England: The Plantagenets
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Henry II |
*1133 - †1189 Duke of Normandy
1150-1189 Count of Anjou 1151 ∞ Alienor of
Aquitaine 18.05.1152 Regent of Aquitaine
1152-1168 King of England 1154 |
||||||||||
|
As is
well known, at the death of Henry I, his daughter Mathilde was passed in
succession in favor of Stephen of Blois. After his death, however, justice
was again done to the hereditary claims of Mathilde because her son Henry II
was elected king (1154). Like his father, Henry II bore a shield with lions
on it that he may have taken from him. Henry and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine were crowned in Westminster Abbey on Sunday 19th December 1154 by Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury. His titles were King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Count of Anjou and Maine. His son, Henry the Younger, had a coronation on 14th June 1170, in an attempt to settle the succession to the throne during the father's lifetime. But the young Henry died before his father. |
|||||||||||
|
The Ampulla, of solid gold, is in the form of an eagle,
the head of which unscrews to allow it to be filled with the holy oil for the
sovereigns anointing. It is of late-fourteenth-century workmanship and was
used at the coronation of King Henry IV (1399). There are many legends
concerning the origin of the vessel or its precursor, notably that it had
been given to Thomas à Becket
(Chancelor 1155 / Archbishop 1162-†1170) by the Virgin Mary but was the lost
or hidden in Poitiers for a number of years until found by the Black Prince,
was again mislead so that it was not used for the consecration of Richard II,
only to emerge again for that of Henry IV. (This seems an obvious piece of
Lancastrian propaganda concocted to justify the usurping Henry’s right to the
throne.) [1] Until the
reign of Queen Alienor the eagle remained atop the sceptre. It symbolizes the
roman rank of Consul which was the
rank of the early English kings. By the Plantagenets bearing the title of Dux of their french fiefs, the eagle
was replaced by one or more lions in connection with ther coats of arms, the
eagle remaining to play only a role at their royal coronations.
The use of
the eagle in the church in Englnd runs parallel to that on the mainland. A
number of eagle lecterns have been preserved in England and are still in use
today. The Anointing Spoon, of silver gilt, is of an earlier
date than the Ampulla, being of late-twelfth-century style. These two items
do not appear on the lists enumerating the articles removed from Westminster
Abbey and taken to the Tower of London for destruction by the Parliamentary
Commisioners, so it is presumed that they were kept apart from the rest of
the regalia, probably with the Abbey plate, and thus escaped notice. They
were recovered for use at Charles II’s coronation and both received a certain
amount of embellishment, the eagle being realistically engraved to represent
feathers and the spoon being chased in typical seventeenth-century style. |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
Seal of Majesty: Henry II on his throne, crowned, with sword and orb
crested with a cross and an eagle. L.: henricvs dei g(ratia) rex anglorum X. The crown with three crosses and pendilia |
Equestrian seal: Henry II on
horseback with sword and shield (seen from the inside) L.: henr : dei gra : dvx norm(annorvm et) aquit : et com andeg X . |
||||||||||
|
Henry II, his mother Mathilde and his wife Alienor Wedding of Henry the Lion of
Saxony, 01.02.1168 Cod. Guelf. 105 Noviss. 2°
fol 171 v (detail) Portrait
of Henry II in BL., Cotton Claudius D.
VI, fol. 9v°: De koning gezeten, met baard en kroon en drie fleurons |
|||||||||||
|
Photo H.d.V 2011 The Royal family riding. Fresco
in St. Radegonde chapel, Chinon. Henry II can
be seen in a blue tunic and a red cloak, lined vair, a crown on his head. A
short red beard is characteristic. Behind him are driving his wife Eleonore
of Aquitaine (*1120-†1201); his eldest son Henry (*1155-†1183) crowned as
co-king in 1170, with a crown, a red tunic and blue robe, Richard
(*1157-†1199); and Geoffrey, duke of Brittany (*1158-†1186). Since
Henry Jr. is crowned, the fresco must date back to 1170. At the beginning of
1174, after conspiring against her husband with Henry Jr. and Richard, Eleonore
was imprisoned in Chinon and then taken to Winchester where she spent nearly
ten years in captivity. The fresco will therefore be made before or in 1173.
In 1173 Henry II was 40 years old, Eleonore 53, Henry Jr. 18, Richard 16 and
Geoffrey 15. These ages correspond to the ages of the persons depicted.
Henry II riding 1174 ca
Henry seems to have borne a coat of arms
with lions. This can be deduced from a chronicle by Benoît de St.
Maure, which he wrote around 1174 for Henry II. Benoît may have had the arms
of Henry II in mind when he described the arms of William the Conqueror in
the following passage: Dites, fait il,
vostre seignor Qu
en un cheval blanc comme flor Serai
armez, forz e isnineaus, Si
eret mis escuz od leonceaus D or, en azur faiz et assis. Por ce mes armes li devis Teu
me conoisse e teu m avra. [2]) The
chronicle was written in the time of the rebellion of his sons (1173-'74):
(Henry FitzHenry (*1155), Richard (*1157), Geoffrey (*1158); his wife Alienor
of Aquitaine and Louis VII of France, Philip of Flanders and William the Lion
of Scotland.)
Henry II on horseback, keeping a ring St. John Baptistery,
Poitiers. West-wall Henry
sent one of his rings to his dying son Henry Junior after he had asked for
forgiveness for his rebellion. 1182. [3]
Henry II 12th
cent. Fontevraud Abbey, Maine & Loire Tomb
effigy of Henry in Fontevraud abbey, 1189. The king with short red beard,
crowned with crown of three leaves, in red dalmatic and blue mantle, keeping a
sceptre or staff upright. |
|||||||||||
|
Eleonore |
*1122-†1204 Queen of France
1137-1152 ∞ Henry II of
England 18.05.1152 Queen of England
1154-1189 Regent, 1190-1192 |
||||||||||
|
Royal and ducal seal of Alienor of Aquitania 1199-1200 Crowned Queen
with lily-sceptre and orb crested with cross and eagle X ALIENOR DEI GRACIA REGINE
ANGLORVM DVCISSE NORMAN X ALIENOR DVCISSE AQUITANORVM
COMITISSE ANDEGAVORVM The
revolt of her sons against her husband in 1173 put her cultural activities in
Poitiers to a brutal end. Since Eleanor, 11 years her husband’s senior, had
long resented his infidelities, the revolt may have been instigated by her;
in any case, she gave her sons considerable military support. The revolt
failed, and Eleanor was captured while seeking refuge in the kingdom of her
first husband, Louis VII. Her semi-imprisonment in England ended only with
the death of Henry II in 1189. On her release, Eleanor played a greater
political role than ever before. She actively prepared for Richard’s coronation as king, was administrator
of the realm during his Crusade to the Holy Land, and, after his capture by
the duke of Austria on Richard’s return from the east, collected his ransom
and went in person to escort him to England. During Richard’s absence, she
succeeded in keeping his kingdom intact and in thwarting the intrigues of his
brother John Lackland and Philip II Augustus, king of France, against him. In 1199
Richard died without leaving an heir to the throne, and John was crowned
king. Eleanor, nearly 80 years old, fearing the disintegration of the Plantagenet domain, crossed the Pyrenees in 1200 in order to fetch
her granddaughter Blanche from the court of Castile and marry her to the son of
the French king. By this marriage she hoped to ensure peace between the
Plantagenets of England and the Capetian kings of France. In the same
year she helped to defend Anjou and Aquitaine against her grandson Arthur of
Brittany, thus securing John’s French possessions. In 1202 John was again in
her debt for holding Mirebeau against Arthur, until John, coming to her
relief, was able to take him prisoner. John’s only victories on the
Continent, therefore, were due to Eleanor. |
|||||||||||
|
It seems that
Eleonore has introduced the arms with the three lions because on her seals
from that time three lions would appear. (Douet d'Arcq no 10006: Seal dated
1199, poorly preserved and no arms. But Sandford. P. 57 The
authorship of Alianor may be true but
that depends on the date of the coat of arms on her seals which is not known. |
|||||||||||
|
Tomb effigy of Eleanor in Fontevraud 1204 13th
cent. Fontevraud Abbey, Maine & Loire |
|||||||||||
|
Henry FitzHenry |
*1155 - †1183 Heir apparent of England,
Normandy & Anjou 1156 King of England 1170 |
||||||||||
|
Seal of Henry FitzHenry Crowned King with sceptre on eagle throne. L: HENRICVS:DVX: NORMANNOR: ET : AQVITANNOR : ET : COMES :
ANDEGAVOR. (Gray. B.
