Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Fleur de Lys symbol in England

From: The Handbook to English Heraldry by Charles Boutell, 1914, 

The fleur de lys entered France by LOUIS VII. (A.D. 1137-1180) as his royal emblem …his lily shapes were scattered and his emblem is named as “France Ancient”: 

France Ancient



About A.D. 1365, CHARLES V. of France changed the number of the lily shapes  to three; and this emblem is named as “France Modern”: 
                   
France Modern

Angel of France Modern
CC picture by Lawrence OP/Flickr



In 1299 EDWARD I married Margaret of France, and she introduced the Fleur to two of her seals  

 Margaret, Queen of Edward I 


Margaret, Queen of Edward I -  Royal Tudor arms
Cambridge Chapel, England
CC picture by Lawrence OP/Flickr

             Margaret, Queen of Edward I


In 1340, EDWARD III. claimed the crown of france, and added the France Ancient to his lions of england.

Perhaps in 1405, HENRY IV added the France Modern to his shield.


The position of the three fleurs de lys was more than once changed in the Royal Shield of England, and they were finally removed in 1801 because after the French Revolution, the Kingdom of France had ceased to exist.

More about the Fleur de Lys and its connection to the Star of David on

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