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Another famous symbol of the French Republic is Marianne - an allegorical image of the Republic itself in the form of a young woman in a Phrygian cap. She is the world-famous national motto of France: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. The image of Marianne must be in all administrative and state institutions of the country, as well as on a large state and, before the introduction of the euro, on banknotes and coins of the French Republic. Marianne's logo against the background of the tricolor is used instead of the country's state emblem.
Another symbol of the country has always been the Cross of Lorraine. However, after the onset of the post-religious era, this ancient symbol is found less and less.
The well-known symbol of France is also the Order of the Legion of Honor, which is accepted only for special military or civilian before the Fatherland. The ceremony of admission to the Order of a new member is carried out personally by the President of the French Republic. The Order is the elite of France.
Other symbols of France
A peculiar symbol of the country is the so-called Gaal rooster. The Romans called the Gauls the Celtic tribes living on the territory of modern France, and the Latin word gallus means a rooster. The Gauls were mostly red-haired, and their hair was bristling like cockscombs. During the revolution, the rooster symbol was reinterpreted as a symbol of revolutionary vigilance, and the image of the bird began to adorn the reverses of twentypence coins. The French themselves like to be ironic on this subject, they say, who else, if not a Frenchman, will stand in the dung, but proudly ruffle their feathers, singing battle songs.Finally, the Eiffel Tower is an easily recognizable symbol of France.
In memory of the centenary of the French Revolution, the Parisian authorities asked their chief architect, Gustave Eiffel, to come up with something unusual and amazing. This is how the tower came about.Oddly enough, the structure was conceived as a temporary arch, and it was not demolished only because of the onset of the era of radio, when radio antennas were installed on top of the tower. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited and photographed architectural landmark in the world.
The flag and coat of arms of France, along with the national anthem, are considered the main national symbols of the state. These signs have deep historical roots and have undergone various transformations more than once. Let's consider them in more detail.
French flag
After the adoption of Christianity under Clovis the first flag of the country was the blue banner. It had a purely religious significance, and was established in 496.
The blue banner was the sacred sign of Saint Martin, the patron saint of France..
Charlemagne came to power in 800. He changed the color of the flag to red. Under the red sign, French troops managed to conquer many lands.
Louis VI in the 12th century again changed the shade of the flag to blue, and also added to it the emblem of golden lilies.
In 1789, Lafayette (an active figure in the revolution) came up with a tricolor banner for France. The colors denoted freedom, universal equality and fraternity. So the flag began to be painted in blue, white and red stripes vertically.
In addition, the Parisian fighters for the revolution had red and blue cockades in their costume. Officially, the tricolor canvas was approved as a national symbol in 1794. The maritime flag of France has the same shades as the state symbol.
History of the French coat of arms
Before the adoption of the final version, the coat of arms of France was changed almost eight times. The latest version was approved in 1953. The two letters on the modern coat of arms mean "Republic of France" (RF).
The branches of the olive tree on the main symbol of the state are interpreted as peace. The oak pattern can be described as longevity. The base of the coat of arms is decorated with a Roman fascia, meaning justice.
In the 5th century, three toads were depicted on the personal banner of King Clovis. Later, with the adoption of Christianity by the country, heraldic lilies served as the coat of arms. Lilies denoted the patronage of the Virgin Mary, and were also the emblem of the Capetian dynasty.
During the Hundred Years War, the French had a hard time. They often lost to the British until the famous Joan of Arc joined their ranks. Then the coat of arms of France changed again. Lilies, as before, remained on one side of it, and on the second side Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, God and two angels were depicted.
The French Revolution also contributed to the change of the symbols of the monarchy to other signs. Thus, an eagle and a blue disk appeared on the French coat of arms. The proud bird held bundles of lightning in its paws.
Also, bees were added to the coat of arms, which were reputed to be the personal emblem of Napoleon. In 1832, the country's emblem was changed to a drawing gallic rooster.
To date, France does not have a personal coat of arms of the country. Such a choice in favor of abandoning it was made because the French coat of arms consider the monarchy a relic of the past.
The emblem that was adopted in 1953 does not have legal effect or official status. Much more important than this sign, the French make another emblem.
Marianne is rightfully considered a national treasure and synonymous with France. This sign is a drawing of a young woman wearing a Phrygian headdress.
