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Thefleur-de-lis, also spelledfleur-de-lys (pluralfleurs-de-lis orfleurs-de-lys),[pron 1] is a commonheraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of alily (in French,fleur andlis mean'flower' and'lily' respectively). Most notably, thefleur-de-lis is depicted on theflag of Quebec and on the traditionalcoat of arms of France that was used from theHigh Middle Ages until theFrench Revolution in 1792, and then again in brief periods in the 19th century. This design still represents France and theHouse of Bourbon in the form ofmarshalling on the arms of other countries, includingSpain,Quebec andCanada.
Other European nations have also employed the symbol. Thefleur-de-lis became "at one and the same time, religious, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially inFrench heraldry.[4] TheVirgin Mary andSaint Joseph are amongsaints often depicted with a lily.
Some modern usage of thefleur-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".[5]
Fleur-de-lis is the stylized depiction of the lily flower. The name itself derives from ancient Greekleírion (λείριον) > Latinlilium > Frenchlis.
The lily has always been the symbol of fertility and purity, and in Christianity it symbolizes theImmaculate Conception.
According toPierre-Augustin Boissier de Sauvages, an 18th-century Frenchnaturalist andlexicographer:[6]
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 calledflambas [inOccitan], 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 namedLys 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 oflis. 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:[8]
However, a hypothesis ventured in the 17th c. sounds very plausible to me. One species of wild iris, theIris 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.[8]
Another (debated) hypothesis is that the symbol derives from theangon orsting,[9] a typical Frankish throwing spear.[9]
It has consistently been used as a royal emblem, though different cultures have interpreted its meaning in varying ways.Gaulish coins show the first Western designs which look similar to modernfleurs-de-lis.[10] In theEast it was found on the gold helmet of aScythian king uncovered at the Ak-Burunkurgan and conserved inSaint Petersburg'sHermitage Museum.[11]
See also the very similar lily symbol oncoins from the Achemenid and Ptolemaic province of Yehud (c. 350-200 BC) andHasmonean-ruled Judah (2nd and 1st century BC).
Among thepre-ColumbianMaya ofCentral America, the water lily represented the watery surface of theunderworld and the Earth's regenerative power, being depicted as a fleur-de-lis in Maya art.[12][13] The fleur-de-lis also appears alongside some depictions of the rain godChaac, the Maya counterpart of theAztecTlaloc orZapotecCocijo.[14]
For the transition from religious to dynastic symbolism and the beginning of European heraldic use of thefleur-de-lis, seeFrance section, chronologically followed by England throughclaims to the French crown.
List in alphabetical order by country:
In Albania,fleur-de-lis (Albanian:Lulja e Zambakut) has been associated with the differentAlbaniannoble 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 theThopia family[15][16] a ruling house inMedieval Albania during theMedieval Principality of Albania.Karl Thopia was a grandson ofRobert of Anjou. A few other notableAlbanian families that have distinctly featured the iconicfleur-de-lis in their heraldic coat of arms are theDurazzo family,[17]Skuraj family,[18]Muzaka family,[19]Luccari family,[20]Engjëlli family[21] and many otherAlbanian noble families.
Thefleurs-de-lis was the symbol of theHouse of Kotromanić, a ruling house inmedieval Bosnia during the medievalKingdom of Bosnia, adopted by the first Bosnian king,Tvrtko I, in recognition of his ancestral lineage ofKingdom of SerbiaNemanjić dynasty[22] and theCapetian House of Anjou support in assuming the throne of Bosnia. The coat of arms contained sixfleurs-de-lis,[23][h] where the flower itself is today often considered to be a representation of theautochthonous golden lily,Lilium bosniacum.[24]
The emblem was revived in 1992 as anational symbol of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was part of theflag of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1992 to 1998.[24][23] The state insignia were changed in 1999. The formerflag of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina contains afleur-de-lis alongside theCroatianchequy. Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of manycantons,municipalities, cities and towns. Today, it is a traditionalsymbol of the Bosniak people.[25][26] It is still used as official insignia of the BosniakRegiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[27]
Fleurs-de-lis today also appear in the flags and arms of manycantons,municipalities, cities and towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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In Brazil, the arms and flag of the city ofJoinville feature threefleurs-de-lis surmounted with a label of three points (for theHouse of Orléans), alluding toFrançois d'Orléans, Prince of Joinville, son of KingLouis-Philippe I of France, who marriedPrincess Francisca of Brazil in 1843.
