Fleur-de-Lys Morris Perform

The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' is depicted on the flag of Quebec and on the traditional coat of arms of France that was used from the High Middle Ages until the French Revolution in 1792, and then again in brief periods in the 19th century. This design still represents France and the House of Bourbon in the form of marshalling in the arms of Spain, Quebec, and Canada — for example.

Other European nations have also employed the symbol. The ''fleur-de-lis'' became "at one and the same time, religious, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in French heraldry. The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph are among saints often depicted with a lily.

Some modern usage of the ''fleur-de-lis'' reflects "the continuing presence of heraldry in everyday life", often intentionally, but also when users are not aware that they are "prolonging the life of centuries-old insignia and emblems".

Etymology

''Fleur-de-lis'' is the stylized depiction of the lily flower. The name itself derives from ancient Greek ''λείριον'' > Latin ''lilium'' > French ''lis''.

The lily has always been the symbol of fertility and purity, and in Christianity it symbolizes the Immaculate Conception.

Origin

According to Pierre-Augustin Boissier de Sauvages, an 18th-century French naturalist and lexicographer:

The old fleurs-de-lis, especially the ones found in our first kings' sceptres, have a lot less in common with ordinary lilies than the flowers called ''flambas'' Occitan], or irises, from which the name of our own fleur-de-lis may derive. What gives some colour of truth to this hypothesis that we already put forth, is the fact that the French or Franks, before entering Gaul itself, lived for a long time around the river named Lys in the Flanders. Nowadays, this river is still bordered with an exceptional number of irises —as many plants grow for centuries in the same places—: these irises have yellow flowers, which is not a typical feature of lilies but fleurs-de-lis. It was thus understandable that our kings, having to choose a symbolic image for what later became a coat of arms, set their minds on the iris, a flower that was common around their homes, and is also as beautiful as it was remarkable. They called it, in short, the fleur-de-lis, instead of the flower of the river of ''lis''. This flower, or iris, looks like our fleur-de-lis not just because of its yellow colour but also because of its shape: of the six petals, or leaves, that it has, three of them are alternatively straight and meet at their tops. The other three on the opposite, bend down so that the middle one seems to make one with the stalk and only the two ones facing out from left and right can clearly be seen, which is again similar with our fleurs-de-lis, that is to say exclusively the one from the river Luts whose white petals bend down too when the flower blooms.

The heraldist François Velde is known to have expressed the same opinion:

However, a hypothesis ventured in the 17th c. sounds very plausible to me. One species of wild iris, the ''Iris pseudacorus'', yellow flag in English, is yellow and grows in marshes (cf. the azure field, for water). Its name in German is Lieschblume (also gelbe Schwertlilie), but Liesch was also spelled Lies and Leys in the Middle Ages. It is easy to imagine that, in Northern France, the Lieschblume would have been called 'fleur-de-lis'. This would explain the name and the formal origin of the design, as a stylized yellow flag. There is a fanciful legend about Clovis which links the yellow flag explicitly with the French coat of arms.

Alternative derivations

Another (debated) hypothesis is that the symbol derives from the ''angon'' or ''sting'',Thomas Dudley Fosbroke, ''A Treatise on the Arts, Manufactures, Manners, and Institutions of the Greek and Romans'' Volume 2 (183

a typical Frankish throwing spear.

Ancient usages

It has consistently been used as a royal emblem, though different cultures have interpreted its meaning in varying ways. Roman Gallia (Gaul), Gaulish coins show the first Western designs which look similar to modern ''fleurs-de-lis''.Michel Pastoureau, ''Heraldry: its origins and meaning'' p. 99 In the East it was found on the gold helmet of a Scythian king uncovered at the Ak-Burun kurgan and conserved in Saint Petersburg's Hermitage Museum.

See also the very similar lily symbol on coins from the Achemenid and Ptolemaic province of Yehud (c. 350-200 BCE) and Hasmonean-ruled Judah (2nd and 1st century BCE).

Among the pre-Columbian Maya of Central America, the water lily represented the watery surface of the underworld and the Earth's regenerative power, being depicted as a fleur-de-lis in Maya art. The fleur-de-lis also appears alongside some depictions of the rain god Chaac, the Maya counterpart of the Aztec Tlaloc or Zapotec Cocijo.

