Order of the Fleur de Lys

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The Order of the Fleur de Lys was formed in 1439 by Rene d'Anjou from a group of Scottish Knights and Men-at-Arms, who had come to France to fight the English during the Hundred Years War.

The Scots had fought throughout the conflict at a level suprising regarding the size of their nation. Victorious at the Battle of Baugé and defeated at the Verneuil, La Grande Armée Écossaise had formed a major part of the Franco-Scottish war machine during the early 15thc. Many of their senior leaders becoming Peers of France,and holding high offices of state, such as the Earl of Buchan and the Earl of Douglas, who were made High Constable of France and Duke of Touraine respectively.

The Scots wore the Fleur-de-Lys on their left breast to show their allegiance to France. They fought with Joan of Arc and Rene d'Anjou at Orleans. From this group there eventually emerged a number of companies of fighters both private and official, The Scots Guards ('Garde du Roi & Garde de Corps du Roi'), The Gendarmes Ecossais, the Compagnie des Gentilhommes Ecossais and also the 'Ordre du Lys'.

In 1439 Rene granted the order a badge of a cross fleury charged with a single Fleur de Lys. The Order remained a Mercenary Order and fighting force until approximately 1780 when the remaining troops were absorbed into the British or Swedish Armies, the order becoming a charitable organization looking after the Widows and Orphans of members. In about 1840 the Earl of Eglington, then Sovereign Grand Commander, rewrote the statutes transorming the order into a private Order of Chivalry which it remains.

[edit] References

Montgomery, H (2001). The Montgomery Millennium. Belgrade & London: Megatrend, p. 7.
Forbes-Leith. The Scots Men-at-Arms & Life Guards of France, vol. (i), pp. 35–47.
Daniel. Histoire de la Milice Francoise, vol. (ii), p. 170.
Ferguson, J. (1899). The Scots Brigade 1572-1782. Edinburgh: T&A Constable.