Lis (Polish for "Fox") is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by many noble families of Clan Lis.
Legend
In 1058 Duke Casimir I the Restorer while chasing the pagan Lithuanians and Yotvingians who devastated Polish lands, came to Sochaczew. He sent a knight of the Lis Clan (Fox Clan) to scout the region for enemies. When the knight came across a river he met a strong enemy unit. Unable to attack them alone, he decided immediately to shoot a lighted arrow into the air to call for reinforcements. Help arrived soon and defeated the enemies. A grateful Casimir granted the brave knight a new coat of arms with an arrow in the escutcheon and his former sign - the fox - was placed in the crest.
Notable bearers
Notable bearers of this coat of arms have included: Krystyn z Kozichgłów Jaksa z Targowiska Mikołaj z Kozłowa Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski Stanisław Chomętowski Sapieha Family Adam Stefan Sapieha Aleksander Michał Sapieha Aleksander Paweł Sapieha Jan Sapieha Kazimierz Sapieha Kazimierz Jan Paweł Sapieha Lew Sapieha Paweł Jan Sapieha Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha Szymon Rudnicki, Bishop of Warmia Melchior Wańkowicz Henryk Samsonowicz Ferdynand Ruszczyc Alexander Prince Świrski Andrzej Prince Świrski-Jarnicki Mateusz Prince Cichocki-Lis-Jarnicki Marian Prince Lis-Jarnicki Roman Prince Świrski Eric Prince Świrski Yuri Lisyansky
Gallery
External links Lis Coat of Arms (including altered) and their bearers
See also Polish heraldry Heraldic family List of Polish nobility coats of arms
Bibliography Andrzej Kulikowski: Wielki herbarz rodów polskich. Warszawa: Świat Książki, 2005, s. 238-240. . Jan Długosz: Jana Długosza kanonika krakowskiego Dziejów polskich ksiąg dwanaście, ks. IX. Kraków: 1867-1870, s. 264. Tadeusz Gajl: Herbarz polski od średniowiecza do XX wieku : ponad 4500 herbów szlacheckich 37 tysięcy nazwisk 55 tysięcy rodów. L&L, 2007. .