Dynastic and related territorial heraldry

For the transition from religious to dynastic symbolism and the beginning of European heraldic use of the ''fleur-de-lis'', see France section, chronologically followed by England through claims to the French crown.

List in alphabetical order by country:

Albania

In Albania, ''fleur-de-lis'' () has been associated with the different Albanian noble families. This iconic symbol holds a rich historical significance and has adorned the emblems and crests of various noble houses, reflecting both cultural heritage and a sense of identity within the country. One notable household that has prominently featured this emblem is the Thopia family a ruling house in Medieval Albania during the Medieval Principality of Albania. Karl Thopia was a grandson of Robert of Anjou. A few other notable Albanian families that have distinctly featured the iconic ''fleur-de-lis'' in their heraldic coat of arms are the Durazzo family, Skuraj family, Muzaka family, Luccari family, Engjëlli family and many other Albanian noble families.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The ''fleurs-de-lis'' was the symbol of the House of Kotromanić, a ruling house in medieval Bosnia during the medieval Kingdom of Bosnia, adopted by the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I, in recognition of the Capetian House of Anjou support in assuming the throne of Bosnia. The coat of arms contained six ''fleurs-de-lis'', where the flower itself is today often considered to be a representation of the autochthonous golden lily, ''Lilium bosniacum''.

The emblem was revived in 1992 as a national symbol of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was part of the flag of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1992 to 1998. The state insignia were changed in 1999. The former flag of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina contains a ''fleur-de-lis'' alongside the Croatian chequy. Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of many cantons, municipalities, cities and towns. Today, it is a traditional symbol of the Bosniak people. It is still used as official insignia of the Bosniak Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

''Fleurs-de-lis'' today also appear in the flags and arms of many cantons, municipalities, cities and towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brazil

In Brazil, the arms and flag of the city of Joinville feature three ''fleurs-de-lis'' surmounted with a label of three points (for the House of Orléans), alluding to François d'Orléans, Prince of Joinville, son of King Louis-Philippe I of France, who married Princess Francisca of Brazil in 1843.

Byzantium (Roman Empire)

The ''fleur-de-lis'' pattern is clearly depicted in an illustration of emperor Nikephoros Phocas's welcome ceremony in Constantinople (963 AD) included in Synopsis Istorion (dated 1070s).

The ''fleur-de-lis'' pattern can also be found on Ionic capital of Panagia Skripo church (dated 870AD):

Canada

The Royal Banner of France or "Bourbon flag" symbolizing royal France, was the most commonly used flag in New France. The "Bourbon flag" has three gold ''fleur-de-lis'' on a dark blue field arranged two and one. The fleur-de-lys was also seen on New France's currency often referred to as "card money". The white Royal Banner of France was used by the military of New France and was seen on naval vessels and forts of New France. After the fall of New France to the British Empire the fleur-de-lys remained visible on churches and remained part of French cultural symbolism. There are many French-speaking Canadians for whom the ''fleur-de-lis'' remains a symbol of their French cultural identity. Québécois, Franco-Ontarians, Franco-Ténois and Franco-Albertans, feature the ''fleur-de-lis'' prominently on their flags.

The fleur-de-lys, as a traditional royal symbol in Canada, has been incorporated into many national symbols, provincial symbols and municipal symbols, the Canadian Red Ensign that served as the nautical flag and civil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965 and later as an informal flag of Canada before 1965 featured the traditional number of three golden fleur-de-lys on a blue background. The arms of Canada throughout its variations has used fleur-de-lys, beginning in 1921 and subsequent various has featuring the blue "Bourbon Flag" in two locations within arms. The Canadian royal cypher and the arms of Canada feature St Edward's Crown that displays five cross pattée and four fleur-de-lys. The ''fleur-de-lis'' is featured on the flag of Quebec, known as the ''fleurdelisé'', as well as the flags of the cities of Montreal, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières.

