The Folktale of Melusine, the Medieval Face of the Starbucks Logo

Video

Kelly Macquire
by
published on 20 September 2022

Have you ever wondered about the mermaid with two tails on the Starbucks logo? Well, that is not just any old mermaid, but the face of Melusine, a figure that dates back to medieval Europe. Melusine is a legendary figure from European folklore, and was depicted as a mermaid who sometimes had two tails, as a woman who was a serpent from the waist down, or as a dragon. She is associated with a few different French ruling houses including Anjou, Lusignan, and Plantagenet, and it was believed that she would appear and warn nobles of these houses when death or change was coming.

It’s interesting that numerous noble families would claim descent from Melusine or choose to link themselves with her in their coat of arms, with her being a supernatural entity that never attended Mass. The fourteenth-century French writer Couldrette linked Melusine to the Arthurian legends with the figure of the Good Knight of England, who was a member of King Arthur’s court.

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— CHAPTERS —
0:00​ Introduction
1:02 The History of the Tale of Melusine
3:29 The Story of Melusine
9:32 Outro

— WANT TO KNOW MORE? —
Melusine https://www.worldhistory.org/Melusine/
Women in the Middle Ages https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1345/women-in-the-middle-ages/
King Arthur https://www.worldhistory.org/King_Arthur/
Medieval Folklore https://www.worldhistory.org/Medieval_Folklore/
Grail Legend https://www.worldhistory.org/Grail_Legend/
Medieval Literature https://www.worldhistory.org/Medieval_Literature/

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— ATTRIBUTIONS —
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The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
https://www.ancientlyre.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
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#melusine #starbucks #medievalfolklore

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About the Author

Kelly Macquire
Kelly is a graduate from Monash University who has completed her BA (Honours) in Ancient History and Archaeology, focussing on iconography and status in Pylos burials. She has a passion for mythology and the Aegean Bronze Age.

The video and its description text are provided by Youtube. This website claims no authorship of this content; we are republishing it for educational purposes.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Macquire, K. (2022, September 20). The Folktale of Melusine, the Medieval Face of the Starbucks Logo. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2836/the-folktale-of-melusine-the-medieval-face-of-the/

Chicago Style

Macquire, Kelly. "The Folktale of Melusine, the Medieval Face of the Starbucks Logo." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 20, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2836/the-folktale-of-melusine-the-medieval-face-of-the/.

MLA Style

Macquire, Kelly. "The Folktale of Melusine, the Medieval Face of the Starbucks Logo." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 20 Sep 2022. Web. 15 Apr 2024.

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