_into_Constantinople_in_963_from_the_Chronicle_of_John_Skylitzes.jpg)
Thefleur-de-lis pattern is clearly depicted in an illustration of emperor Nikephoros Phocas's welcome ceremony in Constantinople (963 AD) included inSynopsis Istorion (dated 1070s).
Thefleur-de-lis pattern can also be found on Ionic capital of Panagia Skripo church (dated 870AD):
TheRoyal Banner of France or "Bourbon flag" symbolizingroyal France, was the most commonly used flag inNew France.[28][29] The "Bourbon flag" has three goldfleurs-de-lis on a dark blue field arranged two and one.[30] The fleur-de-lys was also seen on New France's currency often referred to as"card money".[31] 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.[32] 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.[33] There are manyFrench-speaking Canadians for whom thefleur-de-lis remains a symbol of their French cultural identity.Québécois,Franco-Ontarians,Franco-Ténois andFranco-Albertans, feature thefleur-de-lis prominently on theirflags.
The fleur-de-lys, as a traditional royal symbol in Canada, has been incorporated into manynational symbols,provincial symbols and municipal symbols, theCanadian Red Ensign that served as the nautical flag andcivil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965 and later as an informalflag of Canada before 1965 featured the traditional number of three golden fleurs-de-lys on a blue background.[34] Thearms 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.[35] The Canadianroyal cypher and the arms of Canada featureSt Edward's Crown that displays fourcrosses pattée and four fleurs-de-lys.[36] Thefleur-de-lis is featured on theflag of Quebec, known as thefleurdelisé, as well as the flags of the cities ofMontreal,Sherbrooke andTrois-Rivières.
Thefleur-de-lis symbolic origins with French monarchs may stem from the baptismal lily used in the crowning of KingClovis I (r. c. 481–509).[37] The French monarchy may have adopted thefleur-de-lis for its royal coat of arms as a symbol of purity to commemorate the conversion of Clovis I,[38] and a reminder of thefleur-de-lisampulla that held the oil used toanoint the king. So, thefleur-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—theHoly Ampulla—descended from Heaven to anoint and sanctify Clovis as King,[39] descending directly on Clovis or perhaps brought by a dove to Saint Remigius. One version explains that an angel descended with thefleur-de-lis ampulla to anoint the king.[40] Another story tells of Clovis putting a flower in his helmet just before his victory at theBattle of Vouillé.[8] Through this propagandist connection to Clovis, thefleur-de-lis has been taken in retrospect to symbolize all the ChristianFrankish kings, most notablyCharlemagne.[41]
The graphic evolution ofcrita[clarification needed] tofleur-de-lis was accompanied by textualallegory. By the late 13th century, an allegorical poem byGuillaume de Nangis (d. 1300), written atJoyenval Abbey inChambourcy, relates how the golden lilies on an azure ground were miraculously substituted for thecrescents on Clovis' shield, a projection into the past of contemporary images of heraldry.[citation needed]
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 thefleur-de-lis was a religious symbol before it was a true heraldic symbol.[42] Along with true lilies, it was associated with the Virgin Mary, and when the 12th-centuryCapetians, Louis VI and Louis VII, started to use the emblem, their purpose was of connecting their rulership with this symbol ofsaintliness and divine right.[43]
Louis VI (r. 1108–1137) andLouis VII (r. 1137–1180) of theHouse of Capet first started to use the emblem, onsceptres for example. Louis VII ordered the use offleur-de-lis clothing in his sonPhilip's coronation in 1179,[43] while the first visual evidence of clearly heraldic use dates from 1211: aseal showing the future Louis VIII and his shield strewn with the "flowers".[44]