France

Royal symbol: background, later legends

The ''fleur-de-lis'' symbolic origins with French monarchs may stem from the baptismal lily used in the crowning of King Clovis I (r. c. 481–509). The French monarchy may have adopted the ''fleur-de-lis'' for its royal coat of arms as a symbol of purity to commemorate the conversion of Clovis I, and a reminder of the ''fleur-de-lis'' ampulla that held the oil used to anoint the king. So, the ''fleur-de-lis'' stood as a symbol of the king's divinely approved right to rule. The thus "anointed" kings of France later maintained that their authority was directly from God. A legend enhances the mystique of royalty by informing us that a vial of oil—the Holy Ampulla—descended from Heaven to anoint and sanctify Clovis as King, descending directly on Clovis or perhaps brought by a dove to Saint Remigius. One version explains that an angel descended with the ''fleur-de-lis'' ampulla to anoint the king. Another story tells of Clovis putting a flower in his helmet just before his victory at the Battle of Vouillé. Through this propagandist connection to Clovis, the ''fleur-de-lis'' has been taken in retrospect to symbolize all the Christian Frankish kings, most notably Charlemagne.

The graphic evolution of ''crita'' to ''fleur-de-lis'' was accompanied by textual allegory. By the late 13th century, an allegorical poem by Guillaume de Nangis (d. 1300), written at Joyenval Abbey in Chambourcy, relates how the golden lilies on an azure ground were miraculously substituted for the crescents on Clovis' shield, a projection into the past of contemporary images of heraldry.

In the 14th century, French writers asserted that the monarchy of France, which developed from the Kingdom of the West Franks, could trace its heritage back to the divine gift of royal arms received by Clovis. This story has remained popular, even though modern scholarship has established that the ''fleur-de-lis'' was a religious symbol before it was a true heraldic symbol. Along with true lilies, it was associated with the Virgin Mary, and when the 12th-century Capetians, Louis VI and Louis VII, started to use the emblem, their purpose was of connecting their rulership with this symbol of saintliness and divine right.Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, ''A Complete Guide to Heraldry'', London, 1909, p
274

First royal symbol; ''France Ancient''

Louis VI (r. 1108–1137) and Louis VII (r. 1137–1180) of the House of Capet first started to use the emblem, on sceptres for example. Louis VII ordered the use of ''fleur-de-lis'' clothing in his son Philip's coronation in 1179, while the first visual evidence of clearly heraldic use dates from 1211: a seal showing the future Louis VIII and his shield strewn with the "flowers".

Until the late 14th century the French royal coat of arms was ''Azure semé-de-lis Or'' (a blue shield "sown" (''semé'') with a scattering of small golden ''fleurs-de-lis''), the so-called ''France Ancient'', but Charles V of France changed the design to a group of three in about 1376 (see next section for ''France Modern'').

In the reign of King Louis IX (St. Louis) the three petals of the flower were said to represent faith, wisdom and chivalry, and to be a sign of divine favour bestowed on France. During the next century, the 14th, the tradition of Trinity symbolism was established in France, and then spread elsewhere.

English claims

In 1328, King Edward III of England inherited a claim to the crown of France, and in about 1340 he quartered ''France Ancient'' with the arms of Plantagenet, as "arms of pretence". After the kings of France adopted ''France Modern'', the kings of England adopted the new design as quarterings from about 1411. The monarchs of England (and later of Great Britain) continued to quarter the French arms until 1801, when George III abandoned his formal claim to the French throne.

On 29 December 1429, King Charles VII ennobled the family of Joan of Arc, seen as a French hero in the ensueing Hundred Years' War, with an inheritable symbolic denomination. The Chamber of Accounts in France registered the family's designation to nobility on 20 January 1430. The grant permitted the family to change their surname to du Lys.

''France Moderne'' (1376–1790s, etc.)

In about 1376, Charles V changed the design from the all-over scattering of flowers to a group of three, thus replacing what is known in heraldic terminology as the ''France Ancient'', with the ''France Modern''.

''France moderne'' remained the French royal standard, and with a white background was the French national flag until the French Revolution, when it was replaced by the tricolor of modern-day France. The ''fleur-de-lis'' was restored to the French flag in 1814, but replaced once again after the revolution against Charles X in 1830.

