The fleur-de-lis — literally 'flower of the lily' in French — is one of the most recognizable symbols in Western heraldry and decorative art. The term entered English in the fourteenth century from Old French flor de lis, composed of Latin flos (flower) and lilium (lily). Yet despite its name, the design almost certainly represents not a lily but an iris, specifically the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) that grows abundantly along French waterways.
The confusion between lily and iris has deep roots. In medieval French, the word lis could refer to either flower, and the stylized three-petaled design used in heraldry bears a closer resemblance to the iris than to any true lily species. The naturalist observation was eventually recorded, but by then the name was fixed. The fleur-de-lis remains a flower-of-the-lily that is not
The symbol's association with French royalty is traditionally traced to the Frankish king Clovis I, who converted to Christianity around 496 CE. According to legend, Clovis received the fleur-de-lis as a divine gift at his baptism, replacing the three toads on his earlier standard. However, this legend appears in no source earlier than the fourteenth century, and the historical Clovis almost certainly used no such symbol. The fleur-de-lis became firmly associated with the French
Beyond France, the fleur-de-lis appears in an astonishing range of contexts. It adorns the flag of Quebec, the city seal of Florence, the emblem of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides worldwide, and the logo of the New Orleans Saints football team. In compass design, a fleur-de-lis traditionally marks north. In architecture, it crowns iron fences
The fleur-de-lis also carries darker associations. In the French slave code (Code Noir), enslaved people who attempted to escape were branded with a fleur-de-lis as punishment. This use of a symbol of royal authority as an instrument of oppression adds a painful dimension to its history. In New Orleans, where the fleur-de-lis is ubiquitous, this history has prompted reflection on the complex