that should be 'couldn't' grumble

Well, the fleur-de-lis is specifically royal French (the flower of Louis). It gets into the coats of arms of other countries through marriage. Heraldry was important in the periods when armor was worn because you couldn't see the faces when the helmets were closed in battle, and you wouldn't want to accidentally kill your own people in the confusion of battle. If you know that your target is the Duc d'Orleans' bastard younger brother by a cousin twice removed, he is fair game... if he is merely the large idiot on the ugly horse, he isn't. After people stopped wearing armor, all these insignia became merely decorative. Because they've been polished through a few centuries of use on various materials, they are quite attractive... and we commoners get to use them on our tablecloths and desk accessories and purse-snaps. If the armor looks French, then fleur-de-lis are appropriate. If it is designed to be Flemish, German, or Emglish, then it is not. Carolly