After the end of the Second French Empire, Henri, comte de Chambord, was offered the throne as King of France, but he agreed only if France gave up the tricolor and brought back the white flag with ''fleurs-de-lis''. Curiously the French '' tricolore'' with the royal crown and fleur-de-lys was possibly designed by the count in his younger years as a compromise. His condition that his country needed to abandon the red and blue colors that it had adopted to symbolize the ideals of the French Revolution of 1789 was rejected and France became a republic.

Current use

It remains an enduring symbol of France which appears on French postage stamps, although it has never been adopted officially by any of the French republics, that unlike other republican nations, never officially adopted a coat of arms. Georges Duby, ''France in the Middle Ages 987–1460: From Hugh Capet to Joan of Arc''

Although the origin of the ''fleur-de-lis'' is unclear, it has retained an association with French nobility and associated cities and regions. It is widely used in French city emblems as in the coat of arms of the city of Lille, Saint-Denis, Brest, Clermont-Ferrand, Boulogne-Billancourt, and Calais. Some cities that had been particularly faithful to the French Crown were awarded a heraldic augmentation of two or three ''fleurs-de-lis'' on the chief of their coat of arms; such cities include Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Reims, Le Havre, Angers, Le Mans, Aix-en-Provence, Tours, Limoges, Amiens, Orléans, Rouen, Argenteuil, Poitiers, Chartres, and Laon, among others. The ''fleur-de-lis'' was the symbol of Île-de-France, the core of the French kingdom. It has appeared on the coat-of-arms of other historical provinces of France including Burgundy, Anjou, Picardy, Berry, Orléanais, Bourbonnais, Maine, Touraine, Artois, Dauphiné, Saintonge, and the County of La Marche. Many of the current French ''departments'' use the symbol on their coats-of-arms to express this heritage.

The ''fleur-de-lis'' appears for instance on the coat-of-arms of Guadeloupe, an overseas département of France in the Caribbean, Saint Barthélemy, an overseas collectivity of France, and French Guiana. The overseas department of Réunion in the Indian Ocean uses the same feature. It appears on the coat of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius which was named in honour of King Louis XV. On the coat of arms of Saint Lucia it represents the French heritage of the country.

While the ''fleur-de-lis'' has appeared on countless European coats of arms and flags over the centuries, it is particularly associated with the French monarchy in a historical context and continues to appear in the arms of members of the Spanish branch of the French House of Bourbon, including the king of Spain and the grand duke of Luxembourg.

Duby's interpretation

According to French historian Georges Duby, the three petals represent the three medieval social estates: the commoners, the nobility, and the clergy.

Italy and the pope

In Italy, the fleur de lis - called ''giglio bottonato'' ( it) - is mainly known from the crest of the city of Florence. In the Florentine ''fleurs-de-lis'' the stamens are always posed between the petals. Originally ''argent'' (silver or white) on ''gules'' (red) background, the emblem became the standard of the imperial party in Florence (''parte ghibellina''), causing the town government, which maintained a staunch ''Guelph'' stance, being strongly opposed to the imperial pretensions on city states, to reverse the color pattern to the final ''gules'' lily on ''argent'' background. This heraldic charge is often known as the Florentine lily to distinguish it from the conventional (stamen-not-shown) design. As an emblem of the city, it is therefore found in icons of Zenobius, its first bishop, and associated with Florence's patron Saint John the Baptist in the Florentine fiorino. Several towns subjugated by Florence or founded within the territory of the Florentine Republic adopted a variation of the Florentine lily in their crests, often without the stamens.

In Italy, ''fleurs-de-lis'' have been used for some papal crowns and coats of arms, the Farnese Dukes of Parma, and by some doges of Venice.

Lithuania

The design of the arms of Jurbarkas is believed to originate from the arms of the Sapieha house, a Lithuanian noble family which was responsible for Jurbarkas receiving city rights and a coat of arms in 1611.

