The colloquial calling card of the New Orleans Saints, 2010 Superbowl Champions

Redemption, joy, and debauchery reign supreme down Bourbon Street and across the rest of “Who Dat Nation?,” in the aftermath of the New Orleans Saints historic victory last night. Lest us forget, however, that this particular raising of the Fleur’ de Lis,  is one of many that extends back to the  Middle Ages, when the Frankish King Clovis adopted it as a heraldic symbol of his kingdom during his conversion to Christianity.

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Albrecht Durer , "Portrait of the Emperor Charlemagne," about 1512-1513, Oil on panel, 215 x 115.3 cm, Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum .

Since then, it  became associated as a coat of arms, and symbol of purity and divinity for many of France’s kingdoms, including that of the great Charlemagne. About 700 years after his death, Albrecht Durer honored the valorous ruler with a posthumous portrait, accompanied by the Fleur-de-Lis in the upper right hand.

Could there be a more legendary inspiration for Drew Brees and Company to have taken to battle? There’s little doubt, after all, that Charlemagne would be embracing the Creole roots behind their “Who ‘Dat?” campaign. It was he who once said, “To have another language is to possess a second soul.”