E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Montjoie St. Denis.
The war-cry of the French. Montjoie is a corruption of Mons Jovis, as the little mounds were called which served as direction-posts in ancient times; hence it was applied to whatever showed or indicated the way, as the banner of St. Denis, called the Oriflamme. The Burgundians had for their war-cry, “Montjoie St. André;” the dukes of Bourbon, “Montjoie Notre Dame;” and the kings of England used to have “Montjoie St. George.” There seems no sufficient reason to suppose that Montjoie St. Denis is a corruption of “St. Denis mon joie”—i.e. “St. Denis is my hope.”
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Montjoie. The cry of the French heralds in the ancient tournaments; and the title of the French king-of-arms.