The three ''fleurs-de-lis'' design on the Jurbarkas coat of arms was abolished during the final years of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, but officially restored in 1993 after the independence of present-day Lithuania was re-established. Before restoration, several variant designs, such as using one over two ''fleurs-de-lis'', had been restored and abolished. The original two over one version was briefly readopted in 1970 during the Soviet occupation, but abolished that same year.

Malta, Order of Malta

Three ''fleurs-de-lis'' appeared in the personal coat of arms of Grandmaster Alof de Wignacourt who ruled the Malta between 1601 and 1622. His nephew Adrien de Wignacourt, who was Grandmaster himself from 1690 to 1697, also had a similar coat of arms with three ''fleurs-de-lis''.

The town of Santa Venera has three red ''fleurs-de-lis'' on its flag and coat of arms. These are derived from an arch which was part of the Wignacourt Aqueduct that had three sculpted ''fleurs-de-lis'' on top, as they were the heraldic symbols of Alof de Wignacourt, the Grand Master who financed its building. Another suburb which developed around the area became known as Fleur-de-Lys, and it also features a red ''fleur-de-lis'' on its flag and coat of arms.

Serbia

The ''fleur-de-lis'' was the symbol of the House of Nemanjic, a ruling Serbian Orthodox house in medieval Serbia during the medieval Principality of Serbia, Grand Principality of Serbia, Kingdom of Serbia and Serbian Empire, adopted by the Serbian king, Stefan Nemanjić. The coat of arms contained two ''fleurs-de-lis''. Today, the ''fleur-de-lis'' is, alongside the Serbian Cross, Serbian eagle and Serbian Flag, national symbols of the Serb people.

Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of many municipalities.

United Kingdom

''Fleurs-de-lis'' feature prominently in the Crown Jewels of England and Scotland. In English heraldry, they are used in many different ways, and can be the cadency mark of the sixth son. Additionally, it features in a large number of royal arms of the House of Plantagenet, from the 13th century onwards to the early Tudors (Elizabeth of York and the de la Pole family).

The tressure flory– counterflory (flowered border) has been a prominent part of the design of the Scottish royal arms and Royal Standard since James I of Scotland.

The treasured fleur-de-luce he claims
To wreathe his shield, since royal James
—Sir Walter Scott, ''The Lay of the Last Minstrel''

In the United Kingdom, a ''fleur-de-lis'' has appeared in the official arms of the Norroy King of Arms for hundreds of years. A silver ''fleur-de-lis'' on a blue background is the arms of the Barons Digby.

In English and Canadian heraldry the ''fleur-de-lis'' is the cadence mark of a sixth son.

A ''fleur-de-lis'' can also be seen on the flag of Monmouthshire, Wales: Per pale azure and sable three ''fleurs-de-lys'' or.

It can also be found on the arms of the Scottish clan chiefs of both Carruthers; gules two engrailed chevrons between three ''fleur-d-lis'' or and the brouns/browns: gules a chevron between three ''fleur d-lis'' or.

United States

''Fleurs-de-lis'' crossed the Atlantic along with Europeans going to the New World, especially with French settlers. Their presence on North American flags and coats of arms usually recalls the involvement of French settlers in New France of the town or region concerned, and in some cases the persisting presence there of a population descended from such settlers.

In the US, the ''fleur-de-lis'' symbols tend to be along or near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. These are areas of strong French colonial empire settlement. It appears on the flag or seal of the cities of Baton Rouge, Detroit, Lafayette, Louisville, Mobile, New Orleans, Ocean Springs and St. Louis. On 9 July 2008, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal signed a bill into law making the ''fleur-de-lis'' an official symbol of the state. Following Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005, the ''fleur-de-lis'' has been widely used in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, as a symbol of grassroots support for New Orleans' recovery. The coat of arms of St. Augustine, Florida has a ''fleur-de-lis'' on the first quarter, due to its connection with Huguenots. Several counties have flags and seals based on pre-1801 British royal arms also includes ''fleur-de-lis'' symbols. They are King George County, Virginia and Prince George's County, Somerset County, Kent County, and Montgomery County in Maryland.
It has also become the symbol for the identity of the Cajuns and Louisiana Creole people, and their French heritage.

Other countries, cities, families

Other countries include:
*Spain, in recognition of rulers from the House of Bourbon.