Until the late 14th century theFrench royal coat of arms wasAzure semé-de-lisOr (a blue shield "sown" (semé) with a scattering of small goldenfleurs-de-lis), the so-calledFrance Ancient, but Charles V of France changed the design to a group of three in about 1376 (see next section forFrance Modern).[citation needed]
In the reign ofKing 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.[45] During the next century, the 14th, the tradition of Trinity symbolism was established in France, and then spread elsewhere.[citation needed]
In 1328, KingEdward III of England inherited a claim to the crown of France, and in about 1340 hequarteredFrance Ancient with thearms of Plantagenet, as "arms ofpretence".[c] After the kings of France adoptedFrance Modern, the kings of England adopted the new design as quarterings from about 1411.[46] The monarchs of England (and later ofGreat Britain) continued to quarter the French arms until 1801, whenGeorge III abandoned his formalclaim to the French throne.[citation needed]
On 29 December 1429,King Charles VII ennobled the family ofJoan of Arc, seen as a French hero in the ensueingHundred 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.[citation needed]
In about 1376,Charles V changed the design from the all-over scattering of flowers to a group of three,[a][b] thus replacing what is known in heraldic terminology as theFrance Ancient, with theFrance Modern.[citation needed]
France moderne remained the French royal standard, and with a white background was the French national flag until theFrench Revolution, when it was replaced by thetricolor of modern-day France. Thefleur-de-lis was restored to the French flag in 1814, but replaced once again after the revolution againstCharles X in 1830.[d]
After the end of theSecond 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 withfleurs-de-lis.[47] Curiously the Frenchtricolore with the royal crown and fleur-de-lys was possibly designed by the count in his younger years as a compromise.[48] His condition that his country needed to abandon the red and blue colors that it had adopted to symbolize the ideals of theFrench Revolution of 1789 was rejected and France became arepublic.
It remains an enduring symbol of France which appears on French postage stamps, although it has never been adopted officially by any of theFrench republics, that unlike other republican nations, never officially adopted a coat of arms.[49]
Although the origin of thefleur-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, andCalais. Some cities that had been particularly faithful to the French Crown were awarded a heraldic augmentation of two or threefleurs-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, andLaon, among others. Thefleur-de-lis was the symbol ofÎle-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 Frenchdepartments use the symbol on their coats-of-arms to express this heritage.[citation needed]
Thefleur-de-lis appears for instance on the coat-of-arms ofGuadeloupe, an overseas département of France in the Caribbean,Saint Barthélemy, an overseas collectivity of France, andFrench Guiana. The overseas department ofRéunion in the Indian Ocean uses the same feature. It appears on the coat ofPort Louis, the capital ofMauritius which was named in honour of King Louis XV. On thecoat of arms of Saint Lucia it represents the French heritage of the country.[citation needed]
While thefleur-de-lis has appeared on countless Europeancoats of arms and flags over the centuries, it is particularly associated with theFrench monarchy in a historical context and continues to appear in the arms of members of the Spanish branch of the FrenchHouse of Bourbon, including theking of Spain and thegrand duke of Luxembourg.
