Kendoric-Highland Pugs

History about the Scottish Thistle

The thistle is a thorny plant with a beautiful flower, the national symbol of Scotland. During the reign of Alexander III of Scotland, (1241-1285) King Haakon of Norway attempted to conquer Scotland. It is said that the Norse tried a sneak nighttime attack, but barefoot, they stepped on thistles. They screamed in pain, thus alerting the Scots, who were then able to overcome them. Therefore as the national symbol, the thistle represents courageous defense and deep rooted ideals.

In Christianity the thistle is a symbol of temporal sorrow and the curse of sin from the story of the Fall. Because the thistle is a thorny bush, it is often portrayed as the source of Christ's crown of thorns. Because thistles flourish to crowd out useful crops, they have also been used to represent the "tares" or weeds written of in Matthew 13.

The Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland, and it is second in importance after the Order of the Garter.

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