Stanford University
California, USA
"The Burghers of Calais /Les Bourgeois de Calais"/, 1889 is a sculpture by Auguste Rodin. It was made in twelve original castings and numerous copies.
It commemorates an event during the Hundred Years' War, when Calais, a French port on the English Channel, surrendered to the English after an eleven-month siege. The work was completed in 1889.
In 1346, England's Edward III, after victory in the Battle of Crécy, laid siege to Calais, while Philip VI of France ordered the city to hold out at all costs. Philip failed to lift the siege, and starvation eventually forced the city to negotiate for surrender.
Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders would surrender themselves to him, presumably to be executed. Edward demanded they walk out wearing nooses around their necks and carrying the keys to the city and castle. One of the wealthiest town leaders, Eustache de Saint Pierre, volunteered first, and five other burghers joined him. Saint Pierre led this envoy of volunteers to the city gates.
The burghers expected to be executed, but their lives were spared by the intervention of England's queen, Philippa of Hainault, who persuaded her husband to exercise mercy by claiming their deaths would be a bad omen for her unborn child.
Stanford was founded by railroad magnate, U.S. Senator, and former Governor of California Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane Stanford in 1891.
Stanford University
California, USA
"The Burghers of Calais /Les Bourgeois de Calais"/, 1889 is a sculpture by Auguste Rodin. It was made in twelve original castings and numerous copies.
It commemorates an event during the Hundred Years' War, when Calais, a French port on the English Channel, surrendered to the English after an eleven-month siege. The work was completed in 1889.
In 1346, England's Edward III, after victory in the Battle of Crécy, laid siege to Calais, while Philip VI of France ordered the city to hold out at all costs. Philip failed to lift the siege, and starvation eventually forced the city to negotiate for surrender.
Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders would surrender themselves to him, presumably to be executed. Edward demanded they walk out wearing nooses around their necks and carrying the keys to the city and castle. One of the wealthiest town leaders, Eustache de Saint Pierre, volunteered first, and five other burghers joined him. Saint Pierre led this envoy of volunteers to the city gates.
The burghers expected to be executed, but their lives were spared by the intervention of England's queen, Philippa of Hainault, who persuaded her husband to exercise mercy by claiming their deaths would be a bad omen for her unborn child.
Stanford was founded by railroad magnate, U.S. Senator, and former Governor of California Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane Stanford in 1891.