The Thistle became the symbol of Scotland in the Reign of Alexander III (1249-1286), when Scotland was being invaded by the Vikings.
Legend goes that the Vikings had taken off their shoes so that they could sneak up to the Scottish camp in silence. The Vikings were powerful warriors, but they were no match for the humble thistle that grew on the battlefield. When one of them stepped on the spiny flower, he howled in pain. The Scots won the battle that followed, and the thistle became the symbol of Scotland. In the 15th century, King James created the Order of the Thistle, where a motto was given to those who wear it. "Nemo me impune lacessit" - "No one harms me without punishment".