Most people agree that it was King Clovis (King of the Franks in the 5th century) who first used the fleur de lys as an emblem. There are two stories to explain Clovis' choice of symbol - so choose the one that you like the most!

One legend says that when Clovis became a Christian, an angel presented him with a golden lily which he adopted as his emblem. The other story relates that water lilies on a river showed him where to cross safely with his armies in order to win a battle. Clovis then ensured the lilies were on his flags.

Whatever the reason, it became widely used and by the Middle Ages and the Renaissance it was used on buildings and royal drapes as well as flags. Below are some examples.

This is a section of a mural which depicts St Joan of Arc. Joan was a shepherd girl whose visions and leadership helped France to victory against England during the 100 years war. Joan adopted a banner picturing God blessing the King's symbol of the fleur de lys.

This example comes from the château of Chenonceau and is a panel in one of the rooms. The initials of the King and Queen (Henry and Catherine) are surmounted with the fleur de lys. The symbol was, and is still, used widely in buildings.

On the right is a picture painted of Emperor Napoleon at his coronation. His rich red velvet robe is covered in fleur de lys.

In modern times, the symbol is still used to represent France. From time to time, it has appeared on stamps. The fleur de lys can be found in many different places - look when you visit France to see how many different examples you can find.