Heroic Dreams - All Things Medieval

A couple of months ago I wrote a blogpost about a mysterious pair of medieval burial statues that looked like a king and a queen. Someone had sent me the picture in hopes that I could recognize them. I couldn’t recognize them but I put the word out in hopes that someone out there could. Well, we got a stroke of luck here because a web visitor (Emily) has identified these statues.

They are: Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette (both executed 1793). These kneeling images were ordered by Louis XVIII when the remains of the King and Queen were found in the Cimetière des Innocents, Paris. This sculpture was completed in 1830. It is located in the south Transcept of Saint Denis church in Paris. You can see another picture of this monument and see more of the amazing monuments of French Kings and Queens here. You can also visit the official Saint Denis website here

I have been researching some new medieval stuff (reading through some books) for my latest series of articles and I have run across some interesting and fun facts about medieval life. Thought I would share them with you. Some of this stuff is really amazing. it is really something to peek into the actual lives of people during the Middle Ages.

Medieval Crafts

You have probably well familiar with some of the medieval crafts of the middle ages like the StoneMason, Blacksmith, Armorer, Miller etc but I have turned up some very interesting lesser known, but no less interesting, crafts. here is a list of some of them:

• A Cooper - This is the profession of Barrel Maker
• A Cartwright - Cart Maker
• Hayward or HedgeWarder - HIs duty was to inspect the fences and hedges around the meadows or gardens. And, A blast from teh Haywards horn signals the beginning of mowing or reaping.
• Bailiff - Was hired by the lord to be his general overseer
• Reeve - Was elected by the Peasants to be their representative
• Brewer - Would make various alcoholic beverages, He would hang a green branch over his door which would signify that the brew was ready.  I read an interesting anecdote about a brewer who made a bad batch of brew and was punished for it. They made him drink some of his brew and they poured the rest over his head. This is an official case. I wonder if the bailiff was involved in that.

Some very interesting books:

• Treatise on Manners and Domestic Economy  For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School (Project Gutenburg has this work for free download)
• The Book of the Knight of La Tour-Landry: Compiled for the Instruction of His Daughters (1370)
• Ordinances of Chivalry written by the Knight Hugh de Tabarie in the 12th Century
• Medieval People by Eileen Power ( Medieval people by Eileen Power )
• Life on the English Manor: A study of Peasants Conditions  by HS Bennett ( Life on the English Manor: A Study of Peasant Conditions 1150-1400 (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought Series)   )
• The Art of War in the Middle Ages AD 378 to 1515 by CWC Omen ( The Art of War in the Middle Ages, A.d. 378-1515   )

I have written a new article on my Medieval Castle website. It is all about Harlech castle. this is a castle that was built in 1283 (it took 7 years to build it) and much of it still stands today. Over the course of centuries it was sieged many times - sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully. This castle had a lot of amazing characteristics including how it was built and the fact that it had a water gate which meant it could still be supplied during a siege. This is why it lasted 7 years during one siege.

It is an excellent example of the high art of Castle and Fortress Building.

I have more information about this castle and a drawing of it’s floor plan on my medieval castle website here: The Siege of Harlech castle

I received this picture of a pair of medieval statues (Grave monuments) from a web visitor (Brad) who is a fan of all kinds of medieval things.  He needs help identifying the figures in the picture. I am not sure who these figures are and I could make a few guesses but I want to be sure. Maybe you recognize these statues. The architecture and stained glass in the background, not to mention the dress of the figures gives us some great clues as to the country and time period.

Anyway, If you recognize these figures just send me an email! And thanks for your help!

If you have been following my blog for some time, or if you visit my medieval website you might be familiar with the unusual case of the mysterious medieval chest. Someone sent me pictures of a beautiful wooden chest and wanted to see if I or my readers could lend some insight into what it was, when and where it came from. I got a lot of great responses to this and you can read all about it on my medieval castle website here: The Mysterious Medieval Chest

A lot of the speculation revolved around the front of the chest which had what appeared to be a carving of a castle.

I received an email from somebody (Stephen W.) about this carving on the front of the chest. He proposes that it looks more to be a group of bell tents in an encampment rather than a castle. And it makes sense. I think he has really pegged this just right. Here is a partial quote from the email he sent me:

I have an interest in military architecture, tents and chests and the “castle” idea does not fit with what I saw.

I see a group of bell tents with unusual rounded topped door ways, but with the conical shape depicted in some manuscripts and other depictions (i.e. Lorenzo Ghiberti’s, Gates of Paradise (East Doors), Baptistery in Florence (1425 - 1437 A.D.), second panel from the bottom left, a group of five bell tents.

Some tents have been depicted with dorma windows (i.e. Jean Froissart’s Chroniques de Froissart, The Jousts of St. Inglibert (British Library, MS Harl, 4379, f 23v). The structures show a number of features of bell tents; apex decoration, valance decoration anc clear demarcation between the roof and the side panels.

So this could encampment scene may date from the 15th century and not 13th century, which would correspond with the type of chest and over decoration of the chest. See this link http://www.larsdatter.com/chests.htm for clearer picture of chest design and development over time.The decoration and style of chest looks more like this: http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0002751.html

Here is a picture that he refers us to:

The similiarity is uncanny and I think that Stephen really pegged this! My thanks to him for this insight and for the research he did toward this mystery.

You can also read my previous blogpost about this Medieval Chest here: The Case of the Mysterious Medieval Chest