little_miss_sunnydale
Brass depicting Elizabeth Blount, Henry VIII's mistress
Palimpsest brass, Flemish, c.1410
Re-engraved in England, about 1530.
‘Palimpsest’ describes a commemorative brass plaque that has been reused. The front depicts Elizabeth Blount, mother of Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond and Somerset. On the reverse (originally the front), is the head of the Virgin in a medieval architectural setting.
Elizabeth Blount (c.1500–1539/41), was the second daughter of John Blount of Kinlet and his wife, Katherine, heir of Sir Hugh Peshall of Knightley and his wife, Isabel Stanley of Elford. The Blounts had ties to Prince Arthur’s court at Ludlow, and subsequently to Arthur’s wife (and later Henry VIII’s wife), Katherine of Aragon. In March 1512, Elizabeth became one of Katherine’s maids of honour. She stayed at court till October 1518; there is no further reference to her at court from then onwards.
Elizabeth began an affair with Henry VIII, perhaps sometime in 1514. How long the affair lasted is unknown. The main evidence for the affair is Henry’s subsequent acknowledgment of the paternity of Elizabeth’s son. The child, named Henry Fitzroy, was probably born in June 1519, by which point his mother was no longer the king’s mistress. Henry’s official acknowledgment of the child came in 1525 when he bestowed titles and other honours on the boy.
In September 1519, Elizabeth married Gilbert Tailboys (c.1500–1530) who had been a ward of the crown since 1517 (owing to his father’s mental breakdown). The couple, who were awarded lands by the king, had three children together, a daughter, Elizabeth, and two sons, George and Robert. Elizabeth’s connections to the king were constantly remembered for she was the mother of Henry’s only acknowledged illegitimate child and for many years his only son. In 1532 the king sent her a sumptuous New Years Gift of a gilt goblet with a cover weighing over 35 ounces. Severeal of her relatives were also employed in her son’s grand household (Fitzroy had been made duke of Richmond and Somerset in 1525).
Gilbert Tailboys died in 1530 and in February 1535 Elizabeth married Edward Fiennes de Clinton, ninth Baron Clinton and Saye (1512–1585), who later became earl of Lincoln. The couple had three daughters, Bridget, Katherine and Margaret. On 23rd July 1536, Elizabeth’s son, Henry Fitzroy, died at St James Palace. Katherine’s own death date is unknown though it was sometime between January 1539 and June 1541. This brass is the only known contemporary image of her, and is on display at the British Museum, London.
Brass depicting Elizabeth Blount, Henry VIII's mistress
Palimpsest brass, Flemish, c.1410
Re-engraved in England, about 1530.
‘Palimpsest’ describes a commemorative brass plaque that has been reused. The front depicts Elizabeth Blount, mother of Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond and Somerset. On the reverse (originally the front), is the head of the Virgin in a medieval architectural setting.
Elizabeth Blount (c.1500–1539/41), was the second daughter of John Blount of Kinlet and his wife, Katherine, heir of Sir Hugh Peshall of Knightley and his wife, Isabel Stanley of Elford. The Blounts had ties to Prince Arthur’s court at Ludlow, and subsequently to Arthur’s wife (and later Henry VIII’s wife), Katherine of Aragon. In March 1512, Elizabeth became one of Katherine’s maids of honour. She stayed at court till October 1518; there is no further reference to her at court from then onwards.
Elizabeth began an affair with Henry VIII, perhaps sometime in 1514. How long the affair lasted is unknown. The main evidence for the affair is Henry’s subsequent acknowledgment of the paternity of Elizabeth’s son. The child, named Henry Fitzroy, was probably born in June 1519, by which point his mother was no longer the king’s mistress. Henry’s official acknowledgment of the child came in 1525 when he bestowed titles and other honours on the boy.
In September 1519, Elizabeth married Gilbert Tailboys (c.1500–1530) who had been a ward of the crown since 1517 (owing to his father’s mental breakdown). The couple, who were awarded lands by the king, had three children together, a daughter, Elizabeth, and two sons, George and Robert. Elizabeth’s connections to the king were constantly remembered for she was the mother of Henry’s only acknowledged illegitimate child and for many years his only son. In 1532 the king sent her a sumptuous New Years Gift of a gilt goblet with a cover weighing over 35 ounces. Severeal of her relatives were also employed in her son’s grand household (Fitzroy had been made duke of Richmond and Somerset in 1525).
Gilbert Tailboys died in 1530 and in February 1535 Elizabeth married Edward Fiennes de Clinton, ninth Baron Clinton and Saye (1512–1585), who later became earl of Lincoln. The couple had three daughters, Bridget, Katherine and Margaret. On 23rd July 1536, Elizabeth’s son, Henry Fitzroy, died at St James Palace. Katherine’s own death date is unknown though it was sometime between January 1539 and June 1541. This brass is the only known contemporary image of her, and is on display at the British Museum, London.