79, P. 13)
Photo H.d.V 2011 The Young king in Chinon Of Henry
FitzHenry (*1155), crowned in 1170 co-king of England a coat of arms is
given by Matthew Paris as Gules, three
lions passant Or dimidiated of Sable, Mattheus
Parisiensis Chron. Majora Corpus Christi Coll Ms 26. fol. 276 (138v): Death
of Hendry the Younger, 1183 (2:319) - lower left margin: Inverted crown above
reversed shield (Gules, three lions passant gardant or, dimidiating sable);
below: mors (in black) and vita (in red); above: Corona et scutum Henrici regis junioris qui vivente patre obiit.
Ook: Hist. Angl. fol 70v Death of Henry the Younger, 1183 (1:426) - inner
right margin: inverted shield (gules three lions passant gardant or): Corona er clipeus regis Henrici junioris. In 1945 a stone came to light in the damaged St
Junien Abbey Church in
Nouaillé-Maupertuis (Vienne, 15
km from Poitiers). On it are three medallions charged with eagles: two yellow
(Or) and one white (Argent). These may readily be brought in connection to
the kings Henry II, Louis VII and the Young king Henry, the white eagle being
of the Junior King Henry. A date could be the rule of Young king (1170-1183),
who was married (∞ 1160) with Margareth, daughter of Louis VII.
Photo HdV 2015 Three royal eagles in St Junien Abbey Church in Nouaillé-Maupertuis . |
|||||||||||
|
Richard I Lionheart |
*08.09.1157-†06.04.1199 Duke of Aquitaine 1168/1172 Heir apparent of
England, Normandy and Anjou 1183 Count of Anjou 1189 Duke of Normandy 20
.07.1189 King of England
3.IX.1189 & 17.03.1194 Imperial vassal for
England 1193 |
||||||||||
|
Foto H.d.V. 2011 Richard in Chinon with falcon, 1170 ca As a
count of Poitou he bore according to William de Barr: Guil. Brit Armoricanis
in Philipeidos) (Sandford p. 73
margin) Ecce comes pictavus agro nos
provocat, ecce Nos ad bella vocat, rictus
agnosco Leonum Illius in clypeo, stat ibi
quasi ferrea turris Francorum nomen blasphemans
or protervo Here comes Pictavorum field we have challenges, thereWe have to go to war to call, I recognize that the jaws of the lion 'sIn his shield, he stands there like an iron towerFrench blasphemes the name or protervo is calling for, behold, We have to go to war, I recognize the lion 's jaws,In his shield, he stands there like an iron towerFrance is blasphemans edge protervo 1183
After the death of Henry FitzHenry in 1183, disagreement broke out about the
possession of Aquitaine that Henry II wanted to give to John (*1167) because
Richard would already succeed in England. Richard's resistance led him to pay
homage to Philip August (18 Nov.1188) for the French possessions. In 1189,
Richard, Philip Augustus and John joined against Henry II. After his
succession in England, Normandy and Anjou, Richard the Lionheart set out on a
crusade. During his absence, which lasted until 1194, his mother Eleonore
acted as regent for him in his French territories. In England, Chancellor
Willem Longchamp was in charge for so long Conference at Bonmoulins, November 1188 At this
meeting, Henry II proposed, by way of an amicable arrangement, thta the conquests on either side should be
abandoned, and that matters should be allowed to remain in the same situation
in which they stood when the kings accorded together to take the cross. To
his amazement, the first person who objected to this foundation of the treaty
was Richard, who absolutely refused to give up his latter conquestst, without
some equivalent. Philip a;so, instead of siding with Henry, insisted upon
othe terms. He offered, it is true, to abandon the towns he had taken, but on
these conditions only – that the marriage between Richard and his sister
Adelais should be instantly solemnized; and that all the subjects of Henry,
whether in England or in Normandy, should be required to take the oath of
allegiance to his son. Henry refused to fulfil either. His obstinate denial,
thus publicly announced, to what Richared deemed his just and natural rights,
snapped asunder the last cord which held the king and his son togethe.
Richard again formally repeated in his own name the demands urged by the king
of France, which being again peremptorily denied, he stepped forth into the
midst of the assembled circle, and, eying his father with a look of
indignation, exclaimed, “I now see that to be true, which I formerly deemed
to be impossible; “and, unbuckling his sword and presenting it to Philip on
his knee, he added, “From you sire, I crave the protection of my rights, and
to you I do homage for all the lands
in France (de ominibus tenementis
patris sui transmarinis) held of you, as liege lord and suzerein.” and
assembly broke up in confusion and dismay. |
|||||||||||
|
Seal of Majesty, 1189 Richard
on his throne, crowned with sword and orb between two crescents enclosing
seven-poined stars and two sprigs of planta genista. The eagle omitted L.: X RICARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLORUM. (Sandford p. 55.Gray-B 80)
Equestrian Seal 1189 Arms: A lion rampant.
(alias: two lions combatant rampant) R.: Arms: Lion. L.: X ricardvs dvx normannorvm et
aquitanorvm et comes andegavorvm. D.: 1195. (Rev. Sandford a, p. 55 n° 80-86 & Douet d'Arcq no.
10007) The lion
on the shield has caused much confusion because a shield button is also
visible. This suggests a second lion in the sinister half of the shield, be
it turned to the dexter or be it turned to the sinister. However no
contemporary information about these arms could have been obtained in the
last 800 years. Two lions combatant
could have been the badge of a Sénéschal,
a Connétable or First officer of the Crown
which Richard may have usurped for himself when he had offered himself a
vassal of France in 1188. Be it as
it is, we simply don’t know what Richard intended with the charge of his
shield. 1190 Banner: Red,
a white cross Philip
Augustus, Richard the Lionheart and Philip of Alsace agreed at the start of
the 3rd Crusade that of the first “et
gens sua suscepterunt cruces rubeas” of the second “cruces albas” and the third “cruces
viridas ad cognoscendam gentem”. [4] If Richard the Lionheart had already born a coat of arms at the
crusade, it would have been red with a white cross. |
|||||||||||
Henry VI pardons Richard the Lionheart From Ebulo, Petrus de: Liber
ad Honorem Augusti sive de rebus
Siculis. Codex 120 II der Burgerbibliothek Bern, fol. 129. 1192 Capture and pardon of the disguised
Richard the Lionheart. The
capture of the English King Richard the Lionheart (December 21/22, 1192) in
Erdberg (now part of Vienna) and his surrender to the Emperor (illustris Rex Anglie a Ierosolimis rediens
captus presentatur Augusto). Richard had left the Holy Land in early
October, in which Ardia was shipwrecked and then tried to reach his Welfish
relatives in Saxony by land. Despite his disguise - according to sources as a
pilgrim; he apparently has a rolled up carpet or a blanket - he was
recognized and imprisoned by Duke Leopold V of Austria from private revenge
Richard had demolished a coat of arms or flag of the Duke from a conquered
tower in Jerusalem in July 1191, leaving the Germans empty when distributing
the loot. Extradited to Henry VI. the huge ransom - 150 000 Cologne Marks (1
M. = approx. 234 g) - silver, of which only two thirds could be raised
despite the greatest efforts - financed the second campaign to Sicily. Backed by
his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, who successfully defended his interests
against his rivaling brother John Lackland and his ally King Philip of France,
King Richard procured his release in exchange for the huge ransom, a further
interest payment, and his oath of
allegiance to Henry VI. In turn the emperor under threat of
military violence demanded the restitution of the French lands, which John
had seized upon approval by Philip during Richard's absence. Henry not only
gained another vassal and ally, he could also assume the role of
a mediator between England and France. He and Richard ceremoniously
reconciled at the Hoftag in Speyer during Holy Week 1194: the
English King publicly regretted any hostilities, genuflected, and cast
himself on the emperor's mercy. He was released and returned to England In the
picture, the release is presented solely as an act of mercy of the Emperor:
The English king was accused of the death of the Margrave Konrad von
Montferrat (April 28, 1192), had denied his guilt and taken up the sword to
purify himself, probably by a legal duel - (rex Anglie de morte ma[r]chionis accusatur, quod abnegans se ensiva
manu excusaturum promittit). Then he begged for mercy and was released (tandem veniam petens liber graduation).
The draftsman has intensified this scene by the "exposed" king
throwing himself to the ground in front of the emperor and kissing his feet.
