▁the ▁King . ▁It ▁was ▁at ▁first ▁two - point ed , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁mid - 1 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁distinct ive ▁sw allow tail ▁with ▁tongue ▁appeared . ▁The ▁flag ▁is ▁also ▁flow n ▁by ▁the ▁defence ▁min istry , ▁while ▁civil ▁minist ries ▁fly ▁square ▁flags . ▁ ▁S over eign ' s ▁flag ▁ ▁The ▁Swedish ▁royal ▁flag ▁() ▁is ▁still ▁identical ▁to ▁the ▁triple - ta iled ▁military ▁flag , ▁but ▁usually ▁includes ▁in ▁its ▁centre ▁a ▁white ▁field ▁with ▁the ▁greater ▁or ▁the ▁less er ▁coat ▁of ▁arms ▁with ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Ser aph im , ▁which ▁has ▁the ▁King ▁as ▁its ▁Grand ▁Master . ▁The ▁King ▁personally ▁dec ides ▁about ▁the ▁specific ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁royal ▁flag . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁M yth ology ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁early ▁modern ▁legend , ▁the ▁ 1 2 th - century ▁King ▁Eric ▁IX ▁saw ▁a ▁golden ▁cross ▁in ▁the ▁sky ▁as ▁he ▁land ed ▁in ▁Finland ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁Swedish ▁Cr us ade ▁in ▁ 1 1 5 7 . ▁ ▁See ing ▁this ▁as ▁a ▁sign ▁from ▁God ▁he ▁adopted ▁the ▁golden ▁cross ▁against ▁a ▁blue ▁background ▁as ▁his ▁b anner . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁Swedish ▁origin ▁legend ▁is ▁chosen ▁to ▁counter ▁a ▁parallel ▁origin ▁story ▁for ▁the ▁ ▁Dan ish ▁flag , ▁also ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁According ▁to ▁this ▁theory , ▁the ▁Swedish ▁flag ▁was ▁created ▁during ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁King ▁Charles ▁VIII