*Principality of Moldova
:Coins minted in the Principality of Moldavia (today split between Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine) during the reign of Peter II of Moldavia (r. 1375–1391), carry the ''fleur-de-lis'' symbol.

*Germany: Fugger family
:As a dynastic emblem it has also been very widely used, not only by noble families but also, for example, by the Fuggers, a medieval banking family.

*Other European cities
:Among the numerous cities which use it as a symbol are some whose names echo the word ''lily'', for example, Liljendal, Finland, and Lelystad, Netherlands. This is called canting arms in heraldic terminology. Other European examples of municipal coats-of-arms bearing the ''fleur-de-lis'' include Lincoln in England, Morcín in Spain, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt in Germany, the Swiss municipalities of Schlieren and Prilly, Skierniewice and Gryfice in Poland, and Brody in Ukraine. The Baltic cities of Jurbarkas (see above under Lithuania), Daugavpils in Latvia, and the municipality of Jõelähtme in Estonia also have one or more ''fleurs-de-lis'' on their coats-of-arms.

Military

''Fleurs-de-lis'' are featured in the military heraldry of various nations.

The British Army's 63rd Regiment of Foot started using the ''fleur-de-lis'' as a regimental symbol from the mid-18th century onwards, supposedly to commemorate their role in Britain's capture of Guadeloupe from France in 1759. In 1881, the 63rd Regiment was reorganised into the Manchester Regiment, which also used the ''fleur-de-lis'' as a regimental symbol, and in 1923 it was officially approved as the regiment's cap badge. The regiment's successor unit, the King's Regiment, continued to use the same cap badge from 1958 until its amalgamation into the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in 2006.

It is also the formation sign of the 2nd (Independent) Armored Brigade of the Indian Army, known as the 7th Indian Cavalry Brigade in First World War, which received the emblem for its actions in France.

In the United States, the New Jersey Army National Guard unit 112th Field Artillery (Self Propelled)—part of the much larger 42nd Infantry Division Mechanized—has the ''fleur-de-lis'' in the upper left side of their distinctive unit insignia; the U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 62nd Medical Brigade, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; and the Corps of Cadets at Louisiana State University. The U.S. Air Force's Special Operations Weather beret flash also used a ''fleur-de-lis'' in its design, carried over from its Vietnam War-era commando weatherman beret flash.Air Force Weather, Our Heritage 1937 to 2012
, prepared by TSgt C. A. Ravenstein (Historical Division, AW3DI, Hq AWS), dated 22 January 2012, last accessed 14 March 2020

It is also featured by the Israeli Intelligence Corps established in the 1970s, and the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine used the emblem with the coat of arms of Ukraine in conjunction with four golden ''fleurs-de-lis'', along with the motto "Omnia, Vincit, Veritas".

Religion and art

In the Middle Ages, the symbols of lily and ''fleur-de-lis'' overlapped considerably in Christian religious art. The historian Michel Pastoureau says that until about 1300 they were found in depictions of Jesus, but gradually they took on Marian symbolism and were associated with the Song of Solomon's "lily among thorns" (''lilium inter spinas''), understood as a reference to Mary. Other scripture and religious literature in which the lily symbolizes purity and chastity also helped establish the flower as an iconographic attribute of the Virgin. It was also believed that the ''fleur-de-lis'' represented the Holy Trinity.

In medieval England, from the mid-12th century, a noblewoman's seal often showed the lady with a ''fleur-de-lis'', drawing on the Marian connotations of "female virtue and spirituality". Images of Mary holding the flower first appeared in the 11th century on coins issued by cathedrals dedicated to her, and next on the seals of cathedral chapters, starting with Notre Dame de Paris in 1146. A standard portrayal was of Mary carrying the flower in her right hand, just as she is shown in that church's Virgin of Paris statue (with lily), and in the centre of the stained glass rose window (with ''fleur-de-lis'' sceptre) above its main entrance. The flowers may be "simple fleurons, sometimes garden lilies, sometimes genuine heraldic fleurs-de-lis". As attributes of the Madonna, they are often seen in pictures of the Annunciation, notably in those of Sandro Botticelli and Filippo Lippi. Lippi also uses both flowers in other related contexts: for instance, in his ''Madonna in the Forest''.

