James I
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Among the richest of the Lombard merchant princes was the celebrated Medici family, from whose armorial bearings the insignia of three golden balls has been derived.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “James I” mean?
Among the richest of the Lombard merchant princes was the celebrated Medici family, from whose armorial bearings the insignia of three golden balls has been derived.
Is “James I” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.