Fleur de lis Jewelry

Traditionally, it has been associated with royalty, specifically French royalty, and in that sense it is said to acknowledge perfection, light, and life. However, France isn't the only place the Fleur-de-lis has appeared. The popular symbol has graced itself in countless European coats of arms and flags over the centuries.

The French monarch King Louis VI was the first to use the fleur-de-lis on his shield. This apparently caused English kings to later use the symbol on their coats of arms to legitimize their right to the throne of France.

In the 14th century, the symbol was often integrated into the family emblem that was stitched on the knight's surcoat, which was worn over their coat of mail, thus the term, "coat of arms."
Still today, the Fleur-de-lis is an enduring image throughout France.

The symbol appears on French postage stamps, though not ever been adopted officially by the French. In North America, you will commonly see the Fleur-de-lis in places that were settled by the French, such as Quebec, Canada and Louisiana, United States.

The Fleur-de-lis appears on the military emblems and the logos of numerous organizations, as well as scouting organizations which utilize the symbol for their badges. Architects and artists are forever using this beloved symbol in drawings and paintings.

As a religious symbol it has been used to represent the Holy Trinity due to its three "petals". In addition, the Roman Catholic Church assigned the Fleur-de-lis as the emblem of the Virgin Mary.

Militarily, it has been used in a variety of ways. Joan of Arc carried a white banner that indicated God blessing the Fleur-de-lis (then thought of as the French Royal Emblem) when she led the French troops to victory over the English. The United States army has used the symbols of the powerful Fleur-de-lis to identify martial power and strength.

Fleur de lis jewelry is available as sterling silver charms, earrings and pendants.

As you can see, the Fleur-de-lis is truly seen all over the world and in a myriad of locations. It obviously means different things to different people. Whatever the reason, people the world over simply enjoy the Fleur-de-lis and love to display it in a variety of ways.