Survivors from the Field of Cloth of Gold

The Field of Cloth of Gold event in 1520 remains one of the most extravagant and lavish events to have ever taken place in English history.  The famous portrait of the Field of Cloth of Gold event in the property of the Royal Collection Trust (that currently hangs in Hampton Court Palace) was created in c.1545 - some 25 years after the famous meeting between the English and the French. Also, the painting holds some anomalies, for example Henry VIII is pictured 3 times within the portrait, and there is a dragon in the top left corner (which we now understand to be a firework). Therefore, it's not a painting we can solely rely on for accuracy, but it gives us a good indication of what the event was actually like, and what people wore/adorned themselves with.

Image Copyright of the Royal Collection Trust. The Field of Cloth of Gold c.1545 RCIN 405794 

Whilst paintings are good visual sources, they don't always make you feel as if you were really there, and in this case it can be difficult to truly get a feel for the splendour that this event was known for. There are a few items that have stood the test of time from the event though, and they are below:

1) The Stonyhurst Vestments - Cope and Chasuble

Originally commissioned by Henry VII for use in his chantry at Westminster Abbey, the Cope and Chasuble (pictured below) formed part of a set of matching 29 copes and chasubles that were at the famous event. They were noted by Edward Hall the Tudor Historian as being used within the chapel housed in Henry's temporary palace. 

In his chronicle 'The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke', when writing about the Field of Cloth of Gold. Hall writes '.. and all the Coopes and Vestementes so riche as might be prepared or bought in the city of Florens, for all the Coopes and Vestementes were but of one piece, so woven for the purpose, cloth of Tissue and powdered with red Roses purled with fine gold..'   (Book Section: The Triumphant Reign of King Henry VIII, the XII Yere).

Image 1 - The Stonyhurst Cope - Copyright to the Author

Image 2 - Detail of the Cope  - Copyright to the Author

Image 3 - The Stonyhurst Chasuble - Image copyright of Eleri Lynn/Historic Royal Palaces.

At the time of writing the chasuble can be viewed at Stonyhurst College, and the cope at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London.

2) Henry VIII's Tonlet Armour

Henry wore this armour during the foot combat tournaments at the Field of Cloth of Gold. This armour was made in just 3 months, and used existing pieces along with a couple of new pieces - the tonlet (the French word for skirt) and the pauldrons being newly made.

Image 1 - Front View of the Tonlet Armour - Image Copyright to the Royal Armouries Museum

Image 2 - Front View of the Tonlet Armour - Image Copyright to the Royal Armouries Museum

It has been intricately decorated, having Tudor roses, saints, and the collar and garter of the Order of the Garter. As the armour was decorated a mistake was made on the tonlet, where one section has been etched and shouldn't have been. The etching was then gilt, and the entire armour heat treated, which gave off a wonderful rich peacock blue colour. The tonlet was essentially a chequerboard of gold and blue, and Henry would have worn a great plume of coloured feathers on the top of his helmet.

3) English Poleaxe

It is thought that this poleaxe adorned one of Henry VIII's bodyguards at the event (very likely to be the Yeomen of the Guards, who were originally founded by Henry VII). The guard would place their hand underneath the Tudor rose decoration, which not only served as a nod to the Tudor dynasty, but provided protection for the hand/hands of the guardsman should it be required.

Image 1 - Side of the Poleaxe. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

Image 2 - Close up view of the Side of the Poleaxe. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

Image 3 - Tudor Rose Handle Decoration of the English Poleaxe. Image is copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

4) Henry VIII's Buckler

In England it was common for the English to fence using a broadsword and a buckler. The buckler was a form of miniature shield. This one is made from metal and wood, and is decorated with Henry VIII's royal arms, a pomegranate (Queen Katherine of Aragon's personal symbol), the portcullis (a nod to  Henry's paternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort) and a Tudor rose. Henry would certainly have used this during one of the many tournaments,,when displaying his masculinity and kingship.

Image 1 - Front of Henry VIII's Buckler. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

Image 1 - Back of Henry VIII's Buckler. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

5) Francis I's Ceremonial Sword

King Francis I of France would have worn this by his side at the event, when looking to impress his English counterparts. The sword is highly impracticable with the grip of the sword being made from gold leaf, with red, gold and blue enamelling, and is fixed on a bronze base. It is decorated with salamanders - the symbol of the Angouleme house, from which we was a descendent. Although they aren't crowned, which means this may have been made for him before he became king. The quote on the sword is taken from the Magnificat, and means 'it gives strength to his arm'. Francis then subsequently lost this sword when at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.