Obviously, our author was familiar with the Proscynese (“prostration”), which was taken over from Byzantium
in the Norman court ceremonial, and which defeated the Western empire, and
prostrated itself before the ruler with a kiss on his foot. The clerical
author knew both, prostration and foot kiss, also from the ecclesiastical
sphere as a sign of the highest reverence. Henry VI. holds scepter and orb
instead of a palm frond, apparently as a symbol of victory. [5] On the
right shoulder a red square cross As a
result King Richard I changed his arms in about 1195 into three lions
passant. |
|||||||||||
|
.
It symbolized
his new relationship with the Holy Roman Empire which was about the same as
this of the king of Denmark who had received such a coat of arms before 1190.
These arms symbolized the position of a great imperial vassal or ally
directly below the emperor himself. It was granted only one more time later,
in 1216 to Henry VII, son of
Frederick II. So, the
three lions passant of England do not symbolize the three fiefs in France
(Aquitaine, Normandia and Anjou), but simply an imperial vassalage or
alliance. Richard
I., John and Henry III. are all said to have used the device of the crescent
and star. (Fox.D. 1903 p. 336). One of
the oldest [badges] is the star and crescent, which seems originally to have
been the sun and moon. This appeared on the first Great Seal of Richard I and
perhaps alluded to his vocation as a crusader, the moon being an emblem of
the Byzantine Empire. Portsmouth, which obtained a charter from Richard I,
took the star and crescent as the device for its seal, and now bears them as
arms. A star and crescent appear in
some representations of the arms of Dartmouth, whence the crusading host
sailed; and are found in the crest of Nottingham and the seals of Ashburton,
Barnard Castle, Malmesbury, and other towns. (Scott-Giles, 1933/’53/’72, p.
14, 154)
Seal of majesty. 1198 Richard
on his throne, crowned. with sword and orb betwee a crescent and a sun of 16
rays . L.: X RICARDVS
DEI GRACIA REX ANGLORUM. (Sandford p.
55.n°87; Gray-B 80)
1198 Equestrian seal Arms: Three lions passant guardant . L.: X RICARDVS DVX
NORMANNORVM ET AQUITANORVM ET COMES ANDEGRAVORVM. D.: 31 oct. 1198. (B.L. Cotton Charter
XVI.1. (Sandford, p. 55. n°87 Douët d'Arcq no 10008) |
|||||||||||
|
Tomb effigy of Richard I,
1199 Fontevraud
royal abbey. Maine et
Loire The king
crowned in red and shoes, and blue
mantle |
|||||||||||
|
Arthur of Brittanny |
*1187-†1203 Heir apparent of England oct. 1190 Count of Anjou and
Maine 1199 |
||||||||||
|
Æ See Bretagne |
|||||||||||
|
John Lackland |
*1167 - †1216 Earl of Gloucester
1176/1189 - 1200 (?) Lord of Ireland 1177 Earl of Cornwall 1176 Count of Mortain
1189 Count of Poitou 1198 Duke of Normandy
25.04.1199 Count of Anjou 1199 King of England
27.05.1199 Duke of Aquitaine 1199/1204 Papal vassal for
England 1213 |
||||||||||
|
Arms 1. Gules,
two lions passant Or.
Secret- and
equestrian seal of Johhn 1189 ca
Equestrian seal: Arms: Two lions
passant. L.: X sigillvm : iohannis : filii : regis : anglie : domini : hibnie. D.: ca. 1189. (Demay
Sceaux de Normandie n°
48, Musée de Rouen. On this seal the arms are unreadable; Sandford, p. 55. but this was
annihilated by Henry V but this was annihilated by Henry V but this was
annihilated by Henry VI From july
1189 John was Count of Mortain, a territory in Normandy in the south of the
present Départment Manche. John was
from 1189 until october 1190 and from september 1197 until 1199 the
recognized successor of Richard the Lionheart In 1193
John paid homage to Philip August
of France but this was annihilated by
Henry VI After his
ascendance to the throne he soon lost all his possessions in France. but much
later Aquitaine, Normandy and Anjou would disappear from the English royal
title. In the mean time John and his successor Henry III kept bearing the
arms with the three lions passant. 2. Gules,
Or. Seal of John. Arms: three lions passant. D.: 1200. (Douët d'Arcq n° 10009).
Seal of majesty and equestrian seal of King John From Sandford, p. 55 [6] Matthew Paris reports when Otto IV crowned emperor, at his arms being dimidiated of lions passant and an eagle that it is "Scutum mutatum pro amore regis Angliae". His standard at the battle of Bouvines (1214) has, apart from a golden eagle also a golden dragon which was tha standard of Brittany at the time. (ð Otto IV Imperial standard).
1203 Seal
of Majesty: King John crowned, on his throne with sword and orb crested with
a square cross. L.:
X iohannes dei
gracia rex anglie dominvs hibernie. Date:
1203. |
|||||||||||
|
Photo British Library |
|||||||||||
|
Record
Number: |
British Library 11089 |
||||||||||
|
Shelfmark: |
Add. 4838 |
||||||||||
|
Description:
|
[Reverse] Impression of the Great Seal of King John, showing the king
on horseback. Originally attached to the Articles of the Barons [Magna
Carta], June 1215. |
||||||||||
|
Production: |
1215 |
||||||||||
|
Language/Script: |
Latin / - |
||||||||||
|
All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained in the above description, but the British Library cannot accept
responsibility for any errors that may occur. |
|||||||||||
|
King John’s effigy at Worcester Cathedral, with
sword drawn and staff copy from the Victoria and
Albert Museum, London, painted as it may have looked
Detail from King John’s burial shroud, showing part
of a lion from his arms Removed from the tomb in
1797, the fragment is now held in Worcester Cathedral Library. Image copyright the Dean and
Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK) MAGNA CARTA 1215 Translation (Clauses marked (+) are still
valid under the charter of 1225, but with a few minor amendments. Clauses
marked (*) were omitted in all later reissues of the charter. In the charter
itself the clauses are not numbered, and the text reads continuously. The
translation sets out to convey the sense rather than the precise wording of
the original Latin.) JOHN, by the grace of
God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and
Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices,
foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal
subjects, Greeting. KNOW THAT BEFORE GOD,
for the health of our soul and those of our ancestors and heirs, to the
honour of God, the exaltation of the holy Church, and the better ordering of
our kingdom, at the advice of our reverend fathers Stephen, archbishop of
Canterbury, primate of all England, and cardinal of the holy Roman Church,
Henry archbishop of Dublin, William bishop of London, Peter bishop of
Winchester, Jocelin bishop of Bath and Glastonbury, Hugh bishop of Lincoln,
Walter Bishop of Worcester, William bishop of Coventry, Benedict bishop of
Rochester, Master Pandulf subdeacon and member of the papal household,
Brother Aymeric master of the knighthood of the Temple in England, William
Marshal earl of Pembroke, William earl of Salisbury, William earl of Warren,
William earl of Arundel, Alan de Galloway constable of Scotland, Warin Fitz
Gerald, Peter Fitz Herbert, Hubert de Burgh seneschal of Poitou, Hugh de
Neville, Matthew Fitz Herbert, Thomas Basset, Alan Basset, Philip Daubeny,
Robert de Roppeley, John Marshal, John Fitz Hugh, and other loyal subjects: + (1) FIRST, THAT WE
HAVE GRANTED TO GOD, and by this present charter have confirmed for us and
our heirs in perpetuity, that the English Church shall be free, and shall
have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired. That we wish this
so to be observed, appears from the fact that of our own free will, before
the outbreak of the present dispute between us and our barons, we granted and
confirmed by charter the freedom of the Church's elections - a right reckoned
to be of the greatest necessity and importance to it - and caused this to be
confirmed by Pope Innocent III. This freedom we shall observe ourselves, and
desire to be observed in good faith by our heirs in perpetuity. TO ALL FREE MEN OF
OUR KINGDOM we have also granted, for us and our heirs for ever, all the
liberties written out below, to have and to keep for them and their heirs, of
us and our heirs: (2) If any earl, baron,
or other person that holds lands directly of the Crown, for military service,
shall die, and at his death his heir shall be of full age and owe a `relief',
the heir shall have his inheritance on payment of the ancient scale of
`relief'. That is to say, the heir or heirs of an earl shall pay £100 for the
entire earl's barony, the heir or heirs of a knight l00s. at most for the
entire knight's `fee', and any man that owes less shall pay less, in
accordance with the ancient usage of `fees' (3) But if the heir of
such a person is under age and a ward, when he comes of age he shall have his
inheritance without `relief' or fine. (4) The guardian of the
land of an heir who is under age shall take from it only reasonable revenues,
customary dues, and feudal services. He shall do this without destruction or
damage to men or property. If we have given the guardianship of the land to a
sheriff, or to any person answerable to us for the revenues, and he commits
destruction or damage, we will exact compensation from him, and the land
shall be entrusted to two worthy and prudent men of the same `fee', who shall
be answerable to us for the revenues, or to the person to whom we have
assigned them. If we have given or sold to anyone the guardianship of such
land, and he causes destruction or damage, he shall lose the guardianship of
it, and it shall be handed over to two worthy and prudent men of the same
`fee', who shall be similarly answerable to us. (5) For so long as a
guardian has guardianship of such land, he shall maintain the houses, parks,
fish preserves, ponds, mills, and everything else pertaining to it, from the
revenues of the land itself. When the heir comes of age, he shall restore the
whole land to him, stocked with plough teams and such implements of husbandry
as the season demands and the revenues from the land can reasonably bear. (6) Heirs may be given
in marriage, but not to someone of lower social standing. Before a marriage
takes place, it shall be' made known to the heir's next-of-kin. (7) At her husband's
death, a widow may have her marriage portion and inheritance at once and
without trouble. She shall pay nothing for her dower, marriage portion, or
any inheritance that she and her husband held jointly on the day of his
death. She may remain in her husband's house for forty days after his death,
and within this period her dower shall be assigned to her. (8) No widow shall be
compelled to marry, so long as she wishes to remain without a husband. But
she must give security that she will not marry without royal consent, if she
holds her lands of the Crown, or without the consent of whatever other lord
she may hold them of. (9) Neither we nor our
officials will seize any land or rent in payment of a debt, so long as the
debtor has movable goods sufficient to discharge the debt. A debtor's
sureties shall not be distrained upon so long as the debtor himself can
discharge his debt. If, for lack of means, the debtor is unable to discharge
his debt, his sureties shall be answerable for it. If they so desire, they
may have the debtor's lands and rents until they have received satisfaction
for the debt that they paid for him, unless the debtor can show that he has
settled his obligations to them. * (10) If anyone who has
borrowed a sum of money from Jews dies before the debt has been repaid, his
heir shall pay no interest on the debt for so long as he remains under age,
irrespective of whom he holds his lands. If such a debt falls into the hands
of the Crown, it will take nothing except the principal sum specified in the
bond. * (11) If a man dies
owing money to Jews, his wife may have her dower and pay nothing towards the
debt from it. If he leaves children that are under age, their needs may also
be provided for on a scale appropriate to the size of his holding of lands.
