What is the origin of France?

Origin of strange city symbol of Versaille (France)

• Two-headed cock was choosed as city symbol of famous Versaille (France). Why?

• Answer:

  The two-headed cock is a symbol of the freedom offered by the French Republic. "The municipal flag of Versailles is divided horizontally white over blue in a ratio of about 1:3, it is defaced with the arms of the town, namely a shield with three three gold fleurs de lis on a blue field in the base and a double-headed cock in natural colours on a white field in the chief. The shield is crowned with a mural crown composed of alternating towers and fleurs de lis... The coat of arms of Versailles was adopted in September 1789. The double-headed roaster issuant symbolizes the burgeoning freedom. Fleurs-de-lys were logically added in chief since Louis XVI was still King of France when the arms were created. The coat of arms was painted on the flag used by the National Guards in Versailles." CRW Flags: Versailles (Municipality, Yvelines, France) http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/fr-78-ve.html "The Support Base of Versailles-Satory (Base de Support de Versailles-Satory - BSVS) recently recieved its pennant (fanion. The pennant shows the facade of the Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces), in the palace of Versailles, a fleur-de-lys, the double-head roaster symbolizing the Republic (probably the double-headed roaster issuant shown on the municipal flag of Versailles, which was designed shortly before the proclamation of the French Republic)." Atlas Géographique Mondial: Pennant of the Support Base, Versailles-Satory http://atlasgeo.span.ch/fotw/flags/fr%5Eunitp.html The two-headed cock is a fusion of two famous symbols: a two-headed eagle was an ancient embem of the Holy Roman Empire, and was widely used in France and in other European nations. The rooster was a symbol of the French revolution, and later of France herself: "One of the national emblems of France, the Coq Gaulois (the Gallic Rooster) decorated French flags during the Revolution. It is the symbol of the French people because of the play on words of the Latin gallus meaning Gaul and gallus meaning coq, or rooster... The rooster played an important role as the revolutionary symbol, but it would become an official emblem under the July Monarchy and the Second Republic when it was seen on the pole of regiments' flags. In 1830, the "Gallic Rooster" replaced the fleur-de-lis as the national emblem, and it was again discarded by Napoleon III. Since 1848, the rooster has been seen on the seal of the Republic (Liberty is seated on a rudder decorated by a rooster); it was used from 1899 as a motif on gold 20 franc coins and it occasionally appears on stamps." Embassy of France in the United States http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/rooster.asp More on the rooster as a symbol of France: Premier Ministre http://www.archives.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/juppe_version1/ENG/HIST/COQ.HTM Search terms used: "two-headed" + "versailles" "double-headed" + "versailles" "coq à deux têtes" Many thanks are due to my friend and colleague scriptor-ga for his assistance in this matter. I hope this information is useful. If anything is unclear, or if a link does not function, please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance before you rate my answer. Best regards, pinkfreud