Comments on: Tudor Tournament at Hampton Court this weekend http://tudorhistory.org/blog/2009/08/28/tudor-tournament-at-hampton-court-this-weekend/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:01:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: salve radix http://tudorhistory.org/blog/2009/08/28/tudor-tournament-at-hampton-court-this-weekend/#comment-949 salve radix Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:24:03 +0000 http://tudorhistory.org/blog/?p=2228#comment-949 Hi Lara, yes, you must be right, I'll tell you for sure after the event. I wonder why the beefeaters have continued to tell everyone that the green was the relevant site! Hi Lara,
yes, you must be right, I’ll tell you for sure after the event. I wonder why the beefeaters have continued to tell everyone that the green was the relevant site!

]]> By: Lara http://tudorhistory.org/blog/2009/08/28/tudor-tournament-at-hampton-court-this-weekend/#comment-948 Lara Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:12:01 +0000 http://tudorhistory.org/blog/?p=2228#comment-948 Cool, thanks for the write-up! I look forward to hearing about the Weir book launch. Re: the execution spot - I'm guessing she writes about the recent research done by the curators of the Tower (which was featured in a documentary from a couple of years ago, which was where I first heard about it). If I remember correctly, they put it at a spot in front of the Waterloo barracks. Cool, thanks for the write-up! I look forward to hearing about the Weir book launch. Re: the execution spot – I’m guessing she writes about the recent research done by the curators of the Tower (which was featured in a documentary from a couple of years ago, which was where I first heard about it). If I remember correctly, they put it at a spot in front of the Waterloo barracks.

]]> By: salve radix http://tudorhistory.org/blog/2009/08/28/tudor-tournament-at-hampton-court-this-weekend/#comment-947 salve radix Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:43:39 +0000 http://tudorhistory.org/blog/?p=2228#comment-947 Yes I was there! The tournament was opened with an introduction by the king’s brother -in-law, the Duque of Suffolk. He addressed all of us, nobles on one side of the barrier (my side off course!), and commoners on the other side, and explained that he himself has not jousted since the famous accident back in 1528 when he charged, not realizing the visor on the king’s helmet was up, and that although the King was quick to reassure everyone that he was fine, Brandon explained that being only too aware that the Tower was close by, vowed never to joust against the King again. This was the year 1535, King and Queen Anne Boleyn entered with their courtiers in procession with great pomp and some cheer, although someone seating next to me, shouted “Off with her head!” Suffolk, having first instructed all of us to seat on the grass, so that the people behind could see, upon the HenryVIII and his queen passing, commented how moved he was with such loyalty and devotion from all of us, that elsewhere in the country, everyone raised when they saw the King and Queen but that here at Hampton Court people just prostrated themselves on the floor… Then the King appeared disguised as the Knight of the Sun, represented by a little golden ball on top of his helmet and at the tip of his lance, followed by an incognito knight representing the moon. Both knights had their poems dedicated to the Queen, and read by her, and after some hesitation, she decide to let the audience cast their vote. The mysterious knight of the moon won the Queen’s favour, with much loud cheer to the obvious disappointment of the King. Then the tournament started, first with a foot combat by the Turks army, in their impressive uniforms and with their curved swords. At last the jousting started. The mysterious knight of the moon and his horse, finely attired made the king look droopy by comparison, and right from the first charge where the knight of the moon broke the king’s lance it was obvious for us all to see who had the advantage… After some drama, when the king was hit on the chest, and feigned to fall from his horse with much concern from his courtiers, the knight of the moon who was clearly in front, lost his points and became slightly behind… the queen was quick to comment on this, and so after a change of heads suggested by the king, where they changed sides on the jousting barrier, and where lances with sharp spears, as if for war, were brought, the tournament ended with a “fabricated” result where the King was just an honourable point behind the knight of the moon. The Queen was happy with the result, too happy for her own good, if you ask me, as she had a wage on the outcome and won £20! It was now time to reveal the identity of this mysterious knight, and there were loud exclamations and great cheer when he took his helmet off to reveal himself to be no other then George Boleyn, the queen’s brother! She presented him with a prize of money, and the Golden Apple from the Garden of Hesperides that she had been given at her coronation. It was a great show. Incidentally George Boleyn was played by Dr. Toby Capwell who is an expert in jousting and the author of the book “Wolf Hall” Yes I was there! The tournament was opened with an introduction by the king’s brother -in-law, the Duque of Suffolk. He addressed all of us, nobles on one side of the barrier (my side off course!), and commoners on the other side, and explained that he himself has not jousted since the famous accident back in 1528 when he charged, not realizing the visor on the king’s helmet was up, and that although the King was quick to reassure everyone that he was fine, Brandon explained that being only too aware that the Tower was close by, vowed never to joust against the King again.