The debt is to be paid out of the residue, reserving the service due to his
feudal lords. Debts owed to persons other than Jews are to be dealt with
similarly. * (12) No `scutage' or
`aid' may be levied in our kingdom without its general consent, unless it is
for the ransom of our person, to make our eldest son a knight, and (once) to
marry our eldest daughter. For these purposes ouly a reasonable `aid' may be
levied. `Aids' from the city of London are to be treated similarly. + (13) The city of
London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs, both by land
and by water. We also will and grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns,
and ports shall enjoy all their liberties and free customs. * (14) To obtain the general
consent of the realm for the assessment of an `aid' - except in the three
cases specified above - or a `scutage', we will cause the archbishops,
bishops, abbots, earls, and greater barons to be summoned individually by
letter. To those who hold lands directly of us we will cause a general
summons to be issued, through the sheriffs and other officials, to come
together on a fixed day (of which at least forty days notice shall be given)
and at a fixed place. In all letters of summons, the cause of the summons
will be stated. When a summons has been issued, the business appointed for
the day shall go forward in accordance with the resolution of those present,
even if not all those who were summoned have appeared. * (15) In future we will
allow no one to levy an `aid' from his free men, except to ransom his person,
to make his eldest son a knight, and (once) to marry his eldest daughter. For
these purposes only a reasonable `aid' may be levied. (16) No man shall be
forced to perform more service for a knight's `fee', or other free holding of
land, than is due from it. (17) Ordinary lawsuits
shall not follow the royal court around, but shall be held in a fixed place. (18) Inquests of novel
disseisin, mort d'ancestor, and darrein presentment shall be taken only in
their proper county court. We ourselves, or in our absence abroad our chief
justice, will send two justices to each county four times a year, and these
justices, with four knights of the county elected by the county itself, shall
hold the assizes in the county court, on the day and in the place where the
court meets. (19) If any assizes
cannot be taken on the day of the county court, as many knights and
freeholders shall afterwards remain behind, of those who have attended the court,
as will suffice for the administration of justice, having regard to the
volume of business to be done. (20) For a trivial
offence, a free man shall be fined only in proportion to the degree of his
offence, and for a serious offence correspondingly, but not so heavily as to
deprive him of his livelihood. In the same way, a merchant shall be spared
his merchandise, and a husbandman the implements of his husbandry, if they
fall upon the mercy of a royal court. None of these fines shall be imposed
except by the assessment on oath of reputable men of the neighbourhood. (21) Earls and barons
shall be fined only by their equals, and in proportion to the gravity of
their offence. (22) A fine imposed upon
the lay property of a clerk in holy orders shall be assessed upon the same
principles, without reference to the value of his ecclesiastical benefice. (23) No town or person
shall be forced to build bridges over rivers except those with an ancient
obligation to do so. (24) No sheriff,
constable, coroners, or other royal officials are to hold lawsuits that
should be held by the royal justices. * (25) Every county,
hundred, wapentake, and tithing shall remain at its ancient rent, without
increase, except the royal demesne manors. (26) If at the death of
a man who holds a lay `fee' of the Crown, a sheriff or royal official
produces royal letters patent of summons for a debt due to the Crown, it
shall be lawful for them to seize and list movable goods found in the lay
`fee' of the dead man to the value of the debt, as assessed by worthy men.
Nothing shall be removed until the whole debt is paid, when the residue shall
be given over to the executors to carry out the dead man s will. If no debt
is due to the Crown, all the movable goods shall be regarded as the property
of the dead man, except the reasonable shares of his wife and children. * (27) If a free man
dies intestate, his movable goods are to be distributed by his next-of-kin
and friends, under the supervision of the Church. The rights of his debtors
are to be preserved. (28) No constable or
other royal official shall take corn or other movable goods from any man
without immediate payment, unless the seller voluntarily offers postponement
of this. (29) No constable may
compel a knight to pay money for castle-guard if the knight is willing to
undertake the guard in person, or with reasonable excuse to supply some other
fit man to do it. A knight taken or sent on military service shall be excused
from castle-guard for the period of this servlce. (30) No sheriff, royal
official, or other person shall take horses or carts for transport from any
free man, without his consent. (31) Neither we nor any
royal official will take wood for our castle, or for any other purpose,
without the consent of the owner. (32) We will not keep
the lands of people convicted of felony in our hand for longer than a year
and a day, after which they shall be returned to the lords of the `fees'
concerned. (33) All fish-weirs
shall be removed from the Thames, the Medway, and throughout the whole of
England, except on the sea coast. (34) The writ called
precipe shall not in future be issued to anyone in respect of any holding of
land, if a free man could thereby be deprived of the right of trial in his
own lord's court. (35) There shall be
standard measures of wine, ale, and corn (the London quarter), throughout the
kingdom. There shall also be a standard width of dyed cloth, russett, and
haberject, namely two ells within the selvedges. Weights are to be
standardised similarly. (36) In future nothing
shall be paid or accepted for the issue of a writ of inquisition of life or
limbs. It shall be given gratis, and not refused. (37) If a man holds land
of the Crown by `fee-farm', `socage', or `burgage', and also holds land of
someone else for knight's service, we will not have guardianship of his heir,
nor of the land that belongs to the other person's `fee', by virtue of the
`fee-farm', `socage', or `burgage', unless the `fee-farm' owes knight's
service. We will not have the guardianship of a man's heir, or of land that
he holds of someone else, by reason of any small property that he may hold of
the Crown for a service of knives, arrows, or the like. (38) In future no
official shall place a man on trial upon his own unsupported statement,
without producing credible witnesses to the truth of it. + (39) No free man shall
be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or
outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we
proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful
judgement of his equals or by the law of the land. + (40) To no one will we
sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice. (41) All merchants may
enter or leave England unharmed and without fear, and may stay or travel
within it, by land or water, for purposes of trade, free from all illegal
exactions, in accordance with ancient and lawful customs. This, however, does
not apply in time of war to merchants from a country that is at war with us.
Any such merchants found in our country at the outbreak of war shall be
detained without injury to their persons or property, until we or our chief
justice have discovered how our own merchants are being treated in the
country at war with us. If our own merchants are safe they shall be safe too.
