FLEURDELYS

Fleur-de-lys: translation

The heraldic lily. When adopted as the French king's device gold lilies were placed on a blue field. By the 13c, the number of lilies was set at three. Other senses: the royal arms of France until 1789; the French royal *standard; later the pattern of a brand applied to criminals in France; a mark of *cadency on the arms of a sixth son. It was adopted on the English king's coat of *arms by Edward III, as a sign of his claim on the French throne, which was abandoned finally by George VI. -

Cf. Fleury