This was the year 1535, King and Queen Anne Boleyn entered with their courtiers in procession with great pomp and some cheer, although someone seating next to me, shouted “Off with her head!”

Suffolk, having first instructed all of us to seat on the grass, so that the people behind could see, upon the HenryVIII and his queen passing, commented how moved he was with such loyalty and devotion from all of us, that elsewhere in the country, everyone raised when they saw the King and Queen but that here at Hampton Court people just prostrated themselves on the floor…

Then the King appeared disguised as the Knight of the Sun, represented by a little golden ball on top of his helmet and at the tip of his lance, followed by an incognito knight representing the moon.

Both knights had their poems dedicated to the Queen, and read by her, and after some hesitation, she decide to let the audience cast their vote.

The mysterious knight of the moon won the Queen’s favour, with much loud cheer to the obvious disappointment of the King.

Then the tournament started, first with a foot combat by the Turks army, in their impressive uniforms and with their curved swords.

At last the jousting started. The mysterious knight of the moon and his horse, finely attired made the king look droopy by comparison, and right from the first charge where the knight of the moon broke the king’s lance it was obvious for us all to see who had the advantage…

After some drama, when the king was hit on the chest, and feigned to fall from his horse with much concern from his courtiers, the knight of the moon who was clearly in front, lost his points and became slightly behind… the queen was quick to comment on this, and so after a change of heads suggested by the king, where they changed sides on the jousting barrier, and where lances with sharp spears, as if for war, were brought, the tournament ended with a “fabricated” result where the King was just an honourable point behind the knight of the moon.
The Queen was happy with the result, too happy for her own good, if you ask me, as she had a wage on the outcome and won £20!

It was now time to reveal the identity of this mysterious knight, and there were loud exclamations and great cheer when he took his helmet off to reveal himself to be no other then George Boleyn, the queen’s brother!

She presented him with a prize of money, and the Golden Apple from the Garden of Hesperides that she had been given at her coronation.

It was a great show. Incidentally George Boleyn was played by Dr. Toby Capwell who is an expert in jousting and the author of the book “Wolf Hall”

]]> By: salve radix http://tudorhistory.org/blog/2009/08/28/tudor-tournament-at-hampton-court-this-weekend/#comment-946 salve radix Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:16:10 +0000 http://tudorhistory.org/blog/?p=2228#comment-946 Hi Lara, congratulations on the 1000th post, your website is great. Yes I was there yesterday, and I've got some photos too. I'm writting it up, and will be sending it shortly. I live in London, and because of the study I'm doing on Henry, I've been to most of the events, but I've been so caught up by my own obssessive research that hardly find the time to report on the events - I know, it is very selfish. To redeem myself, I'm sending you material from the tournament, and I also promise to write something about the launch of "The Lady in the Tower" Alison Weir's event at the Tower of London, on the 9th Sept. Apparently there is some new revelation as to the site where Anne was executed, as the beefeaters have been telling people for generations that the scafold as at the green, right in front on the St Peter of the Vincula Chapel, but after all Alison, found new evidence that this wasn't the case... anyway it all be revealed on the night! best wishes Hi Lara,
congratulations on the 1000th post, your website is great.
Yes I was there yesterday, and I’ve got some photos too.
I’m writting it up, and will be sending it shortly.
I live in London, and because of the study I’m doing on Henry, I’ve been to most of the events, but I’ve been so caught up by my own obssessive research that hardly find the time to report on the events – I know, it is very selfish. To redeem myself, I’m sending you material from the tournament, and I also promise to write something about the launch of “The Lady in the Tower” Alison Weir’s event at the Tower of London, on the 9th Sept.
Apparently there is some new revelation as to the site where Anne was executed, as the beefeaters have been telling people for generations that the scafold as at the green, right in front on the St Peter of the Vincula Chapel, but after all Alison, found new evidence that this wasn’t the case… anyway it all be revealed on the night!
best wishes

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