* (42) In future it
shall be lawful for any man to leave and return to our kingdom unharmed and
without fear, by land or water, preserving his allegiance to us, except in
time of war, for some short period, for the common benefit of the realm.
People that have been imprisoned or outlawed in accordance with the law of
the land, people from a country that is at war with us, and merchants - who
shall be dealt with as stated above - are excepted from this provision. (43) If a man holds
lands of any `escheat' such as the `honour' of Wallingford, Nottingham,
Boulogne, Lancaster, or of other `escheats' in our hand that are baronies, at
his death his heir shall give us only the `relief' and service that he would
have made to the baron, had the barony been in the baron's hand. We will hold
the `escheat' in the same manner as the baron held it. (44) People who live
outside the forest need not in future appear before the royal justices of the
forest in answer to general summonses, unless they are actually involved in
proceedings or are sureties for someone who has been seized for a forest
offence. * (45) We will appoint
as justices, constables, sheriffs, or other officials, only men that know the
law of the realm and are minded to keep it well. (46) All barons who have
founded abbeys, and have charters of English kings or ancient tenure as
evidence of this, may have guardianship of them when there is no abbot, as is
their due. (47) All forests that have
been created in our reign shall at once be disafforested. River-banks that
have been enclosed in our reign shall be treated similarly. * (48) All evil customs
relating to forests and warrens, foresters, warreners, sheriffs and their
servants, or river-banks and their wardens, are at once to be investigated in
every county by twelve sworn knights of the county, and within forty days of
their enquiry the evil customs are to be abolished completely and
irrevocably. But we, or our chief justice if we are not in England, are first
to be informed. * (49) We will at once
return all hostages and charters delivered up to us by Englishmen as security
for peace or for loyal service. * (50) We will remove
completely from their offices the kinsmen of Gerard de Athée, and in future
they shall hold no offices in England. The people in question are Engelard de
Cigogné', Peter, Guy, and Andrew de Chanceaux, Guy de Cigogné, Geoffrey de
Martigny and his brothers, Philip Marc and his brothers, with Geoffrey his
nephew, and all their followers. * (51) As soon as peace
is restored, we will remove from the kingdom all the foreign knights, bowmen,
their attendants, and the mercenaries that have come to it, to its harm, with
horses and arms. * (52) To any man whom
we have deprived or dispossessed of lands, castles, liberties, or rights,
without the lawful judgement of his equals, we will at once restore these. In
cases of dispute the matter shall be resolved by the judgement of the
twenty-five barons referred to below in the clause for securing the peace (§
61). In cases, however, where a man was deprived or dispossessed of something
without the lawful judgement of his equals by our father King Henry or our
brother King Richard, and it remains in our hands or is held by others under
our warranty, we shall have respite for the period commonly allowed to
Crusaders, unless a lawsuit had been begun, or an enquiry had been made at
our order, before we took the Cross as a Crusader. On our return from the
Crusade, or if we abandon it, we will at once render justice in full. * (53) We shall have
similar respite in rendering justice in connexion with forests that are to be
disafforested, or to remain forests, when these were first a-orested by our
father Henry or our brother Richard; with the guardianship of lands in
another person's `fee', when we have hitherto had this by virtue of a `fee'
held of us for knight's service by a third party; and with abbeys founded in
another person's `fee', in which the lord of the `fee' claims to own a right.
On our return from the Crusade, or if we abandon it, we will at once do full
justice to complaints about these matters. (54) No one shall be
arrested or imprisoned on the appeal of a woman for the death of any person
except her husband. * (55) All fines that
have been given to us unjustiy and against the law of the land, and all fines
that we have exacted unjustly, shall be entirely remitted or the matter
decided by a majority judgement of the twenty-five barons referred to below
in the clause for securing the peace (§ 61) together with Stephen, archbishop
of Canterbury, if he can be present, and such others as he wishes to bring
with him. If the archbishop cannot be present, proceedings shall continue
without him, provided that if any of the twenty-five barons has been involved
in a similar suit himself, his judgement shall be set aside, and someone else
chosen and sworn in his place, as a substitute for the single occasion, by
the rest of the twenty-five. (56) If we have deprived
or dispossessed any Welshmen of lands, liberties, or anything else in England
or in Wales, without the lawful judgement of their equals, these are at once
to be returned to them. A dispute on this point shall be determined in the
Marches by the judgement of equals. English law shall apply to holdings of
land in England, Welsh law to those in Wales, and the law of the Marches to
those in the Marches. The Welsh shall treat us and ours in the same way. * (57) In cases where a
Welshman was deprived or dispossessed of anything, without the lawful
judgement of his equals, by our father King Henry or our brother King
Richard, and it remains in our hands or is held by others under our warranty,
we shall have respite for the period commonly allowed to Crusaders, unless a
lawsuit had been begun, or an enquiry had been made at our order, before we
took the Cross as a Crusader. But on our return from the Crusade, or if we
abandon it, we will at once do full justice according to the laws of Wales
and the said regions. * (58) We will at once
return the son of Llywelyn, all Welsh hostages, and the charters delivered to
us as security for the peace. * (59) With regard to
the return of the sisters and hostages of Alexander, king of Scotland, his
liberties and his rights, we will treat him in the same way as our other
barons of England, unless it appears from the charters that we hold from his
father William, formerly king of Scotland, that he should be treated
otherwise. This matter shall be resolved by the judgement of his equals in
our court. (60) All these customs
and liberties that we have granted shall be observed in our kingdom in so far
as concerns our own relations with our subjects. Let all men of our kingdom,
whether clergy or laymen, observe them similarly in their relations with their
own men. * (61) SINCE WE HAVE
GRANTED ALL THESE THINGS for God, for the better ordering of our kingdom, and
to allay the discord that has arisen between us and our barons, and since we
desire that they shall be enjoyed in their entirety, with lasting strength,
for ever, we give and grant to the barons the following security: The barons shall elect
twenty-five of their number to keep, and cause to be observed with all their
might, the peace and liberties granted and confirmed to them by this charter.
If we, our chief
justice, our officials, or any of our servants offend in any respect against
any man, or transgress any of the articles of the peace or of this security,
and the offence is made known to four of the said twenty-five barons, they
shall come to us - or in our absence from the kingdom to the chief justice -
to declare it and claim immediate redress. If we, or in our absence abroad
the chiefjustice, make no redress within forty days, reckoning from the day
on which the offence was declared to us or to him, the four barons shall
refer the matter to the rest of the twenty-five barons, who may distrain upon
and assail us in every way possible, with the support of the whole community
of the land, by seizing our castles, lands, possessions, or anything else
saving only our own person and those of the queen and our children, until
they have secured such redress as they have determined upon. Having secured
the redress, they may then resume their normal obedience to us. Any man who so desires
may take an oath to obey the commands of the twenty-five barons for the
achievement of these ends, and to join with them in assailing us to the
utmost of his power. We give public and free permission to take this oath to
any man who so desires, and at no time will we prohibit any man from taking
it. Indeed, we will compel any of our subjects who are unwilling to take it
to swear it at our command. If-one of the
twenty-five barons dies or leaves the country, or is prevented in any other
way from discharging his duties, the rest of them shall choose another baron
in his place, at their discretion, who shall be duly sworn in as they were. In the event of
disagreement among the twenty-five barons on any matter referred to them for
decision, the verdict of the majority present shall have the same validity as
a unanimous verdict of the whole twenty-five, whether these were all present
or some of those summoned were unwilling or unable to appear. The twenty-five barons
shall swear to obey all the above articles faithfully, and shall cause them
to be obeyed by others to the best of their power. We will not seek to
procure from anyone, either by our own efforts or those of a third party,
anything by which any part of these concessions or liberties might be revoked
or diminished. Should such a thing be procured, it shall be null and void and
we will at no time make use of it, either ourselves or through a third party.
* (62) We have remitted
and pardoned fully to all men any ill-will, hurt, or grudges that have arisen
between us and our subjects, whether clergy or laymen, since the beginning of
the dispute. We have in addition remitted fully, and for our own part have
also pardoned, to all clergy and laymen any offences committed as a result of
the said dispute between Easter in the sixteenth year of our reign (i.e.
1215) and the restoration of peace. In addition we have
caused letters patent to be made for the barons, bearing witness to this
security and to the concessions set out above, over the seals of Stephen
archbishop of Canterbury, Henry archbishop of Dublin, the other bishops named
above, and Master Pandulf. * (63) It is accordingly
our wish and command that the English Church shall be free, and that men in
our kingdom shall have and keep all these liberties, rights, and concessions,
well and peaceably in their fulness and entirety for them and their heirs, of
us and our heirs, in all things and all places for ever. Both we and the barons
have sworn that all this shall be observed in good faith and without deceit.