Such a symbol directly personifies equality and fraternity, as well as the freedom of the French people. The figurine of Marianne is a mandatory attribute of all courts, as well as public authorities.
The profile of this beautiful maiden is on state seal countries. The image of the symbol is minted on the coins of France. After all, Marianna is loved and significant for all citizens of the state.
The Phrygian cap on the woman's head dates back to Roman history. Then such a cap was worn by freed slaves. Therefore, the cap was chosen as a symbol of freedom.
In 1970, the image of Marianne ceased to be collective. Since that time, the following persons managed to visit the living prototypes of women:
- Bardo;
- Morgan;
- Mathieu;
- Deneuve;
- La Fressange;
- Caste;
- Tom;
- Marceau.
Actresses, singers and models were selected as prototypes for their beauty as well as for their contributions to cultural heritage France.
The French flag and coat of arms survived a lot before they received the approval of their contemporaries. It is difficult to imagine a country whose symbolism would change as often and rapidly as it happened in France. Today, the French have decided on the main signs of the state, and they hope that they will bring stability to their native territories.
Each country has its own symbols - these can be certain objects, images, dates ... Everyone knows them and, most importantly, in the minds of any civilized, educated person, not only a citizen of this country, they are immediately associated with it. This is a word or words that mean certain realities that immediately arise in the mind when a particular country is mentioned. There is a lot national symbols of France. Let's get acquainted with the main ones. These are the flag of France, Marianne, Fleur-de-lis, the Eiffel Tower, the Marseillaise, the Gallic rooster, "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity", Joan of Arc and the Cross of Lorraine. So, what do they mean and where, in fact, did they come from?
Flag of France.
It is the national emblem of France in accordance with the 2nd article of the French constitution of 1958. It consists of three vertical equal stripes: blue - at the pole edge, white - in the middle, and red - at the free edge of the cloth. Introduced May 20, 1794 What do these three colors mean?White is traditionally associated with the French monarchy. This association has been going on since the end of the 16th century. For the first time, the "royal" color is recorded by the adoption by King Henry IV of a white scarf as the emblem of the royal army. In fact, it was the color of the Huguenot party, to which the king belonged before his wedding to the queen. Henry ascended the throne in 1589 as a Huguenot and did not convert to Catholicism until 1593. So, the white color was introduced when he was not yet officially a Catholic. The Huguenots considered their faith pure, and therefore wore white clothes, white scarves, and had white banners. Thus, the appearance of this color as a royal symbol becomes natural.
In 1590, a white canvas without any drawings became flag of France. Later, gold lilies were embroidered on the royal standard. On clothes and flags, the white cross became the symbol of the French army and remained so until the Revolution.
The colors of the modern French flag were finally formed during the Revolution. It happened after the white sign royal family was added as a sign of reconciliation to blue and red, symbolizing not only heraldic colors, but also revolutionary cockades. The resulting tricolor flag has become a real visual embodiment of the slogan "Freedom! Equality! Fraternity!". Since that time, red represents the flame of the hearts of the French, white is associated with the national heroine, and blue with Saint Martin of Tours, who, according to legend, gave his blue cloak to a freezing beggar. Martinius is considered the patron saint of the French Republic.
Marianne.
Also is nickname of France since 1792. The symbol is depicted as a young woman wearing a Phrygian cap (a soft, rounded cap with the top hanging forward). This headdress has been known since Roman times and was worn by freed slaves. Since then, the Phrygian cap has become a symbol of freedom.Marianne is the personification of the French national motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity". Her sculptural images are an indispensable attribute of government institutions, courts, and municipalities. Her profile is featured on the French state seal; she is depicted on French definitive postage stamps.
Why this particular name? According to one version, Barras (the founder of the Directory) was looking for beautiful name for the female symbol of the Republic. One day he was having dinner with his friend Jean Rebel. It was a family dinner, which was attended by Madame Rebel, who has beauty and charm. Her name was Marie-Anne. Barras decided that better name for the symbol of the republic does not exist.
The history of the symbol itself is interesting - the National Assembly of France in September 1792 decided that the image should become the new seal of the state. standing woman with a spear, on whose head a Phrygian cap is put on. Many French artists and sculptors depicted her in their works. One of famous works is Delacroix's painting "Liberty at the Barricades", written under the influence of the 1830 revolution.
