Spanish Arms and Armour: Being a Historical and Descriptive Account of the Royal Armoury of MadridCalvert, Albert Frederick
History
Spanish Arms and Armour: Being a Historical and Descriptive Account of the Royal Armoury of Madrid
Calvert, Albert Frederick
Arms and armor -- Spain; Real Armería de Madrid
In the reign of Isabel II. the collection was re-installed and
re-arranged. A catalogue was issued for the first time in 1849, the
author being Don Antonio Martinez del Romero--a work displaying
considerable research and industry, but full of errors, and completely
superseded by the catalogue published in 1898 by the Conde de Valencia
de San Juan.
It was to that gentleman that the late King Alfonso XII., soon after his
accession, entrusted the complete re-organisation of the collection.
This was a work presenting extraordinary difficulties, and after three
years of incessant labour, the Conde had the mortification of seeing a
fierce fire break out, which in the night of July 9th, 1884, reduced to
ashes sixty-two flags taken from the enemy, twenty leather shields, and
all the wooden figures prepared for the arrangement of the armour.
Without hesitation the work was begun all over again. The King added new
and priceless acquisitions to the collection, among these being eleven
examples of fifteenth-century brigandine armour (quilted jackets with
the additional protection of plates of iron secured among the pads)
discovered in Aragon, and several of the finest pieces in the armouries
of the Dukes of Osuna and del Infantado.
Her Majesty Queen Cristina, during her regency, was not forgetful of the
interest taken by her lamented husband in this magnificent Museum of
Arms; and, thanks to her, the number of its treasures has been
materially increased. Nor is it likely that any opportunity of adding to
the value and usefulness of the collection will be neglected during the
reign of a young Monarch devoted, like so many of his illustrious
ancestors, to manly exercises and chivalrous traditions.
[Illustration: PLATE 1.
(1 TO 5). CROWNS AND VOTIVE CROSSES OF GUARRAZAR.
(6). REMAINS OF ST. FERDINAND’S ROBE.
(7). MOORISH SPURS OF ST. FERDINAND.
]
[Illustration: PLATE 1A.
CLOAK AND SPURS OF ST. FERDINAND AND VISIGOTHIC BIT.]
[Illustration: PLATE 2.
DON BERNARDO GUILLEN DE ENTENZA, 13TH CENTURY.]
[Illustration: PLATE 3.
DON GUILLELMO RAMON DE MONCADA, SENESCHAL OF CATALONIA, DIED CIRCA 1280
[Illustration: DON JUAN ALFONSO, LORD OF AJOFRIN, DIED ABOUT 1386.]
[Illustration: PLATE 4.
G 22. SWORD AND SCABBARD, PROBABLY BELONGING TO ST. FERDINAND.]
[Illustration: G 21. THE LOBERA OF ST. FERDINAND.]
[Illustration: PLATE 5.
G 22. SWORD AND SCABBARD THAT PROBABLY BELONGED TO ST. FERDINAND.]
[Illustration: PLATE 6.
PEDRO I., KING OF CASTILE.]
[Illustration: PLATE 7.
EFFIGY OF ST. FERDINAND, KING OF SPAIN.]
[Illustration: PLATE 8.
SEPULCHRAL EFFIGY OF DON BERNARDO DE ANGLESOLA, CIRCA 1384.]
[Illustration: PLATE 9.
F 123. BIT, BELIEVED TO HAVE BELONGED TO VITIZA, KING OF THE VISIGOTHS.]
[Illustration: D 11. HELMET-CREST OF MARTIN I. OF ARAGON.]
[Illustration: PLATE 10.
G 4. PONTIFICAL SWORD PRESENTED BY POPE EUGENE IV. TO JOHN II. OF
CASTILE.
G 13. 15TH CENTURY WAR SWORD. PROBABLY BELONGED TO FERDINAND THE
CATHOLIC.]
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