The three petals of the heraldic design reflect a widespread association with the Holy Trinity, with the band on the bottom symbolizing Mary. The tradition says that without Mary no one can understand the Trinity since it was she who bore the Son. A tradition going back to 14th-century France added onto the earlier belief that they also represented faith, wisdom and chivalry. Alternatively, the cord can be seen as representing the one divine substance (godhood) of the three persons, which binds them together.

"Flower of light" symbolism has sometimes been understood from the archaic variant ''fleur-de-luce'' (see Latin ''lux, luc-'' = 'light'), but the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' suggests this arose from the spelling, not from the etymology.

Civilian institutions and organisations

Education

The emblem appears in coats of arms and logos for universities (like Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University in Spain, Rossall School in England , University of Lincoln in England and University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and schools such as in Hilton College (South Africa), Adamson University and St. Paul's University in the Philippines. The Lady Knights of the University of Arkansas at Monticello have also adopted the fleur de lis as one of the symbols associated with their coat of arms. The flag of Lincolnshire, adopted in 2005, has a ''fleur-de-lis'' for the city of Lincoln. It is one of the symbols of the American sororities Kappa Kappa Gamma and Theta Phi Alpha, the American fraternities Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Mu, as well as the international co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. It is also used by the high school and college fraternity Scouts Royale Brotherhood of the Philippines.

Scouting

The ''fleur-de-lis'' is the main element in the logo of most Scouting organizations. The symbol was first used by Sir Robert Baden-Powell as an arm-badge for soldiers who qualified as scouts (reconnaissance specialists) in the 5th Dragoon Guards, which he commanded at the end of the 19th century; it was later used in cavalry regiments throughout the British Army until 1921. In 1907, Baden-Powell made brass ''fleur-de-lis'' badges for the boys attending his first experimental "Boy Scout" camp at Brownsea Island. In his seminal book ''Scouting for Boys'', Baden-Powell referred to the motif as "the arrowhead which shows the North on a map or a compass" and continued; "It is the Badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction and upward ... The three points remind you of the three points of the Scout Promise", being duty to God and country, helping others, and keeping the Scout Law. The World Scout Emblem of the World Organization of the Scout Movement has elements which are used by most national Scout organizations. The stars stand for truth and knowledge, the encircling rope for unity, and its reef knot or square knot, service.

Sports

The ''fleur-de-lis'' is used by a number of sports teams, especially when it echoes a local flag. This is true with the teams from Quebec ( Nordiques (ex-NHL), Montreal Expos (ex-MLB) and CF Montréal (MLS)), the teams of Louisiana and the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (NCAA Division I), the Serie A team Fiorentina, the Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt 98 (also known as ''Die Lilien'' – The Lilies), the Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain, the rugby league team Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, the NPSL team Detroit City FC.

Marc-André Fleury, a Canadian ice hockey goaltender, has a ''fleur-de-lis'' logo on his mask. The UFC Welterweight Champion from 2006 to 2013, Georges St-Pierre, has a tattoo of the ''fleur-de-lis'' on his right calf. The IT University of Copenhagen's soccer team ITU F.C. has it in its logo. The official emblem for the

Art and entertainment

Architecture and design

Architects and designers use it alone and as a repeated motif in a wide range of contexts, from ironwork to bookbinding.

In building and architecture, the ''fleur-de-lis'' is often placed on top of iron fence posts, as a pointed defence against intruders. It may ornament any tip, point or post with a decorative flourish, for instance, on finials, the arms of a cross, or the point of a gable. The ''fleur-de-lis'' can be incorporated in friezes or cornices, although the distinctions between ''fleur-de-lis'', fleuron, and other stylized flowers are not always clear, or can be used as a motif in an all-over tiled pattern, perhaps on a floor.
It may appear in a building for heraldic reasons, as in some English churches where the design paid a compliment to a local lord who used the flower on his coat of arms. Elsewhere the effect seems purely visual, like the crenellations on the 14th-century Muslim Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan.
It can also be seen on the doors of the 16th-century Hindu Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Literature

During the reign of Elizabeth I of England, known as the Elizabethan era, it was a standard name for an iris, a usage which lasted for centuries, but occasionally refers to lilies or other flowers.