From about 1875, images of Marianne began to be widely distributed in official institutions: departments, municipalities, courts. At first, these were busts depicting a collective female image, but since 1970 a new tradition has been introduced. The Committee of Mayors of French Cities began to elect one of the well-known beautiful women countries:
- 1968 - - film actress
- 1978 - - singer
- 1985 - - film actress
- 1989 - Ines de la Fressange - fashion model
- 2000 - - top model
- 2003 - Evelyn Thomas - TV presenter
- 2012 - - film actress
Fleur-de-lys.
This is the so-called fleur-de-lis. Fleur de lys - "fleur de lys", literally translated as "lily flower". Lily - symbol of france, its coat of arms depicts three crossed lilies, which symbolize mercy, justice and compassion. The image of a stylized lily symbolizes perfection, light and life and traditionally represents the kings of France. According to French legend, Clovis I, King of the Franks, while still a pagan, saw that he was losing the battle, and offered up a prayer for victory to the Christian God. An angel appeared to him with a branch of lilies, saying that from now on he would make the lily his weapon and bequeath it to his descendants.Clovis won this battle, and he, with all his Franks, their wives and children, was baptized. In another version of the legend, it is stated that Clovis took the lily as his emblem after the water lilies in the Rhine told him a safe place to ford the river, thanks to which he won the battle. In the twelfth century, the heraldic symbol of the fleur-de-lis became the symbol of the French kings. Louis VII used it on his shield, and the French "lys" is also believed to be short for "Louis".
The lily is also found in the coat of arms of Saint Louis IX, but only together with the daisy, which he added in memory of his beloved wife Margaret. The shape of the lily was also given to the end of the scepter, and France itself was called the kingdom of lilies, and the French king - the king of lilies. The French expression "etre assis sur des lys", that is, "to sit on lilies", meant to have a high position, since not only all the walls of the rooms, but also all the seats of the chairs were decorated with lily flowers. The lily was generally considered a very honorary sign on the coats of arms and was even found on coins. Louis XIV put into circulation coins that even bore the names of gold and silver lilies. On one side of such a coin there was an image of a king or a cross decorated with lilies and crowned at both ends with crowns, and on the other - coat of arms of france supported by two angels.
Lily enjoyed great love in France. In aristocratic families, it was customary for the groom to send the bride every morning a bouquet of fresh flowers, where there must have been at least a few white lilies, until the wedding. In 1340-1801, the English kings used the fleur-de-lis on their coats of arms to indicate their claim to the French throne. Since the emblem consists of a triple lily, the fleur-de-lis can also represent the Trinity, the Virgin Mary, the trinity of God, creation, and royalty, and the trinity of the human body, mind, and soul. Also, the fleur-de-lis is a symbol of the Italian Florence, which is known as the "city of lilies."
The Eiffel Tower.
The world famous symbol of France. Named after its creator, the architect Gustav Eiffel. The French authorities decided to arrange a world exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution (1789). The Paris city administration asked the famous engineer Gustave Eiffel to make a proposal. At first, Eiffel was a little puzzled, but then, rummaging through his papers, he submitted for consideration the drawings of a 300-meter iron tower, to which he had paid almost no attention before. After the construction, it was for a long time the tallest building in the world (317 meters). In 1986, the exterior night lighting of the tower was replaced by a lighting system from within the tower itself, so that after dark it looked magical and mysterious. The tower has three floors. The first one is at the height of 57 meters, the second one is at the height of 115 meters and the third one is at the level of 276 meters.Now it is a television tower for everything and the area. On the third floor is showcase cabinet of Gustave Eiffel. At the time of its construction, the Eiffel Tower defied all traditional rules of architecture. 12,000 iron parts are held together with 2.5 million rivets to create a smooth curve. Everyone believed that it would not last long and would soon collapse, so it was tentatively planned to leave it only for 20 years, but this period was extended by 70 years by a government decision in 1910.
The height of the tower at the moment is 318.7 meters, weight - about 10 thousand tons. The wobble of the top of the Eiffel Tower at the very strong wind- no more than 12 centimeters. The number of steps of the stairs leading to the lower observation deck is 1652 pieces. The regularity of cosmetic repairs is every 7 years (workers have to use 60 tons of paint in three shades). At the same time, 10,400 people can be on the tower.
Marseillaise.
