Cannons, emblems and mottos
Artillery, which made its appearance over the course of the 14th century, had a special relationship with emblematic decoration. Let’s take a closer look at the coats of arms engraved on artillery pieces on the kings of France’s orders.
As kings bore all the arms of France, adding their own mottos and emblems to the kingdom’s cannons was a sign of ownership. Such decoration remained largely unchanged under Louis XII and Francis I: the king’s personal emblem on the cannon’s lower barrel and fleurs-de-lys on the upper barrel.
Cannon with the emblems of Louis XII Cannon with the emblems of Louis XII (between 1498 and 1515)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Characteristic of French artillery pieces at the turn of the 16th century, this cannon cast during the reign of Louis XII (1462-1515) was lost at Pavia in 1525 by his successor Francis I, along with all the rest of the French artillery. Rotten luck…!
Cannon with the emblems of Louis XII DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
On the cannon’s lower barrel, Louis XII’s emblem: a crowned porcupine. A somewhat original choice you might say, which the king borrowed from his father, Charles of Orléans! In those days, porcupines were reputed to be dangerous creatures. It was said they could launch their spines to attack their enemies.
Cannon with the emblems of François I Cannon with the emblems of François I (between 1515 and 1547)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Decorated with Francis I’s emblem (1494-1547), this bronze cannon is a perfect example of French artillery in the Renaissance. Its morphology is characteristic of the ordnance pieces created during the period.
Cannon with the emblems of François I DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Francis I’s emblem, the salamander, is well enough know yet its meaning remains a mystery. Legend has it that the salamander can live in the flames and “feeds on good fire and puts out bad”: the animal is a metaphor for the king, who feeds on virtue and extinguishes vice.
Hybrid culverin with the emblems of Henri II DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Henry II (1519-1559) distinguished himself from his predecessors by adding to the mottos and emblems involved: first of all the H topped by a crown, which is featured on all the cannons manufactured in his reign.
There’s also a monogram composed of an H and two Cs intertwined back to back: the initials of the royal couple, Henry II and Catherine de’ Medici. Scandalmongers had it that a “D” was hidden behind the “C”, as in Diane de Poitiers, the king’s official mistress. An ambiguity that might well have raised a smile...
Then two bows with broken strings with a crescent moon in the centre, features of the Valois-Angoulême coats of arms. The moon was also chosen as it gave promise of a political future: when it became full, Henry II would reign over the Kingdoms of France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire.
In the second half of the 16th century, the monarchy tried to impose a monopoly on the manufacture and ownership of cannons. A decision motivated by the ongoing Wars of Religion, during which both parties armed themselves with artillery.
4-pound cannon with the coat of arms of Claude de Guise Side viewMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
But Claude de Lorraine-Guise (1546-1612), a member of an influential Catholic family that played an active part in the Wars of Religion, took no notice; defying royal authority he had this cannon cast in 1590.
4-pound cannon with the coat of arms of Claude de Guise DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The decoration on this piece imitates the engravings on royal cannons, with Claude de Guise’s coat of arms on the upper barrel accompanied by the attributes of his office as Abbot of Cluny, the episcopal mitre and crosier.
4-pound cannon with the coat of arms of Claude de Guise DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
They’re followed by a fleur-de-lys, a Jerusalem cross and an alerion, emblems of the Guise family and Lorraine. With this highly political decoration, Claude de Guise positioned himself as a defender of the Catholic faith and made his opposition to the Protestant King Henry IV very clear.
In the late 1660s decoration underwent further modification: the arms of France and those of the sovereign were thenceforth combined, with the coat of arms of the Grand Master of the Artillery also making its appearance along with the artillery’s motto “ULTIMA RATIO REGUM” and the cannon’s name. Let’s have a closer look at it together, on this bronze cannon cast in 1688, in Louis XIV’s reign.
Le Solide, 12-pound cannon dating back to the reign of Louis XIV Le Solide, 12-pound cannon dating back to the reign of Louis XIV (1688) by Keller brothers (Smelter)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
This piece bears the arms of France, symbolising the State, topped by a sun – an allegory of the king – and Louis XIV’s personal motto, “Nec pluribus impar”, which may be translated as “Not unequal to many”.
Le Solide, 12-pound cannon dating back to the reign of Louis XIV DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
On the upper barrel, the arms of Marshal Louis de Crevant, Duke of Humières, Grand Master of the Artillery.
Still on the upper barrel, very near the mouth, the artillery’s motto “Ultima ratio regum”, meaning “the final argument of kings”, topped by the cannon’s name, Le Solide.
Decorations on cannons gradually disappeared over the course of the 18th century. Only the sovereign’s initial remained on them up to the end of the Second Empire.
A story written and edited by the teams of the Army Museum.
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