"Napoleon used bees to symbolize his empire after his coronation in 1804. Also emblematic of immortality and resurrection, the bee was chosen to link the new dynasty to the very origins of France. Golden bees were discovered in 1653 in the tomb of Childeric I (father of Clovis) who founded the Merovingian dynasty in 457. They were considered to be the oldest emblem of the sovereigns of France. Anyone who has observed honey bees in the hive or bees foraging on flowers knows the truth in the expression "busy as a bee". There is always something going on, always something more to do. Laguiole bee According to legend, Napoleon departed from the rules of the European class structure by acknowledging individuals for their acts of bravery and courage during the Napoleonic Wars. He awarded individual soldiers a hunting knife crafted by the artisans of the Forge of Laguiole (pronounced La-YOLE), a town in the Aubrac mountains of south central France. To each knife was affixed a stylized version of the Napoleonic honey bee." Source: http://www.zimmermanfarm.com/ I looked at about 10 other sites and they all had pretty much the same info but I like this one best even if it is for a vineyard.