The Marseillaise became the national anthem of France on July 14, 1795. This revolutionary military song was written in 1792 after France declared war on Austria. While serving in Strasbourg, the French officer Rouger de Lisle composed the "War Song of the Army of the Rhine". The song instantly won love and respect. Quickly spreading in the Republican army, it penetrated Marseilles, receiving the name "March of the Marseilles" (or "Marseillaise"), then in. On November 24, 1793, the Convention chose the Marseillaise as the national anthem of France. The Marseillaise has gone through periods of disgrace and rule by different regimes. In Russia in the 80-90s of the XIX century, among the workers and the intelligentsia, a revolutionary song was sung to the tune of "La Marseillaise", and received the name "Working Marseillaise". The most famous singer performing the Marseillaise is.Gallic rooster.
The Gallic rooster became a symbol of Gaul and the Gauls, since in Latin "gallus" has two meanings - "rooster" and "gaul". The ancient Romans called the Celtic ancestors - today's French - Gauls. AT Ancient Rome the rooster was considered a symbol of arrogance, cockiness. Calling the barbarian tribes that lived on the territory of modern France, the word "Gallus", the Romans put both meanings into it, since they considered the Gauls to be bullies. \The image of the Gallic rooster appeared on ancient coins. During the Middle Ages, the rooster disappeared and appeared already in the 14th century in Germany to represent the national emblem of France, but then it was rejected by Napoleon Bonaparte.In the 15th century, King Charles VIII chose the image of a rooster as French emblems. During the period of the monarchy, the emblem with a rooster was white, and after the Revolution of 1789 it became, like the national flag, tricolor. Today, the image of the Gallic rooster can be seen on the state seal of France and in the residence of the French president on the fence of the park of the Elysee Palace. As the liveliest of birds (it is worth recalling the famous "cockfights"), the rooster serves as a symbol of struggle and combat. The Gauls wore the image of a rooster on their weapons and banners. In France, even today it is considered a symbol of independence and freedom, as well as cockiness and arrogance.
Joan of Arc.
The national heroine of France, one of the commanders-in-chief of the French troops in the Hundred Years' War. Having been captured by the Burgundians, she was handed over to the British and burned at the stake as a witch. Subsequently, she was rehabilitated and canonized - canonized by the Catholic Church as a saint. Jeanne symbolizes the national spirit of the French, striving for freedom. The traditional date of Jeanne's birth is 1412. Jeanne was born in the village of Domremy on the border of Champagne and Lorraine in a peasant family. At the age of 13, Jeanne first heard the voices of the Archangel Michael, St. Catherine of Alexandria and, it is believed, Margaret of Antioch, who revealed to Jeanne that it was she who was destined to lift the siege of Orleans, raise the Dauphin to the throne and expel the invaders from the country.When Jeanne was 17 years old, she went to the captain of the city of Vaucouleurs, Robert de Baudricourt, and announced her mission. But no one believed her, and Jeanne was forced to return to the village, but a year later she repeated her attempt. This time, the captain, amazed at her insistence, was more considerate and sent her to the Dauphin. On March 4, 1429, Jeanne arrived at the residence of the Dauphin Charles. The Dauphin gave her a test, putting another person on the throne and standing in the crowd of courtiers. However, Joan passed the test, recognizing the king, and announced her mission to him. The king gave her numerous tests, which she successfully overcame. Then a large detachment of soldiers was handed over to her and armor was issued. Until the end of her life, Jeanne preferred to wear men's armor and a men's suit, so as not to be recognized by the enemy and protect herself from the claims of the soldiers. Jeanne with a small detachment entered the city of Orleans, the first city on her way to the liberation of France. On May 4, her army won its first victory, taking the bastion of Saint-Loup.
Victories followed one after another, and already on the night of May 7-8, the British were forced to lift the siege from the city. Thus, a task that other French military leaders considered impossible, Joan of Arc solved in four days. After that, hostilities proceeded sluggishly. Jeanne was constantly interfered with by the royal courtiers. An important event of those days was the coronation of Dauphin Charles in the cathedral of the city of Reims, liberated by Jeanne. In May, Jeanne comes to the aid of the city of Compiegne, besieged by the Burgundians. On May 23, as a result of a betrayal (a bridge was raised to the city, which cut off Jeanne's escape route), Jeanne was taken prisoner by the Burgundians. King Charles, who owed her so much, did nothing to save Jeanne. Soon the Burgundians sold it to the British for 10,000 gold livres. In December 1430, Joan was transferred to Rouen, then under the control of the British. The trial began on February 21, 1431.