According to French historianGeorges Duby, the three petals represent thethree medieval social estates: the commoners, the nobility, and the clergy.[49]
In Italy, the fleur de lis - calledgiglio bottonato (it) - is mainly known from the crest of the city ofFlorence. In the Florentinefleurs-de-lis[f] thestamens are always posed between thepetals. Originallyargent (silver or white) ongules (red) background, the emblem became the standard of the imperial party in Florence (parteghibellina), causing the town government, which maintained a staunchGuelph stance, being strongly opposed to the imperial pretensions on city states, to reverse the color pattern to the finalgules lily onargent background.[50] This heraldic charge is often known as theFlorentine lily to distinguish it from the conventional (stamen-not-shown) design. As an emblem of the city, it is therefore found in icons ofZenobius, its first bishop,[51] and associated with Florence's patron SaintJohn the Baptist in the Florentinefiorino. 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.[citation needed]
In Italy,fleurs-de-lis have been used for somepapal crowns[g] and coats of arms, theFarneseDukes of Parma,[citation needed] and by somedoges of Venice.[citation needed]
The design of the arms ofJurbarkas is believed to originate from the arms of theSapieha house, aLithuanian noble family which was responsible for Jurbarkas receivingcity rights and a coat of arms in 1611.[52][53]
The threefleurs-de-lis design on the Jurbarkas coat of arms was abolished during thefinal years of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, but officially restored in 1993 after theindependence of present-day Lithuania was re-established. Before restoration, several variant designs, such as using one over twofleurs-de-lis, had been restored and abolished. The original two over one version was briefly readopted in 1970 during theSoviet occupation, but abolished that same year.[54]
Threefleurs-de-lis appeared in the personal coat of arms of GrandmasterAlof de Wignacourt who ruled theMalta between 1601 and 1622. His nephewAdrien de Wignacourt, who was Grandmaster himself from 1690 to 1697, also had a similar coat of arms with threefleurs-de-lis.
The town ofSanta Venera has three redfleurs-de-lis on its flag and coat of arms. These are derived froman arch which was part of theWignacourt Aqueduct that had three sculptedfleurs-de-lis on top, as they were the heraldic symbols ofAlof de Wignacourt, the Grand Master who financed its building. Another suburb which developed around the area became known asFleur-de-Lys, and it also features a redfleur-de-lis on its flag and coat of arms.[55]
Thefleur-de-lis was the symbol of theHouse of Nemanjic, a rulingSerbian Orthodox house inmedieval Serbia during the medievalPrincipality of Serbia,Grand Principality of Serbia,Kingdom of Serbia andSerbian Empire, adopted by theSerbian king,Stefan Nemanjić. The coat of arms contained twofleurs-de-lis. Today, thefleur-de-lis is, alongside theSerbian Cross,Serbian eagle andSerbian Flag, nationalsymbols of the Serb people.[56][57]
Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of manymunicipalities.
Fleurs-de-lis feature prominently in theCrown Jewels of England andScotland. In English heraldry, they are used in many different ways, and can be thecadency mark of the sixth son. Additionally, it features in a large number of royal arms of theHouse of Plantagenet, from the 13th century onwards to the early Tudors (Elizabeth of York and the de la Pole family).[citation needed]
Thetressureflory–counterflory (flowered border) has been a prominent part of the design of theScottish royal arms andRoyal Standard sinceJames I of Scotland.[e]
The treasured fleur-de-luce he claims
To wreathe his shield, since royal James
—SirWalter Scott,The Lay of the Last Minstrel[58]
In the United Kingdom, afleur-de-lis has appeared in the official arms of theNorroy King of Arms for hundreds of years. A silverfleur-de-lis on a blue background is the arms of theBarons Digby.[59]
In English and Canadian heraldry thefleur-de-lis is thecadence mark of a sixth son.[60]
Afleur-de-lis can also be seen on theflag of Monmouthshire, Wales: Per pale azure and sable threefleurs-de-lys or.[61]
It can also be found on the arms of the Scottish clan chiefs of both Carruthers; gules two engrailed chevrons between threefleur-d-lis or and the brouns/browns: gules a chevron between threefleur d-lis or.[62][63]
Fleurs-de-lis crossed theAtlantic along with Europeans going to theNew World, especially with French settlers. Their presence on North American flags and coats of arms usually recalls the involvement of French settlers inNew France of the town or region concerned, and in some cases the persisting presence there of a population descended from such settlers.
