What was the Field of the Cloth of Gold?
An animated introduction
We are fans of the Extra Credits' YouTube channel and love how they tell history, so we asked them to make some for us and tell the story of the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
2 minute read
The History of the Field of the Cloth of Gold Part 1: Universal Peace
When people think of the age of knights and kings, there's one image that comes forward as readily as shining armour and that's the tournament! And this particular tournament will go down in history as one of the most lavish and expansive affairs as a way to broker peace between Henry the VIII of England and Francis I of France. The two kings were locked in a bitter rivalry and were determined to outshine (and outspend) the other.
The History of the Field of the Cloth of Gold Part 2: Royal Frenemies
The tournament kicks off and quickly becomes a very careful balancing act of making sure that both kings are on even ground. This 18-day party is probably one of the most detailed and carefully planned diplomatic events in history. But will it be enough to cement the peace between England and France and to ratify the Universal Peace treaty?
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