Despite the fact that Jeanne was formally tried on charges of heresy, she was kept in prison under the protection of the British as a prisoner of war. The process was led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, an ardent supporter of the British. Hoping to break the will of the prisoner, she was kept in terrible conditions, the English guards insulted her in every possible way, the tribunal threatened her with torture, but it was all in vain - Jeanne refused to submit and plead guilty. Cauchon understood that if he condemned Jeanne to death without obtaining a confession of guilt from her, he would only contribute to the emergence of an aura of a martyr around her. On May 24, he resorted to outright meanness - he presented the prisoner with a ready fire for her execution by burning, and already near the fire he promised to transfer her from an English prison to a church prison, where she would be provided with good care if she signed a paper on renunciation of heresies and obedience to the church. At the same time, the paper with the text read to the illiterate girl was replaced by another, on which there was a text about the complete renunciation of all her "delusions", on which Zhanna put an end to it.
Naturally, Cauchon did not even think of fulfilling his promise and again sent her to her former prison. A few days later, under the pretense that Jeanne had again put on men's clothing(the female was taken from her by force) and, thus, "fell into the same errors" - the tribunal sentenced her to death. On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned to death in the Old Market Square in Rouen. Now at this place there is a monument to Jeanne. Only in 1920, all charges were officially dropped from Jeanne by the Catholic Church, and she was canonized.
Jeanne has been immortalized in art. Works of art dedicated to Joan of Arc were created by Friedrich Schiller, Mark Twain, Bernard Shaw, P. Claudel, J. Anouille and others. In music, the image of Jeanne was recreated by Giuseppe Verdi (opera "Joan of Arc"), Zinaida Volkonskaya, Pyotr Tchaikovsky (opera "The Maid of Orleans"), Arthur Honegger (oratorio "On the Fire"), Charles Gounod (music for Jules Barbier's play "Jeanne d'Arc"), Henri Tomasi (opera-oratorio "The Triumph of Joan"). Artists who dedicated canvases to Joan of Arc: Rubens, Ingres, Gauguin, Nicholas Roerich and others. late XIX century, a large number of monuments to Joan of Arc appeared. Every city in France wanted to have a monument to Jeanne: in 1875, a statue by the sculptor Fremier was installed on the Pyramid Square; in 1882 a monument was erected in Compiègne, in 1891 in Domremy. Jeanne's house in Domremy is today a museum.
Lorraine Cross.
This is a heraldic figure, which is a cross with two crossbars. The name comes from Lorraine - an area on the border of France and Germany. The Lorraine Cross, also sometimes called the Angevin Cross. It began to appear in the symbols of the Dukes of Anjou from the 1430s. The first duke to use the Cross of Lorraine as his official heraldic badge was King René, nicknamed the Good. unusual shape The cross is explained by a biblical parable, according to which Pontius Pilate commanded to nail over the crucified Christ the sign "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." It is this inscription that symbolizes the upper crossbar, somewhat smaller in size than the one located below.The Dukes of Anjou were not the first and not the only secular rulers in whose symbolism appeared Lorraine cross. Initially, it served as an emblem for the kings of Hungary and featured on Hungarian coins and the coat of arms. During the Second World War, the Cross of Lorraine became the symbol of the "Free France" and the antipode of the fascist cross. The proposal to use the Cross of Lorraine as one of the main symbols of the French fighting the German occupation came from Vice Admiral Émile Muselier and was approved by General Charles de Gaulle. Muselier developed a standard with the image of the Cross of Lorraine for ships, and for aviation - a special cockade, on which one could also see a cross with two crossbars.
In particular, the image of the Cross of Lorraine can be found on the Order of the Liberation, established in November 1940, and on the medal of the Resistance. The Resistance movement operating in occupied France also actively used the Cross of Lorraine as an emblem. Ultimately, the cross became a symbol of French national unification in the face of the invaders under the auspices of Charles de Gaulle. After the end of the war and the election of Charles de Gaulle as president (1959), on the flag that adorned the general's official car, an image of the Lorraine cross was placed against the background of the French tricolor flag. The Lorraine cross often appeared on stamps issued during the reign of de Gaulle, as well as on various monuments and memorials. Today, the Lorraine Cross still adorns the coat of arms of Hungary. In addition, it can be found on the coat of arms and the flag of Slovakia. In France, the cross with two bars serves as a symbol of French resistance and an unofficial symbol of the French Republic.