Witness the abovementioned people and many others. Given by our hand in the
meadow that is called Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines, on the
fifteenth day of June in the seventeenth year of our reign (i.e. 1215: the
new regnal year began on 28 May). Source and Further
Information G. R. C. Davis, Magna
Carta, Revised Edition, British Library, 1989. [7] Copyright © 1995, The
British Library BoardFrom Portico - The British Library's Online Information
Server |
|||||||||||
|
Henry III |
*1207 - †1272 King of England 1216 Duke of Aquitaine
1216 Duke of Normandy
1216 - 1259 Count of Anjou 1216
- 1259 Lord of Ireland 1216 The Council of 15
1258 -1264 |
||||||||||
|
The King
was particularly devoted to the figure of Edward
the Confessor,
whom he adopted as his patron saint
1219.
Obv: Seal of majesty: Crowned king with sword and sceptre L.: Star and
crescent henricvs dei gratia rex
anglie dominvs hybernie. (Douët d'Arcq, James Basire (XIX cent): Great Seal of Henry III from
a Magna Charter of Henri III in the archives of Durham (fig.)). 1219.
Rev: Equestrian seal. Arms: Three
lions passant. L.: Star and crescent henricus dvx normannie et aquitanie comes andegavie.
(Douët d'Arcq; B.L., Cotton Charter XI.53, Basire) In 1230,
the King attempted to reconquer the provinces of France that had once belonged to his father, but the
invasion was a
debacle.
Henry III sailing to Brittany 1230 Matthew Paris Chronica
Majora Corpus Christi College, MS 16, fol. 75v.
Arms of Henry III Peter the Dene window, York
Minster Invaded Poitou in 1242
King Offa seting out on his expeditionDublin Trinity College Library Ms. 177, fol 55vKing Offa’s VictoryDublin Trinity College Library Ms. 177, fol 56As
appears from a manuscript, now in Dublin (Trinity Coll, 177, fols. 55v and 56),
the king's sons in the time of Henry III carried three lions passant Gules on
gold. The representration depicts a campaign of King Offa of East Anglia
(757-796). According to later versions of his holy life, St. Edmund (855- †
869) would have been an adopted son of him: Later, fictitious versions make
him a continental Saxon, born at Nuremberg and adopted by Offa, when on his
way to Rome. Apparently St. Edmund can be seen in the retinue of Offa. A
parallel with Henry III, and his sons Edward and Edmund therefore arises and
it would follow that the arms carried were those of Henry III, Edward I and
Edmund. Being: 1. Offa /
Henry III: Gules (Sable), three crowned lions passant guardant (Or). 2.
Edward: Argent three lions passant guardant Gules; 3. St.
Edmund / Edmund: Argent, three lions passant guardant Gules. It cannot
be reasoned out which campaign of Henry III Matthew Paris took as an example
for this picture, Edward (*12139) and Edmund (*1245) being too young or not
being born for the probable dates. Henry
III planned to go on crusade to the Levant, but was prevented from doing so
by rebellions in Gascony. |
|||||||||||
|
1248-1250
Sixth Crusade: Hist. Angloum B.L. Ms Roy 14.C.VII, Fol. 150. Five Kings take up
the cross, [1250] (a) top of the page between columns: Gules, a
triple-towered castle argent (!): Scutum
regis castellæ, cruce signati. (b) top right margin: azure, six fleurs de
lis or with a banner next to it bearing azure, three fleurs de lis: Scutum regis Francorum, sed vexillum
prostratum in bello; c. right margin: gules, three lions passant gardant
or: Scutum regis Anglorum, cruce
signati; (d) right margin: gules, three galleys or, above the first a
cross formy arent: Scutum regis
Norwagiæ, cruce signati; (...) (e) right margin: John de Brienne, King of
Jerusalem (or crusuly argent, a cross argent): Scutum regis Ierusalem, cognomento Bresne. (...) |
|||||||||||
|
Richard and Saladin; Combat Series Chertsey tiles [8] Object type floor-tile Museum number British Museum
1885,1113.9051-9060 Title (series) Richard
and Saladin; Combat Series Chertsey tiles Description Earthenware floor
tiles, lead-glazed with inlaid slip decoration. Four quarter floor tiles making
up a circular picture, ten surviving fragments. Knight on horseback
representing Richard I (Coeur de Lion) in combat [his adversary Saladin
represented on floor tiles 1885,1113.9065-9070.] Culture/period Late Medieval Date 1250s Made
in: Chertsey (Europe, United Kingdom,
England, Surrey, Chertsey) Findspot Excavated/Findspot: Chertsey Abbey, abbey (Europe, United Kingdom,
England, Surrey, Chertsey, Chertsey Abbey) Materials earthenware Technique slip-decorated lead-glazed inlaid Dimensions
Æ: 256 mm |
|||||||||||
|
Coup d’État 1258 In 1258,
King Henry III faced a revolt among the English barons. Anger had grown about
the way the King's officials were raising funds, the influence of his Poitevin relatives at court and his
unpopular Sicilian policy; even the English Church had grievances over
its treatment by the King. Within Henry's court there was a strong feeling
that the King would be unable to lead the country through these problems. On
30 April, Hugh Bigod marched into Westminster in the
middle of the King's parliament, backed by his co-conspirators, including Simon de Montfort, the Earl
of Leicester, and
carried out a coup d'état. Henry, fearful that he was about
to be arrested and imprisoned, agreed to abandon his policy of personal rule
and instead govern through a council of 24 barons and churchmen, half chosen
by the King and half by the barons. |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
Bigot, Comitis Bivod: Scut aureu crux gul =
Or, a cross gules. LA 171v 11. |
Montfort, Simon de, Earl
of Leicester (†1219): argent, a lion rampant gules. CM16 f.
56; HA14 f. 105v. Comitis de legr: scut
albii leo gul. LA 171v 5. |
||||||||||
|
Under the
Treaty of Paris of 1259, Henry III ceded his French territories to Louis the Saint
and received Aquitaine back as a fief. From that time on the title changes
and the arms with the lions appears in connection with the royal title. In
fact, only since then one can speak of the arms with the three lions as the
royal arms (Gritzner, E. 1902, p. 40)
1259
2. A.: Seal of majesty. L.: X henricvs dei gracia
rex anglie dominvs hybernie dux aquitanie. (Douët d'Arcq) 1259. b.
R. of 2: Equestrian seal. Arms: Three
lions Passant Drie gaande leeuwen. L.:
HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HYBERNIE
DUX AQUITANIE.
(Douët d'Arcq) 1259 ca
c. Mattheus Parisiensis Liber Additamentoru m (B.L. Ms. Cotton Nero D.I.)
fol. 171v: wapen met drie leeuwen: "scut
de gul leones aur", "Dni. Regis" |
|||||||||||
|
2. Argent, a cross Gules |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
1242/49 a. Conrad von Mure, Clipearius Teutonicorum: "Anglice rex, clipeus tuus albus habetur
ibique/Crux transit rubea, spes terra ubique". (O king of England, white is your shield and a red cross, the hope of
the whole world intersects it) |
1259 ca b. Mattheus Parisiensis Liber Additamentorum (B.L. Ms. Cotton
Nero D.I.) fol. 171v: beside the arms with the three lions ("scut de gul leones aur") with the
inscription "Dni. Regis", a coat of arms with a cross. The legend of
it is ureadable apart from the word
"albi". |
||||||||||
|
The arms
with the red cross on a white shield is the coat of arms of the Ecclesia and St. George and as such of
the realms and organisations subordinated to the Holy See. The
council of Oxford decreed in 1222 that the nameday of St. George should be a
natioanal feast-day but only in the time of d Edward III he became the patron
saint of the kingdom (Brittanica: George,
Saint). The
shield with the red cross is, probably not by accident, extensively described
and explained in “The Quest of the Holy Grail” Ch. [2]: The Shield (pp.
53-66) after a manuscript from ca. 1225. |
|||||||||||
|
Edward I |
*1239-†1307 ∞1254 Alianor
of Castile *1244-†1290 Duke of Gascony 1254 Lord of Ireland 1254 Earl of Chester 1254 Lord in Wales 1254 King of England 1272 |
||||||||||
|
King Edward I Westminster Abbey, sedilia The king crowned and with sceptre before a blue
background strewn with lions passant. Coats of arms 1. Azure, three garbs or.
