Fleur-de-lis is a heraldic device which has been adopted as a general decorative motif by several cultures. A yellow iris which grew abundantly by the river Lis in the region of the Netherlands where the Franks originated. These Franks went on to settle Gaul, and their emblem was inherited by their noble French descendants.

It continues to be a symbol of France. One historian  claims the three petals represent the three medieval social estates: nobility, commoners, and the clergy.