Every self-respecting state has an officially approved national anthem of the country. France is no exception to this proud list. But few people know that the current emblem of the country still does not have an official status. That is, there are different options, but at the same time, you will often not see the coat of arms on the gates of embassies. After all, the final layout has not yet been approved by the Parliament of the state. But the flag and anthem have the official status of national symbols. Why did it happen so? Probably because the anthem, coat of arms and flag of France have their own long and complicated history.
Coat of arms metamorphoses
The first coat of arms of the French king Clovis was a blue field dotted with heraldic gold lilies. This flower was traditionally a symbol of the Virgin Mary, who, as the French monarchs believed, patronized the Merovingian dynasty. Subsequent rulers from the Capetian and Valois families modified the coat of arms in every possible way, adding to it their heraldic colors, symbols, lilies. In the middle of the fourteenth century, the Roman Catholic Church imposed on the lands of the kingdom the belief in the trinity of God. Therefore, only three "fleur de lis" (fleur de lis) - lily flowers - remained on the blue field. With the ascension to the throne of Henry the Fourth, the coat of arms changed again. Now it has been supplemented by two angels. One of them held the old emblem of France, and the other - the coat of arms of the Duchy of Navarre. This symbol of the French monarchy lasted the longest - two hundred years. In 1789, he was replaced by the Napoleonic coat of arms - clutching lightning bolts in its claws on a blue background. Approximately the same metamorphoses were experienced by the flag of France.
Emblem of the country today
The current coat of arms of France is already the ninth in its history. It was adopted in 1953, but its official status has not yet been confirmed. Maybe the French are already tired of endlessly developing and changing their coat of arms? One way or another, but one of the most common options is a pelta, in which a lion's head is depicted on one side, and an eagle on the other. In the center of this curlicue is the monogram "RF", which means "Republic of France". The pelt is entwined with oak and olive branches, symbolizing wisdom, perseverance and peace. In the middle of the intricate construction, one can see canes (fascia) and an axe, which personify justice. But can an ax symbolize justice in a country that has abolished the death penalty? The flag of France is more in line with the ideological values of the Republic.
Golden Toads and Saint-Denis Oriflamme
The first king Clovis I carried a white cloth everywhere on campaigns, on which three golden toads flaunted. When he converted to Christianity, it was decided to change the oriflamme. The king chose another "livery" color - deep blue. Lily flowers also appeared on it, replacing amphibians. The flag of France has changed many times over the centuries. There were centuries when the banner was red, lavishly decorated with red, yellow, and blue roses. Sometimes the banner was a copy of the emblem, applied to the matter - gold on a blue background. And sometimes the royal army went into battle against the enemy with a white oriflamme, on which was written “Blessed Mary” and “Jesus Christ”.
Modern flag of France
Unlike the coat of arms, this national symbol has official status. It was formed during the French Revolution. Patriotic Parisians then wore the colors of their city on cockades - blue and red ribbons. After the victory, a white stripe was added to them - as a sign of reconciliation. In 1814, they decided to change the banner for a milky oriflamme. But since the French associated the white color with the monarchy as a whole, after the June Revolution the country returned its tricolor. So what does the flag of France look like? The photo allows us to see it in all its details. This is a rectangular panel divided by vertical stripes of the same width. The one at the shaft is blue, white in the middle, and red at the free edge.
What do the colors of the French flag mean?
The combination of blue, red and white is not uncommon in heraldry. Exactly the same color set is on the flag Russian Federation, and on the banner of the Netherlands, and on the banner of Luxembourg. How is the “French tricolor” (Le drapeau tricolore) so different from others? In the Republic, both the number of stripes and their colors are of great importance. The number "three" symbolizes the three fundamental principles by which French society strives to live: liberty, equality and fraternity. The blue color refers us to the myth of Martin of Tours. This saint cut off half of his cloak to give to a beggar. Martin succeeded Saint-Denis and came to be regarded as the patron saint of France. The white color is associated with the "Maid of Orleans" Joan of Arc, a national heroine. Red is traditionally a sign of blood shed by the people for freedom from invaders. This is the symbolic meaning of these colors of the national flag.
