Scotland has two flags, the Saltire, the flag of the Cross of St. Andrew, and the Royal Standard, the flag associated with Scottish royalty, and now, the sovereign of the United Kingdom. The Royal Standard has a yellow background, a red lion with blue tongue and claws, and, is bordered by a double border of lilies. The Royal Flag of Scotland, or the “Lion Rampant”, is used now as an emblem of the sovereign, and, since 1603, that has included both Scotland and England. While this flag is often used as Scotland’s second flag, and sometimes used by private citizens, legally, it is only to be used by the sovereign. It flies over the offices of the Secretary of State for Scotland, a representative of the Queen. And, it flies over Balmoral Castle when the queen is not in residence.

In 1222, Alexander II, was the first to use the Lion Rampant as a royal emblem in Scotland. A double border of lilies was added under Alexander III after 1249. The actual Lion rampant may, however, date back to William I, “the Lion”, in the 12th century, where it was referred to as the “Lion of Justice”, or the “Lion of Bravery.” William who reigned from 1165-1214, had the second longest reign in the history of Scotland before the Act of Union with England in 1707. It was used by some Irish clans connected with Malcolm III from the 11th century, but another Scottish royal standard used prior to the lion featured a dragon.

The lion was often used by kings, on family crests, and as decoration to depict courage, and strength. It is depicted as a lion, standing on it’s hind legs with raised forepaws. However, there are various other positions that the lion may be shown in, including passant, walking with the right paw raised, statant, standing with all feet on the ground and the front paws together, salient, leaping, with front paws together, sejant, sitting, sejant erect, sitting with the front paws up, couchant, lying down, and dormant, lying down as if asleep.

Other countries that use the Lion Rampant on their emblems or crests include, the city of Jerusalem, Coat of Arms of Finland, Coat of Arms of Leon, Spain, Coat of Arms of Morocco, Coat of Arms of the Netherlands, Coat of Arms of Norway, and the Coat of Arms of the former Kingdom of Bavaria.

http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/flags/gb-sc-rb.html