Mattheus Parisiensis Lib. Add. (B.L. Ms. Cotton Nero
D.I.) fol. 171v 13 Chester. Comitis Cestrie:
Scut d'az tarvo dor 1258
a. Le conte de Chestre, de azure a
treys garbes de or. (Glover, 1258) 1275 b. Le countee de Cestre, d'azure trois garbes
d'or (Walf. 1275) 2. Or, three lions passant guardant gules.
The armor
is confirmed by a German poem from the third quarter of the thirteenth
century. In the Turnei von Nantheiz by Konrad von
Würzburg († 1287) the coat of arms of England is described as follows: man fuorte vor im uf daz gras einen gar tiurlichen schilt, der was so rich, daz mich bevilt der manicvalten koste sin mit golde lieht von Arabin was im sin velt bedecket und waren
drin gestrecket entwerhes dri lebarten der glaste muoz ich zarten und ir gezierde reine. si konden
von gesteine durchliuhten und durchschinen und waren
uz rubinen nach hoher wirde lone geleit zein ander schone So three red leopards on a golden field.
[9]
Probably the arms of the heir on the throne were meant and that can only have
been Edward I or II
Secret seal 1254 EDVARDIS AQVITANIE...... 3. Gules, three lions passant guardant or.
Seal of Majesty: Edward
on his throne, crowned and with a sceptre crested with an eagle, and an orb
with a cross. Between two lions saliant and two lions at his feet. L.: X EDWARDVS : DEI
: GRACIA : REX : ANGLIE : DOMINVS
: HYBERNIE : DVX : AQVIGANIE : Equestrian seal Arms: three lions passant guardant Crest: Royal crown L.: X : edwardvs : dei : gracia : rex : anglie : dns : hybernie
: dvx aquiGanie. 1272 a.
Wijnbergen n° 1263.
1275 b.
Walford's Roll: 4: Le Roy d'Engleterre,
gules a trois leopards d'or 1280 c.
Camden Roll: 7: Le rey de Engleterre,
l'escu de goules od treis leopars d'or.
Bag for the royal seal of King Edward I. Courtesy Westminster Abbey,
acc. no. WAM 1494*. The Muniment Room in Westminster Abbey houses a
royal seal bag that is attached to a document dated to 26 November 1280, and
used to protect a wax impression of the Great Seal of King Edward I of England (1239-1307, he reigned from 1272) The
seal bag is made of wool with
a linen lining, intarsia (inlaid) appliqué (with motifs surrounded by laid linen cord)
for the main designs, and silk thread
embroidery for the details. The embroidery is worked in split stitch. 1298 d. Falkirk: 49: Le roy porte de gulez ou trois leopards passauntz d'or. 4. Azure, a cross between four martlets or.
1280
Camden Roll n° 16: Seynt Edward le Rey,
l'escu de azur od une croiz d'or a quatre merloz d'or. The two
brothers Edward I and Edmund Crouchback apparently propagated the cult of their
holy predecessors St Edward (King of England (ca. 963-978) and St Edmund
(King of East Anglia 855-869). Around the same time a banner appears for St.
Edmund (see: Ireland) with three crowns on a blue field.. In fact,
there were still no arms for England, because the arms with the cross are the
arms of the church and the three lions represented the vassality of the
Plantagenets for their French territories. Possibly arms for England were
searched for in this context. This was based on a silver coin of Edward the
Confessor (1042-1066) with a cross between four birds in the corners. These
arms were revived by Richard II (1377-1399). In the seventeenth century they
became the arms of Wessex. |
|||||||||||
|
Alienor of Castile |
*1241-†1290 ∞1254 Queen
consort of Edward I |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Obv.: The
queen with sceptre and eagle-staff. In base a lion passant X ALIANORA DEI
GRACIA REGINA ANGLIE ET DOMINA HYBERNIE Rev.: Tree rising
from the waves with shield, Three lions passant guardant. X ALIANORA DVCISSA
NORMANIE ET AQVTANIE COMITISSA ANDEGAVIE |
Obv. The
queen with lily-sceptre. In base medallion with lion passant guardant Cross&crescent: ALIANORA DEI GRACIA REGINA ANGLIE Rev.: Tree (deracinated?) with shield, Three
lions passant guardant. Cross&crescent: ALIANORA DEI GRACIA DOMINA HIBERNIE ET DVCISSA
AQVITANIE [10] |
||||||||||
|
Edward II of Caernarvon |
*1284-†1327 Heir of the Throne
1284-1307 Prince of Wales
1301-1307 Earl of Chester
1301-1320 King of England
1307-1327 |
||||||||||
|
1. Gules, three lions passant guardant Or and
a label azure. 1280
Camden Roll n° 25: Sire Aunfour porte
les armes le rey de Engleterre a un label de azur. 1284 In August
1284 Edward II succeeded his deceased brother Alfonso (*1273-†1284, Earl of
Chester) as heir of the throne. [11]
1300 a.
Siege of Caerl. 1300:
vs. 400-409: Conduit Edewars li fielz
le roy/ Jovenceaus de dis et set ans/ E de nouvell armes portans./..../ E
portoit o un bleu label/ Les armes le bon roi son pere. 1305 b.
Edward of Caernarvon (afterwards Edward II) bore before 1307 England with a
label azure. (From his seal, 1305) (F.-D. fig. 872). This coat of arms was copied from Alphonso who bore England with a label of five, Azure but of Edmund Crouchback who, during the minority of Edward II certainly qualified as a heir of the throne. This is also suggested by the verse "E de nouvell armes portans". Thomas of Lancaster bore after the death of Edmund his arms augmnented with golden fleurs de lys. Apart of Overigens is het aantal hangers, in het geval van Edmund 4 en bij Eduard II 5 mogelijk niet zonder betekenis. Prince of Wales 2 Argent, three lions passant gardant coward in pale
Gules. [...] with the lions passant, instead of passant regardant, this coat
appears at a much earlier date in a French source, the roll of Vermandois
Herald, of which the lost original is thought to date from c.1300: le prince de Gales porte d’argent a iij
lions de gueules passans l’un sur l’autre a queue entortillee dedans l’une
des jambes du lion de derriere. [12]) (ð Wales). See also
the note under his father Henry III. The second son which Edward II was
also, bore a shield Argent with three
lions Gules King of Engeland 2. Gules, three lions passant guardant or.
An English king receives his arms from St. George From: Walter de Milemete:
Liber de Officiis Regum Oxford, Christ Church Library,
ms. Ch. Ch. 92, fol. 3r.
Seal of Majesty: Edward
on his throne, crowned and with a sceptre crested with an eagle, and an orb
with a cross. Between two castles, two lions saliant and two lions at his
feet. L.: X EDWARDVS : DEI
: GRACIA : REX : ANGLIE : DOMINVS
: HYBERNIE : DVX : AQVIGANIE : Equestrian seal:
Arms: Three lions passany guardant L.: X EDWARDVS : DEI
: GRACIA : REX : ANGLIE : DOMINVS
: HYBERNIE : DVX : AQVIGANIE : |
|||||||||||
|
Edward III |
*1312-†1377 Earl of Chester 1320 Duke of Aquitaine
1325-1375 Duke of Gascony
1325-1337 Duke of Guienne
1325-1375 Count of Ponthieu
1325-1375 King of England 1327 ∞ 1329
Philippa of Hainault *1314-†1369 Tit. King of France
1337/1340-1360 Roman King 10.01.1348-23.04.1348 |
||||||||||
|
Arms: Three lions passent guarant and five labels
1327
Gules, three lions passant guardant or.
í On this royal seal the eagle on
the sceptre appears for the last time
Liber Regalis. The coronation of
a king EDward III and queen Philippa of Hainault (London,
Westminster Abbey, MS 38, f. 20). The Liber
Regalis is a 14th-century coronation manuscript.
So called Crown of Blanche of Lancaster. München, Schatzkammer der
Residenz. [13] Comparison with the crown on the picture above makes
it likely that it in fact is the nuptial crown of Philippa of Hainault in
1329. It later came to be the nuptial crown of Blanche in 1402. The crown first appears in
an inventory of 1399 of the jewels of Richard II. In 1340,
soon after the outbreak of the Hundred Years War, Edward III proclaimed
himself King of France and quartered the arms of France with those of
England, as shown here on his seal. France is represented by fleurs de lis,
England by lions. A dispute
over the succession to the French throne was one of the prime causes of the
Wars of the Roses . In 1328, Charles
IV of France died without leaving a male heir. His two possible successors
were Philip of Valois, the nearest direct male relative, and Edward III of
England, who was the son of Charles's sister and therefore the closest blood
relative. Under French law, however, women were unable to succeed to the
French throne. Although Edward's envoys argued that women were able to
transmit the right to their male offspring, the French nobility decided in
favour of Philip. When war broke out in 1337, however, Edward chose to pursue
his claim to be King of France. The claim
of Edward III. to the throne of France was made on the death of Charles IV.
of France in 1328, but the decision being against him, he apparently
acquiesced and did homage to Philip of Valois (Philip VI.) for Guienne.
