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Symbolism > tressure

tressure

A tressure is two small borders in the outline of a shield, set close together, one within the other. It is often decorated with flowers that look somewhat like the fleur de lis, inserted through the tressure. This is referred to as a tressure-flory-counterflory, and it is a device that is particularly associated with Scottish heraldry. It is said that the charge commemorates the alliance of Charlemagne with Archaius, King of Scotland. In return for the services of the Scots, Charlemagne added the double tressure fleurs-de-lis to the Scottish lion to represent that the former had defended the French lilies and therefore the latter would surround the lion to be a defense to him. However, this story is not very securely based on fact. It is more likely that the lion and tressure were derived from the arms of the Earls of Northumberland and Huntingdon, from whom some of the Scottish kings were descended.

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