern flag of Switzerland. It was the general emblem of various military groups.
At a turn of the XVII-XIX centuries, during the Gelvetichesky republic, Napoleon forbade Swisses to use a flag with a cross. The tricolor from green, red and yellow color became an official flag. However this flag did not remain in historical development of the country. After falling of the pro-French power in Switzerland the decision on return to a former national banner was made.
The truncated cross of white color for the first time seemed on battle flags of Swisses in 1815. However officially the flag was accepted later. As at the time of isolation of cantons each soldier could sew on a red bandage a white cross at discretion. Not always it was truncated and ravnokonechny.
The modern flag of Switzerland began to be used as national since civil war of 1847. As well as the first battle flags, a flag took square shape with the image of a white cross on a red background.