Fleur de lis

Fleur de Lis Charms, Fleur de Lis Pendants and Fleur de Lis Jewelry - The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys (plural: fleurs-de-lis) is a stylized lily (in French, fleur means flower, and lis means lily) or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. While the fleur-de-lis has appeared on countless European coats of arms and flags over the centuries, it is particularly associated with the French monarchy. According to French historian Georges Duby, the three leaves represent the medieval social classes: those who worked, those who fought and those who prayed. The three petals of the heraldic design reflect a widespread association with the Holy Trinity, with the band on the bottom symbolizing Mary. Fleurs-de-lis usage crossed the Atlantic along with Europeans going to the New World, especially with French settlers. Their presence on North American flags and coats of arms usually recalls the involvement of French settlers in the history of the town or region concerned, and in some cases the persisting presence there of a population descended from such settlers (New Orleans, for example).