Video games

A heavily stylized ''fleur de lis'' symbol can be recognized as the symbol of the ICA in the ''Hitman'' series of video games.

In the ''Saints Row'' franchise, the ''fleur de lis'' is the Logo (called "Fleur De Saints") for the Third Street Saints.

In the ''Warhammer 40,000'' franchise, the ''Fleur De Lis'' is the faction icon for the Adepta Sororitas.

The Pokémon villain Lysandre, whose debut game was ''Pokémon X and Y'', is known in Japan as フラダリ ''Furadari'' meaning ''fleur-de-lis''.
''Pokémon X and Y'' are inspired by France.
Many locations and landmarks across Kalos have real-world inspirations, including Prism Tower (Eiffel Tower), the Lumiose Art Museum (the Louvre) and the stones outside Geosenge Town ( Carnac stones).

The second form of Wuthering Waves character Cartethyia is named "Fleurdelys".

Punishment

French colonial empire

In the French colonial empire, the ''Code Noir'', a slave code drafted by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, stipulated that enslaved people should be branded with the ''fleur-de-lis'' as punishment for a variety of crimes, including attempting to escape enslavement or theft. French officials in the colony of Isle de France (modern-day Mauritius), which adopted the ''Code Noir'' in 1685, punished slaves who attempted to escape or stole property by branding them with the ''fleur-de-lis''. In the French colony of Louisiana, which adopted the ''Code Noir'' in 1724, slaves who attempted to escape and were recaptured would be branded on one shoulder with the ''fleur-de-lis'' along with having their ears cut off. If they attempted to escape a second time, they would be punished by being branded with the ''fleur-de-lis'' again and have their hamstrings cut. Capital punishment was used for those who attempted to escape a third time.

Louisiana's version of the ''Code Noir'' stated:

Branding slaves with the ''fleur-de-lis'' was also a punishment used in the French colony of Saint-Domingue.

France

Being branded with the ''fleur-de-lis'' was also a punishment used in Metropolitan France. In his 1577 biography of French Protestant reformer John Calvin, Jérôme-Hermès Bolsec claimed that Calvin had committed sodomy in his hometown of Noyon in 1527, and he only at the last minute escaped the standard punishment of death by burning, instead being branded with a ''fleur-de-lis'' on his shoulder.Backus, Irena. "Roman Catholic Lives of Calvin from Bolsec to Richelieu: Why the Interest?". Section&nbs
"Jerome Bolsec"
pp. 26–32 (see 27 last paragraph, 29–32). In Randall C. Zachman, ed. (2008). ''John Calvin and Roman Catholicism: Critique and Engagement, Then and Now''. Baker Academic, Accessed 25 Nov 2023. Bolsec's claims are today viewed as libellous slander, but they offer a window into what seemed a plausible punishment in his time. Alexandre Dumas used the motive of branding thieves with the ''fleur-de-lis'' when he created the character of Milady de Winter in his 1844 novel ''The Three Musketeers''. He set the branding episode in 1619 France.

See also

* Cross fleury
* Floral emblem
* Armorial of France
* The Golden Lily (disambiguation)
* Iris florentina
* Iris pseudacorus
* Jessant-de-lys
* Lilium
* Palmette
* Prince of Wales's feathers
* Shamrock
* Scottish thistle
* Tree of Life

; Use of the lily in coinage and coat-of-arms in the land of Israel
* Acre, Israel, where the Hospitaller refectory contains two early depictions of the French ''fleur-de-lis''
* Hasmonean coinage, coins minted during Hasmonean rule, sometimes depicting a lily
* Yehud coinage, Achaemenid period coinage often depicting a lily

Explanatory notes

References

External links

The Fleur-de-Lys
at Heraldica.org


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleur-De-Lis
Architectural elements
Christian symbols
French monarchy
Garden features
Heraldic charges

Ornaments
Provincial symbols of Quebec
Scouting uniform
Visual motifs