FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD – 1520
England and France have spent the vast majority of their respective histories at war with each other.
The Field of the Cloth of Gold is an example of what happens when France and England try to get along.
The summit was arranged to increase the bond of friendship between two kings following the Anglo-French treaty of 1514.
The whole event was planned by Cardinal Wolsey, from the comfort of his home, Hampton Court Palace.
At 6pm on 7th June 1520, Henry VIII of England met François I of France near Calais, for an astonishingly grand European festival, designed to improve relations between the two great rival kingdoms.
As they approached each other, Henry and François doffed their caps and, dismounting from their horses, embraced like brothers.
The scene was now set for 18 days of celebrations and tournaments at which Henry and François could show-off their skill, wealth, and sophistication.
So magnificent was the occasion that it became known as the Field of Cloth of
It was a rare period of peace and the two kingdom’s decided to celebrate with a massive party.
Of course in reality it was a chance for the two kings to try and outdo each other…..
Set amidst a sea of specially built, and incredibly elaborate, tents, banqueting houses and ‘portable palaces’, the meeting took its name after the massive amount of expensive cloth both countries used, to try to outshine each other.
The tents and the costumes displayed excessive amounts of cloth of gold – an expensive fabric woven with silk and gold thread.
Henry was 28 years old, whilst François was 25. They were both athletic, cultured and ruthlessly ambitious.
Each king had a begrudging admiration for the other, but they were natural rivals.
Each king tried to outshine the other, with their dazzling clothes, huge feasts, music, jousting and games.
An estimated 12,000 people attended the Field of Cloth of Gold and all had to be catered for.
Large kitchen tents and bread ovens were erected in the encampments, and food supplies were sourced from far and wide.
English food and drink accounts reveal that they took nearly 200,000 litres of wine, and 66,000 litres of beer.
Some of this ran through the wine fountain that stood in front of Henry’s temporary palace.
English food supplies included 98,000 eggs, more than 2,000 sheep, 13 swans, and three porpoises.
The most elaborate arrangements were made for the accommodation of the two monarchs and their large retinues.
On Henry’s part especially, no efforts were spared to make a great impression in Europe with this meeting.
Henry’s ‘palace’ was in four blocks with a central courtyard.
Each side was 328 feet long.
The only solid part was the brick base.
Above the brickwork, the 30-foot high walls were made of cloth or canvas on timber frames, painted to look like stone or brick.
Queens Katharine of Aragon and Claude of France were in positions of considerable influence at the Field of Cloth of Gold.
Katharine was an experienced diplomat in her own right, and an expert hostess.
She had been married to Henry for 11 years, yet, had not delivered Henry the son that he longed for.
A heavily-pregnant Queen Claude had already given François two boys, and overshadowed Katharine with her skills as a political mediator at the event.
Katharine and Claude hosted the feasts, dances, and theatrical entertainments that filled the evenings. Katherine entertained François in the English camp, while Claude hosted Henry in the French camp.
Katharine wore traditional Spanish costumes.
Her Spanish hair style, with a plait of hair encased in a jewelled tranzado coif, would have appeared very different to English and French women.
This clothing choice at the Field of the Cloth of Gold emphasized her affinity with Spain.
Coincidentally, Anne Boleyn may also have been at the Field of Cloth of Gold, in the retinue of Queen Claude.
Within a decade, Henry would have abandoned Katharine in favour of Anne.
In King Henry’s retinue was the presence of two royal monkeys covered in gold leaf.
These were known to have been gifts from the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, and brought much laughter and merriment from François.
Cardinal Wolsey recounts,
“The French King was overcome with much curiosity playing with those little knaves that did all they could to steal and pester his advisers, yet he willed them to be present at every banquet”
The event was hugely expensive and turned out to be a waste of time, diplomatically speaking.
Both kings had huge, sensitive egos that were beginning to spiral out of control during the event.
A highlight of the event was meant to be a wrestling match between Henry and François.
Things are said to have quickly gone sour after Henry’s defeat!
However, when The Field of Cloth of Gold ended on Sunday 24th June, with another round of elaborate banquets – Henry and François exchanged expensive gifts of exquisite goldsmiths’ work, fine horses and parted on good terms.
?? The Field of the Cloth of Gold, c. 1545 in the Royal Collection at Hampton Court.
Henry VIII on horseback approaches at bottom left.
