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The coat of arms of France depicts a lictor's fasces upon branches of laurel and oak, as well as a ribbon bearing
the national motto of Liberté, égalité, fraternité. The arms were created in 1905 by heraldic painter-
engraver Maurice de Meyère, and adopted by the French government.
The two versions of the achievement include the following external devices:

 The lesser version: the star and grand collar of the Legion of Honour.

 The greater version: the star and grand collar of the Legion of Honour, angelic supporters holding the national
flag while standing upon a compartment, within a mantle crowned with a laurel wreath.

Contents

 1Devices
o 1.1Coat of arms: charges

 1.1.1Motto
 1.1.2Fasces
 1.1.3Branches
o 1.2External devices

 2History
o 2.1Background

 2.1.113th century–1870: Arms of dominion/French revolution

 2.1.21870–1905: Period without any national coat of arms
o 2.21905–present: Adoption and modifications in external devices

 3Usage

 4See also

 5References

 6External links

Devices[edit]
The blazoning is: [5]

Azure, a lictor's fasces palewise upon two branches, of oak and of laurel, crossed in saltire, all or, surmounted by
a ribbon of the same charged with the motto in letters sable: "LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ". The shield is
surrounded by the Grand Collar of the Order of the Legion of Honor proper, the cross suspended from it in base.
Coat of arms: charges[edit]
Motto[edit]

Further information: Liberté, égalité, fraternité

Liberté, égalité, fraternité (French pronunciation: [libɛʁte eɡalite fʁatɛʁnite]; "liberty, equality, fraternity",  is the national

[6]

motto of France, and is an example of a tripartite motto. Although it finds its origins in the French Revolution, it
was then only one motto among others and was not institutionalized until the Third Republic at the end of the
19th century. [7]

Fasces[edit]

Further information: Fasces § France, and Symbolism in the French Revolution § Fasces

Fasces are a bundle of birch rods containing a sacrificial axe. In Roman times, the fasces symbolized the power of
magistrates, representing union and accord with the Roman Republic. French architects began to use the Roman
fasces (faisceaux romains) as a decorative device during the reign of Louis XIII (1610–1643),  and the imagery[8][9]

of the French Revolution used references to the ancient Roman Republic to an even greater extent. During
the First Republic, topped by the Phrygian cap, the fasces is a tribute to the Roman Republic and means that
power belongs to the people. It also symbolizes the "unity and indivisibility of the Republic",  as stated in
[10]

the French Constitution.
Branches[edit]

Further information: Oak § National symbol, and Laurel wreath § As used in heraldry

 The oak is France's national tree, and a common symbol of strength and endurance. [11]

 A bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) branch, an aromatic broadleaf evergreen, or later from spineless butcher's broom (Ruscus
hypoglossum) or cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). It is a symbol of triumph, which traces back to Greek
mythology. Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head, and wreaths were awarded to victors in
athletic competitions, including the ancient Olympics — for which they were made of wild olive-tree known
as "kotinos" (κότινος),  (sc. at Olympia)—and in poetic meets. In Rome they were symbols of martial victory, crowning
[12]

a successful commander during his triumph.

External devices[edit]
External image

 Full achievement of the arms, painted

in 1925 and later reproduced in

encyclopedias

 Star and grand collar of the Legion of Honour, which is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits,
established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and retained by all later French governments and régimes.
The achievement includes the order's grand collar, which is worn only by the President, as Grand Master of the order.
In addition to the escutcheon and order, the greater version depicts other external devices, including:

 A compartment made of wheat, weapons, flowers and musical instruments

 Two angelic supporters
 All surrounded by wheat mantling, Cockade of France, Flag of France, flowers
 Laurel wreath crest

History[edit]
Background[edit]
13th century–1870: Arms of dominion/French revolution [edit]

Further information: French heraldry, Fleur-de-lis § France, Flag of France § History, and Symbolism in the French

Revolution

French kings and emperors had personal arms of dominion, which by extension also represented France.
The fleur-de-lis was used by French kings since the Middle Ages, which were followed by the Napoleonic eagle
designs after the French Revolution. The fleur-de-lis is still popular, and used by overseas people of French
heritage, like the Acadians, Québécois or Cajuns. The Napoleonic eagle is also used by Swedish royal house.

Period Dates used Coat of arms Achievement Banner of arms Description and blazon

The arms of France

Ancient: Azure semé-de-lis or 
The historical coat of arms of
France were the golden
fleurs-de-lys on a blue field,
used continuously for nearly
six centuries (1211–1792).
Although according to legend
Kingdom Before 1305 they originated at the
baptism of Clovis, who
supposedly replaced the
three toads that adorned his
shield with three lilies given
by an angel, they are first
documented only from the
early 13th century. They were
first shown as semé, that is to
say without any definite
 number and staggered
(known as France ancient),
but in 1376 they were
reduced to three, (known as
France modern). With this
decision, King Charles
V intended to place the
kingdom under the double
invocation of the Virgin (the
lily is a symbol of Mary), and
the Trinity, for the number.
The traditional supporters of
the French royal arms are
two angels, sometimes
wearing a heraldic dalmatic.

Arms of France
Ancient dimidiated with
the arms of Navarre, after
1305–1328
king Louis X inherited Navare
from his mother Joan I of
Navarre in 1305.

The arms of France

Ancient: Azure semé-de-lis or.
After the death of the last
direct Capetian in 1328, the
1328–1376 kingdom of France passed to
the house of Valois through
the Salic law, and Navarre
passed to the house of
Evreux through female line.

The arms of France

Modern: Azure, three fleurs-
1376–1469
de-lis or, a simplified version
of France Ancient
 The arms of France Modern.
After the creation of
1469–1515 the Order of Saint Michael in
1469, its collar was added to
the royal arms.

The arms of France Modern.

King Francis I changed the
1515–1578 open crown traditionally used
by his predecessors for a
closed one.

The arms of France Modern.

After the creation of
1578–1589 the Order of the Holy Spirit in
1578, its collar was added to
the royal arms.

The royal arms of

the Kingdom of France after
the conclusion of the French
Wars of Religion. Again the
arms of the Kingdom of
1589–1792
Navarre impaled with France
Moderne, indicating
the personal union of the two
realms as a result of Henry
IV becoming king.

Putative heraldic emblem of

First Republic 1791–1804
the First French Republic
 The arms of the First French
Empire of Napoleon I,
1804– featuring an eagle, the Crown
First Empire
1814/1815 of Napoleon and inset with
"golden bees" as in the tomb
of King Childeric I.

Kingdom (Bourbo 1814/1815–
n Restoration) 1830