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In the US, thefleur-de-lis symbols tend to be along or near theMississippi andMissouri rivers. These are areas of strongFrench colonial empire settlement. It appears on the flag or seal of the cities ofBaton Rouge,Detroit,Lafayette,Louisville,Mobile,New Orleans,Ocean Springs andSt. Louis. On 9 July 2008, Louisiana governorBobby Jindal signed a bill into law making thefleur-de-lis an official symbol of the state.[64] FollowingHurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005, thefleur-de-lis has been widely used in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, as a symbol of grassroots support forNew Orleans' recovery.[65] The coat of arms ofSt. Augustine, Florida has afleur-de-lis on the first quarter, due to its connection withHuguenots. Several counties have flags and seals based on pre-1801 British royal arms also includesfleur-de-lis symbols. They areKing George County, Virginia andPrince George's County,Somerset County,Kent County, andMontgomery County in Maryland.It has also become the symbol for the identity of theCajuns andLouisiana Creole people, and their French heritage.
Other countries include:
Fleurs-de-lis are featured in the military heraldry of various nations.
TheBritish Army's63rd Regiment of Foot started using thefleur-de-lis as a regimental symbol from the mid-18th century onwards, supposedly to commemorate their role in Britain'scapture of Guadeloupe from France in 1759. In 1881, the 63rd Regiment wasreorganised into theManchester Regiment, which also used thefleur-de-lis as a regimental symbol, and in 1923 it was officially approved as the regiment'scap badge. The regiment's successor unit, theKing's Regiment, continued to use the same cap badge from 1958 until its amalgamation into theDuke of Lancaster's Regiment in 2006.[67]
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.[68]
In the United States, theNew Jersey Army National Guard unit112th Field Artillery (Self Propelled)—part of the much larger42nd Infantry Division Mechanized—has thefleur-de-lis in the upper left side of theirdistinctive unit insignia; theU.S. Army's2nd Cavalry Regiment,319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment,62nd Medical Brigade,256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; and the Corps of Cadets atLouisiana State University. TheU.S. Air Force's Special Operations Weatherberet flash also used afleur-de-lis in its design, carried over from itsVietnam War-era commando weatherman beret flash.[69]
It is also featured by theIsraeli Intelligence Corps established in the 1970s,[70] and the First World WarCanadian Expeditionary Force.
TheForeign Intelligence Service of Ukraine used[when?] the emblem with thecoat of arms of Ukraine in conjunction with four goldenfleurs-de-lis, along with the motto "Omnia, Vincit, Veritas".[citation needed]
In theMiddle Ages, the symbols of lily andfleur-de-lis overlapped considerably in Christian religious art. The historianMichel Pastoureau says that until about 1300 they were found in depictions of Jesus, but gradually they took on Marian symbolism and were associated with theSong of Solomon's "lily among thorns" (lilium inter spinas), understood as a reference to Mary. Otherscripture 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 thefleur-de-lis represented theHoly Trinity.[71][72]
Inmedieval England, from the mid-12th century, a noblewoman's seal often showed the lady with afleur-de-lis, drawing on the Marian connotations of "female virtue and spirituality".[73] 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 cathedralchapters, starting withNotre 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'sVirgin of Paris statue (with lily), and in the centre of thestained glass rose window (withfleur-de-lis sceptre) above its main entrance. The flowers may be "simplefleurons, sometimes garden lilies, sometimes genuine heraldic fleurs-de-lis".[44] As attributes of theMadonna, they are often seen in pictures of the Annunciation, notably in those ofSandro Botticelli andFilippo Lippi. Lippi also uses both flowers in other related contexts: for instance, in hisMadonna in the Forest.
