Fleur-de-Lis: The Story Behind a Timeless Symbol

The first time I noticed the Fleur-de-Lis, I was a kid standing in front of our family's booth at the Renaissance Faire in Agoura Hills. A merry band of soldiers marched by, singing and laughing, their banners high in the air. I remember how those banners shimmered in the sun — deep blues, rich reds,…
Kristin Shaw
June 9, 2025

The first time I noticed the Fleur-de-Lis, I was a kid standing in front of our family’s booth at the Renaissance Faire in Agoura Hills. A merry band of soldiers marched by, singing and laughing, their banners high in the air. I remember how those banners shimmered in the sun — deep blues, rich reds, and a bold golden shape I didn’t have a name for yet. It looked like a flower but sharper, like a badge or a mark of belonging. Even then, it felt important.

Years later, while traveling through Europe, I started seeing it again. Carved into old stone walls, woven into stained glass windows, and resting at the top of ancient crowns in dusty museum cases. It was the same shape those soldiers carried, and it wasn’t just a Faire memory anymore — it was a piece of history with roots far deeper than I’d imagined.

The Fleur de Lis, which translates to “flower of the lily,” is a stylized three-petaled bloom, likely drawn from the iris or lily. In religious symbolism, it has long represented purity and virtue, often connected to the Virgin Mary in medieval art. The shape carries layered meaning — the three petals represent the Holy Trinity, making it a favored emblem for kings and rulers seeking to bind their authority to divine right.

In France, the Fleur de Lis became inseparable from royalty. It appeared on crowns, scepters, seals, and coats of arms, a mark of nobility and lineage. Beyond royal courts, it found its way onto military banners, family crests, and religious orders. It marked identity, loyalty, and purpose — a simple but powerful shape that signaled this is who we are, and this is where we stand.

What I’ve always loved about it is how it carries that sense of belonging. Whether on a medieval battlefield or stitched onto a banner at the Faire, it has long marked groups with a shared purpose. That hasn’t changed. Today, you’ll see the Fleur de Lis in everything from jewelry to tattoos to sports logos, connecting people to their history, their values, or simply to a symbol that speaks to them.

The Fleur-de-Lis is one of my favorite designs on our website. We mint it in your choice of metal — whether silver, bronze, or pewter — so you can carry its meaning in a way that feels right. More than a decoration, it’s a quiet emblem of loyalty, nobility of purpose, and connection to those who came before us—a piece with history in its shape and story in its shine.