France - Fleur de Lis; and Its Migrations Elsewhere

Big-hat hatpins

Fleur de lis

The "Fleur de Lis" or flowering lily, or flower of the lily, has been a symbol of France for centuries. It is usually seen in one dimension: on fabric or china or clothing as a decoration or in pattern, a familiar shape, stylized. This one, in the round, in several kinds of metal, looks human - arms akimbo. Look at me! It is little, with a rod 5 1/2", but it has attitude.

Howard Scharfe and Marjorie Scharfe Hatpins collection, Fleur de Lis hatpin

Its history: Either an angel presented medieval King Clovis with one on the occasion of his conversion to Christianity; or, later, in the 1100's, it was King Louis VI who first adopted it for his shield; or King Louis VII. See ://www.fleurdelis.com/fleur.htm

English kings used the fleur de lis on coats of arms to show a claim to the French throne. Other knights also began to use it, without the same bona fides, leading to heraldry controls.

Politics: Joan of Arc used it
Religion: The Roman Catholic Church attaches it to the Virgin Mary; or the Trinity (the three "arms")
War: Some US Army divisions incorporate it to show martial strength.

Other sites: this one associates power, and light with the symbol, see ://www.fleurdelisfashions.com/history-of-the-fleur-de-lis.html. It may also represent a lotus.

Lengths of rods: These do not necessarily match with older or newer. Pin styles and rod lengths matched the proportion /size of the hat, or bonnet, or veil, or cap, sought to be held on. In some cases, shorter pins are older because they were used in the era before the Big Hats, the later Victorian and Edwardian. Or they could be newer, for the era after - the 1920's on, where hair was shorter, less useful as an anchor, and hats smaller.

Migration. Ideas. People. The story of the world. Somebody sees a good thing and would like part of it - no wonder. No keeping it behind fences. Might as well just relax and enjoy. Who are we without our stuff? Who are we without our ethnicity? Maybe we are just fine. Shall we let it happen and see. Immigrant ideas. Immigrant people. Us. Share the feast.

British Military connection? The fleur de lys was used as the badge of the 7th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, see ://www.arcticmedals.com/catalog/item/3730512/3441001.htm#image_1

More history at France Road Ways, Fleur de Lis/ Overview site - see ://www.anthemflag.com/itemdetail71.htm/