The three petals of the heraldic design reflect a widespread association with theHoly 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.[74] A tradition going back to 14th-century France[10] 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 variantfleur-de-luce (see Latinlux, luc- = 'light'), but theOxford English Dictionary suggests this arose from the spelling, not from theetymology.[75]
The emblem appears in coats of arms and logos for universities (likeWashington University in St. Louis,Saint Louis University inSpain,Rossall School inEngland {where it appears in the namesake Mitre Fleur De Lys boarding house},University of Lincoln inEngland andUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette) and schools such as inHilton College (South Africa),Adamson University andSt. Paul's University in thePhilippines. The Lady Knights of theUniversity of Arkansas at Monticello have also adopted the fleur de lis as one of the symbols associated with their coat of arms. Theflag of Lincolnshire, adopted in 2005, has afleur-de-lis for the city of Lincoln. It is one of the symbols of the AmericansororitiesKappa Kappa Gamma andTheta Phi Alpha, the AmericanfraternitiesAlpha Epsilon Pi,Sigma Alpha Epsilon andSigma Alpha Mu, as well as the international co-ed service fraternityAlpha Phi Omega. It is also used by the high school and college fraternity Scouts Royale Brotherhood of the Philippines.
Thefleur-de-lis is the main element in the logo of mostScouting organizations. The symbol was first used bySir Robert Baden-Powell as an arm-badge for soldiers who qualified asscouts (reconnaissance specialists) in the5th Dragoon Guards, which he commanded at the end of the 19th century; it was later used incavalry regiments throughout theBritish Army until 1921. In 1907, Baden-Powell made brassfleur-de-lis badges for the boys attending his first experimental "Boy Scout" camp atBrownsea Island.[76] In his seminal bookScouting 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 theScout Promise",[77] being duty to God and country, helping others, and keeping theScout Law. TheWorld Scout Emblem of theWorld 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 itsreef knot or square knot, service.[78]
Thefleur-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) andCF Montréal (MLS)), the teams ofNew Orleans,Louisiana(Saints (NFL),Pelicans (NBA), andZephyrs (PCL)), theLouisiana Ragin' Cajuns (NCAA Division I), theSerie A teamFiorentina, theBundesliga sideSV Darmstadt 98 (also known asDie Lilien – The Lilies), theLigue 1 teamParis Saint-Germain, therugby league teamWakefield Trinity Wildcats, theNPSL teamDetroit City FC.[citation needed]
Marc-André Fleury, a Canadianice hockeygoaltender, has afleur-de-lis logo on his mask. TheUFC Welterweight Champion from 2006 to 2013,Georges St-Pierre, has a tattoo of thefleur-de-lis on his right calf. The IT University of Copenhagen'ssoccer team ITU F.C. has it in its logo.[79] The official emblem for the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, which was hosted by France, included the symbol.[80]
Architects and designers use it alone and as a repeatedmotif in a wide range of contexts, fromironwork to bookbinding.
In building and architecture, thefleur-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, onfinials, the arms of a cross, or the point of agable. Thefleur-de-lis can be incorporated in friezes or cornices, although the distinctions betweenfleur-de-lis, fleuron, and other stylized flowers are not always clear,[7][81] 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 thecrenellations on the 14th-century MuslimMosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan.It can also be seen on the doors of the 16th-century HinduPadmanabhaswamy Temple.
During the reign ofElizabeth I of England, known as theElizabethan era, it was a standard name for an iris, a usage which lasted for centuries,[82] but occasionally refers to lilies or other flowers.
The lilly, Ladie of the flowring field,
The Flowre-deluce, her louely Paramoure
— Edmund Spenser,The Faerie Queene, 1590[83]
A heavily stylizedfleur de lis symbol can be recognized as the symbol of the ICA in theHitman series of video games.[84]
In theSaints Row franchise, thefleur de lis is the Logo (called "Fleur De Saints") for the Third Street Saints.
In theWarhammer 40,000 franchise, theFleur De Lis is the faction icon for the Adepta Sororitas.