Philip, however, lent assistance to David II. of Scotland against King
Edward, who immediately renewed his claim to France, assumed the arms and the
title of king of that country, and prepared for war. He started hostilities
in 1339, and upon his new Great Seal (made in the early part of 1340) we find
his arms represented upon shield, surcoat, and housings as: “Quarterly, 1 and 4, azure,
semé-de-lis or (for France) 2 and 3, gules, three lions passant guardant in
pale or (for England)”. The Royal Arms thus remained until 1411, when upon
the second Great Seal of Henry IV. the fleurs-de-lis in England (as in France)
were reduced to three in number, and so remained as part of the Royal Arms of
this country until the latter part of the reign of George III. Fleurs-de-lis
(probably intended as badges only) had figured upon all the Great Seals of
Edward III. On the first seal (which with slight alterations had also served
for both Edward I. and II.), a small fleur-de-lis appears over each of the
castles which had previously figured on either side of the throne. In the
second Great Seal, fleurs-de-lis took the places of the castles.[14]
1340 Seal
of majesty: Edward seated between two lions sejant guardant, crowned and with
sceptre and orb, between two coats of arms quarterly of France and England. L.: X : edwardVs : dei : gracia : rex : francie et : anglie : et : dominVs :
hybernie : 1340
Equestrian seal: Arms: ¼: 1&4:
Azure, strewn with fleurs de lis Or; 2&3: Gules, three lions passant
guardant Or. Crest: On a ducal hat, a crowned lion statant
guardant Or. L.: X : edwardVs : dei : gracia :
rex : francie et : anglie : et : dominVs : hybernie : (Sandfort
p. 124. Douët d'Arcq n° 10024. Il Sigillo n° 33)
King Edward III after 1340. Brass from Elsing Church,
Norfolk
Arms: ¼: 1&4: Azure, strewn with fleurs de lis
Or; 2&3: Gules, three lions passant guardant Or. Crest: On a ducal hat, a crowned lion statant
guardant Or. 1365 ca
Gelre fol 56v die coninc va engelant: ¼ of France Ancient and England. Crest:
A crowned lion statant guardant or on a ducal hat. .
Photo H.d.V. A rose, fleurs de lys and a sun radiant Cahors, St.Etienne, Chapel,
14th cent. The silver gilt spoon
The
silver gilt spoon has an oval
bowl, divided into two lobes, engraved with acanthus scrolls. The bowl is
joined to the stem by a stylised monster's head, behind which the stem
flattens into a roundel, flanked by four pearls, and a band of interlaced
scrolling, with another monster's head; the end of the tapering stem is spirally
twisted, and terminates in a flattened knop. The spoon
is first recorded in 1349 as preserved among St Edward's Regalia in
Westminster Abbey. Already at this date it is described as a spoon of
'antique forme'. Stylistically it seems to relate to the twelfth century and
is therefore a remarkable survival - the only piece of royal goldsmiths' work
to survive from that century. It was possibly supplied to Henry II or Richard
I. It is
unclear from the 1349 inventory whether the spoon at this date was part of
the chapel plate or simply a secular object. However, it was clearly never
intended for eating or stirring. Its divided bowl and length suggest that it
always had a ceremonial purpose, and its presence among the regalia means
that it has always been associated with coronations. It may originally have
been used for mixing wine and water in a chalice, but it was certainly used
for anointing the sovereign during the coronation of James I in 1603, and at
every subsequent coronation. One suggestion is that the divided bowl was
designed in this fashion so that the archbishop might dip two fingertips into
the holy oil. The spoon
remained among the regalia until 1649, when it was sold off (rather than
melted down like the other items). It was purchased by a Mr Kynnersley,
Yeoman of Charles I's Wardrobe, for 16 shillings. Kynnersley returned the
spoon to Charles II, for use at the coronation in 1661, when the small pearls
were added to its decoration. It has remained in use ever since. The
anointing is the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony, and takes place
before the investiture and crowning. The Archbishop pours holy oil from the
Ampulla (or vessel) into the spoon, and anoints the sovereign on the hands,
breast and head. The tradition goes back to the Old Testament where the
anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet is described.
Anointing was one of the medieval holy sacraments and it emphasised the
spiritual status of the sovereign. Until the seventeenth century the
sovereign was considered to be appointed directly by God and this was
confirmed by the ceremony of anointing. Although the monarch is no longer
considered divine in the same way, the ceremony of Coronation also confirms
the monarch as the Head of the Church of England. Provenance Possibly
made for Henry II or Richard I? First recorded in the Royal Collection in
1349
Tomb effigy of Edward III, Westminster Abbey |
|||||||||||
|
Richard II |
*1367-†1400 1377-1399 ¥ Anne of Bohemia 1382 ¥ Isabella of
Valois 1396 |
||||||||||
|
The Wilton
Diptych, c. 1394-9. 53 Î 37 cm This
painting is presented as follows: King
Richard II is presented by his patron saints, King Edmund, Edward the
Confessor and John the Baptist, to the Virgin and Child. The reverse side
shows arms atrributed to Edward the Confessor, with the quartered royal arms
of France and England and Richard’s personal emblem of the white hart (also
embroidered on the dresses of the eleven angels and on the gown of the kin).(National
Gallery, London.) [15] ! However
!
Birth of Richard II, 6 January 1367 As on the Wilton Diptych The Virgin Mary, assisted by eleven angels
ensigned with white stags, presenting new born Richard to his father and
mother (represented on the left wing of the diptych). One angel acting as a
standard bearer of the banner of England.
This is a
portrait of Edward the Black Prince
(†1376) and his wife Joan Fair Maid of Kent (†1385) receiving Richard II from
the Virgin Mary in 1367. Attending are Edward III (†1377) (father of Edward
Black Prince) and St. John Baptist, patron of Joan.
Edward the Black Prince receives Aquitania from his
father, 1360
Joan, Fair Maid of Kent Her robe strewn with stags |
|||||||||||
|
King Ricard II, 1390 with crown, orb and sceptre.
His dress strewn with his royal cypher. Anonymus, Westminster Abbey |
|||||||||||
|
Arms of Richard II on the Wilton-diptych Arms: Per pale of Edward the Confessor and Edward III Crest: A ducal hat and a lion statant guardant Or |
|||||||||||
|
Sir
Simon de Fellbrigge K.C. Standard
bearer to Richard II In Fellbrigg Church,
Norfolk, 1416. Standard per pale of Edward the Confessor and Edward III On his shoulders ailettes of
St. George Around his leg a Garter of
the Order of the Garter Æ
Secret seal with crowned arms parted of
the arms of Edward the confessor and Edward III |
|
||||||||||
|
1377 Seal of majesty: Richard II seated between two
lions sejant guardant, crowned and with sceptre and orb, between two coats of
arms quarterly of France and England. L.: RICardVs : dei : gracia : rex : francie et : anglie : et : Dns :
hIbernie : 1377 Equestrian seal: Arms: ¼: 1&4: Azure, strewn with fleurs de lis Or; 2&3:
Gules, three lions passant guardant Or. Crest: On a ducal hat, a crowned lion statant
guardant Or. L.: RICardVs : dei : gracia : rex : francie et : anglie : et : Dns :
hIbernie : |
|||||||||||
|
Deer or stag on
the Wilton Diptych |
|||||||||||
|
According
to Sandford the stag was the device of Joan of Kent. The stag may be the
symbol of the Older Teacher (Psychopompos)
and probably refers to Pope Innocent VI (1352-†1362) who dispensated Joan to
marry Edward the Black prince in 1361 when her first husband, Thomas de
Holand, had died in 1360. The stag was, as a supporter, also used by Thomas
de Holland (*1350-†1397), a half brother of
Richard from the first marriage of Joan. The stag is also represented as the impresa of Richard II in Writhe’s
Garter Book, a facsimile from ca 1640 made for Sir Christopher Hatton.
In the head of this article: Coat of arms of
Richard II by Robert John Parsons BA ATC Herald painter College of Arms, 1975 |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
© Hubert de Vries 2019-05-02
Heraldry of the World