Image 1 - Francis I's Ceremonial Sword. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

Image 2 - Close Up of the Handle Decoration from Francis I's Ceremonial Sword. Image Copyright to the Musee de l'Armee, France.

These items (though small), when put together give you an idea (on a small scale) just how vivid, bright, luxurious and magnificent the event truly was. Imagine Henry attending mass in the chapel with his courtiers, and having a chaplain walk towards him in the gold 'Stonyhurst' cope, or Henry (whilst wearing his tonlet armour) being accompanied to a foot tournament by his Yeoman of the Guard, carrying their gold Tudor rose decorated poleaxes. It just gives you shivers down your spine to think about it!

Sources:

Field of Cloth of Gold Portrait - https://www.rct.uk/collection/405794/the-field-of-the-cloth-of-gold

Tonlet armour - https://collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-20.html

Stonyhurst Cope/Chausable - https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6552767298010521602/5681474123050870504

English Poleaxe - https://basedescollections.musee-armee.fr/ark:/66008/201301193?posInSet=3&queryId=N-EXPLORE-5f663630-d46e-4050-bef8-f8cd38618aba

Henry VIII's Buckler - https://basedescollections.musee-armee.fr/ark:/66008/20190621?posInSet=2&queryId=N-EXPLORE-5f663630-d46e-4050-bef8-f8cd38618aba

Francis I Ceremonial sword - https://basedescollections.musee-armee.fr/ark:/66008/993I?posInSet=4&queryId=f8f40561-7148-4d6e-89b7-4ab8e12b9b27

Book Review: Tudor Power and Glory: Henry VIII and the Field of Cloth of Gold by Keith Dowden and Scot Hurst

I recently stumbled across the Royal Armouries digital exhibition for the 500th anniversary of the Field of Cloth of Gold event held back in 1520 between the English and the French over in France.

The digital exhibition drew on items within the Royal Armouries extensive collection, and sources located elsewhere to determine the role armour/weapons played within the Field of Cloth of Gold event, and how they were used by Henry VIII and Francis I to display their great wealth and status, and their respective courtiers/entourages, within the subsequent tournaments etc. 

A link to the digital exhibition is here if you want to check it out: https://royalarmouries.org/tudor-power-glory/

My previous knowledge of Henry VIII's existing armour was that of his 1540's garniture armour and his heavily decorated and intricate field armour from around 1510-1520 housed within the White Tower of The Tower of London (it remains to this day one of my favourite items associated with Henry). Therefore this digital exhibition was a breath of fresh air for me in terms of providing me with items associated with Henry VIII that I hadn't seen previously. The exhibition allowed me to examine these items up close from the comfort of my own home, and the sense of awe I felt knowing that they were used, or were mostly likely to have been used at the Field of Cloth event - well, it just blew my mind! Almost overwhelmingly so!

Normally exhibitions have an accompanying book of some kind, and having been blown away by the sheet brilliance of the digital exhibition I decided to buy the book. I hoped the book would be as informative as the exhibition, and contain close ups of the armour/weapons etc. I parted with my money and it arrived through my letterbox a couple of days later.

Front Cover - Image copyright of ‘A Tudor Wardrobe Examined’

Back Cover - Image copyright of ‘A Tudor Wardrobe Examined’

The book itself is short, being a grand total of 68 pages, and having been split into 8 chapters. Which are:

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. The Negotiations

4. Greenwich and the Development of the Armourer's Craft

5. The Preparations

6. The Feat of Arms

7. Tiltyard Diplomacy

8. Conclusion

I read the whole book in just over an hour. It's very informative, providing me with some information that wasn't contained in the exhibit (which is good) and it is extremely well illustrated as I had hoped. I believe illustrations are so important in helping an audience understand the subject being written about. The price of the paperback book is £7.99. Which I think is a reasonable price given the amount of information it gives you and the illustrations.

I can't fault the book in anyway and it will remain a great addition to my ever growing book shelf. I am giving it an overall score of 5/5.

If you are interested in buying this book, it can be purchased here (an e-book is also available at a cheaper price):

https://shop.royalarmouries.org/collections/royal-armouries-publications/products/tudor-power-glory