The Pokémon villainLysandre, whose debut game wasPokémon X and Y, is known in Japan as フラダリFuradari meaningfleur-de-lis.Pokémon X and Y are inspired by France.[85][86]Many locations and landmarks across Kalos have real-world inspirations, including Prism Tower (Eiffel Tower), the Lumiose Art Museum (theLouvre) and the stones outside Geosenge Town (Carnac stones).[85][87]
The second form ofWuthering Waves character Cartethyia is named "Fleurdelys".[88]
New Orleans Louisiana sludge metal bands like Crowbar and Eyehategod have used Fleur De Lis as a logo for their bands and also as a logo mostly for the whole NOLA metal scene.
In theFrench colonial empire, theCode Noir, aslave code drafted byJean-Baptiste Colbert, stipulated thatenslaved people should bebranded with thefleur-de-lis as punishment for a variety of crimes, including attempting to escape enslavement or theft. French officials in the colony ofIsle de France (modern-dayMauritius), which adopted theCode Noir in 1685, punished slaves who attempted to escape or stole property by branding them with thefleur-de-lis.[89] In the French colony ofLouisiana, which adopted theCode Noir in 1724,slaves who attempted to escape and were recaptured would be branded on one shoulder with thefleur-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 thefleur-de-lis again and have theirhamstrings cut.Capital punishment was used for those who attempted to escape a third time.[90][91]
Louisiana's version of theCode Noir stated:
XXXII. The runaway slave, who shall continue to be so for one month from the day of his being denounced to the officers of justice, shall have his ears cut off, and shall be branded with the fleur-de-lis on the shoulder: and on a second offence of the same nature, persisted in during one month from the day of his being denounced, he shall be hamstrung, and be marked with the fleur-de-lis on the other shoulder. On the third offence, he shall suffer death.[92]
Branding slaves with thefleur-de-lis was also a punishment used in the French colony ofSaint-Domingue.[93]
Being branded with thefleur-de-lis was also a punishment used inMetropolitan France. In his 1577 biography of FrenchProtestant reformerJohn Calvin,Jérôme-Hermès Bolsec claimed that Calvin had committedsodomy in his hometown ofNoyon in 1527, and he only at the last minute escaped the standard punishment ofdeath by burning, instead being branded with afleur-de-lis on his shoulder.[94] Bolsec's claims are today viewed as libellous slander,[94] but they offer a window into what seemed a plausible punishment in his time.Alexandre Dumas used the motive of branding thieves with thefleur-de-lis when he created the character ofMilady de Winter in his 1844 novelThe Three Musketeers. He set the branding episode in 1619 France.
It is most probable that the Bourbon Flag was used during the greater part of the occupancy of the French in the region extending southwest from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi, known as New France ... The French flag was probably blue at that time with three golden fleur - de - lis
During the French régime in Canada, there does not appear to have been any French national flag in the modern sense of the term. The "Banner of France", which was composed of fleur-de-lys on a blue field, came nearest to being a national flag, since it was carried before the king when he marched to battle, and thus in some sense symbolized the kingdom of France. During the later period of French rule, it would seem that the emblem ... was a flag showing the fleur-de-lys on a white ground. ... as seen in Florida. There were, however, 68 flags authorized for various services by Louis XIV in 1661; and a number of these were doubtless used in New France
At the time of New France (1534 to the 1760s), two flags could be viewed as having national status. The first was the banner of France — a blue square flag bearing three gold fleurs-de-lys. It was flown above fortifications in the early years of the colony. For instance, it was flown above the lodgings of Pierre Du Gua de Monts at Île Sainte-Croix in 1604. There is some evidence that the banner also flew above Samuel de Champlain's habitation in 1608. ... the completely white flag of the French Royal Navy was flown from ships, forts and sometimes at land-claiming ceremonies.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)When Canada was settled as part of France and dubbed 'New France,' two flags gained national status. One was the Royal Banner of France. This featured a blue background with three goldfleurs-de-lis. A white flag of the French Royal Navy was also flown from ships and forts and sometimes flown at land-claiming ceremonies.
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