Fleur de Lis History
A Historical Timeline of the Fleur de Lis
Apr
A brief history of the Fleur de Lis
Hello and welcome to Fleur de Lis Strong. We are a small business located near New Orleans, Louisiana. As a Louisiana native we have grown up with the fleur de lis as part of our heritage. The French influence in Louisiana is deep and rich. My grandfather spoke French and English and would translate for his teacher in his grammar school, who only spoke English.
However, the fleur de lis is much older than French influence in Louisiana, in fact no one really knows where the fleur de lis originated, however it is believed to have originated in ancient Egypt, or possibly Mesopotamia.
Ancient Egypt you say? Yes. Over 5000 years ago, the fleur de lis, or three-petal flower, are found as decorative symbols on Egyptian sarcophagi and artifacts. As a matter of fact, throughout almost all of recorded history, the fleur de lis has been used as a symbol of power, authority, and heritage.
During Greek times, the fleur de lis was associated with the goddess Hera. In Greek mythology, Hera was the queen of the gods, wife of Zeus, and goddess of marriage, fertility and childbirth. Used as a symbol of the lotus flower, which ancient Greece associated as a sign of purity, perfection and divine creation. Fleurs de lis are seen on Greek vases, art and coins.
Then during Roman time, the fleur de lis was associated with the goddess Juno, who was the queen of the gods in Roman mythology, and who was also associated with marriage and childbirth. Seen as a symbol of perfection, the fleur de lis is used by the Romans in art and on coinage.
During the 12th century, in medieval Europe, the French royalty began to use the fleur de lis, and under Louis VI, whom placed the symbol on his coat of arms, began a long tradition of French kings using the fleur de lis as a symbol of power, prestige and status. Today the fleur de lis is widely associated with French history, culture, and identity, and is an enduring symbol for the French, as its use expanded from coat of arms onto flags, coins, art, and into architecture. French explorers and settlers also used the fleur de lis extensively as they expanded into the New World.
Also, during the Middle Ages, in medieval Europe, the fleur de lis became associated with Christianity, and was often used as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, with the three petals representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Early Christians also used the fleur de lis as a symbol of the Virgin Mary, with the three petals representing her purity, chastity, and motherhood.
Today the fleur de lis is closely associated with the State of Louisiana, which is how we have become to know and love it so well. Louisiana was a French colony from 1699 until 1763, and was heavily influenced by French explorers and settlers, with this heritage being alive and well in Louisiana today. French culture, language and history are all celebrated today with deep roots in Louisiana Cajun Country. Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!
The fleur de lis is a popular symbol used by sports teams, organizations, and companies throughout the state. Not to mention being widely used in architecture, design and Mardi Gras parades. In addition to the French heritage, the fleur de lis took on a new meaning after hurricane Katrina in 2005 and became a symbol of resilience and rebirth representing Louisiana’s rich culture and history. We love our fleurs de lis and display them with pride.
We hope you enjoyed our little history of the fleur de lis, please contact us with any questions. We are happy to help with a custom fleur de lis design. We would like fleur de lis strong to be a hub for unique fleur de lis art. It does not matter if it is t-shirts, wall art, jewelry, sculptures, or fleur de lis shaped pasta, we would like to see or hear about your unique design. We hope to list many more fleur de lis items for your enjoyment in the future. Our plan is to place fleur de lis Artists and fleur de lis Buyers together and hopefully do a little business. We like to think, we are all fleur de lis strong.
Thank you, Rachel and Marc
The Fleur de Lis Strong Team.
