Cock - Courage, always ready for battle, ready to fight to the death.
The Cock is a republican symbol. It has no Royal connections in France.
The Cock is Norman in origin. It is displayed on all fully paid for
churches in Normandie.
The arms of France, since the late 12th century, have been Azure, a semis of
fleurs-de-lis or, changed in 1376 to Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or. The
medieval crown was open with fleurs-de-lys. The supporters, since about 1423
were two angels (prior to that royal seals show the arms of France
surrounded by the emblems of the Evangelists). In the 16th c. the angels are
shown each wearing a tabard and holding a banner with the arms of France
The Seal of the French Republic is not armorial. In its present form, it
dates from 1848. Liberty is seated, crowned with laurel and rays of light
around her head, holding a fasces with her right hand and a helm with the
left hand. On the rudder, the rooster holds a globe. In front of her an urn
with the letters SU recalls universal suffrage (introduced permanently in
1848 for men, in 1944 for women). Behind her, various objects symbolizing
the resources and strengths of the Republic: an oak branch, a wheat garb, a
plough, a lamp, a capital, a blueprint, an artist's palette.
Several kings used badges or devises (combination of a badge and a motto):
* Jean II (1350-64): a stag
* Charles V (1364-80): a winged stag
* Charles VI (1380-1422): a sun; a gorged genêtte with motto: Jamais.
* Charles VII (1422-61): winged stag, sun; as well as a rose bush. His
personal banner was Gules on a semy of suns in their splendor or Saint
Michael slaying the dragon proper.
* Louis XII (1498-1515): porcupine. Motto: Cominus et eminus (from near and
afar, allusion to the myth of porcupines throwing their spines).
* François I (1515-47): salaman>er in its flames. He adopted this badge
early in life before coming to the throne, and it seems to have been the
family badge of the Orléans-Angoulême. Motto: nutrisco et extingo (I eat it
and I put it out), referring to the medieval legend of salamanders living in
fire.
* Henri II (1547-59): crescent. Allusion to his mistress Diane de Poitiers.
* François II (1559-60): sun.
* Henri III (1574-89): three crowns, two or and the third of palms. Motto:
manet ultima coelo donec totum compleat orbem (the third remains in heaven
before it fills up the world). Henri III was king of Poland as well as
France.
* Henri IV (1589-1610): two scepters and a sword. Motto: duo praetendit unus
(the one protects the two). He was king of France and Navarre.
* Louis XIII (1610-43): a scale. Allusion to his astrological sign and his
name Louis le Juste.
* Louis XIV (1643-1715): a sun in its splendor. Motto: nec pluribus impar.
In February 1790 the title of Louis XVI was changed from Roi de France et de
Navarre to Roi des Français. The arms became simply the fleurs-de-lis or on
a field azure, and remained in use until 1792 (in spite of the abolition of
coats of arms and heraldry in 1790).
Sinclair
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lena A Löfström" <lal@algonet.se>
To: <sinclair@quarterman.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: New Topic Crest
> Well, I'm Scandinavian..... and I must say there are a lot of things
> believed to bring good luck or fortune to us but I have never ever heard
> of a cock bringing anything but trouble..... ;-)
>
> Lena
[ Excess quotations omitted. ]
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