Medievalism and Masculinity in the Eglinton Tournament
Chivalry! ---why, maiden, she is the nurse of pure and high affection---the stay of the oppressed, the redresser of grievances, the curb of the power of the tyrant ---Nobility were but an empty name without her, and liberty finds the best protection in her lance and her sword.
These words were fervently spoken by Wilfred of Ivanhoe, the protagonist of Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel, Ivanhoe: A Romance. A disinherited yet loyal knight, the noble Ivanhoe set out on an adventure that saw him taking castles, engaging in sword fights and saving beautiful women. In a world that was changing at an unprecedented pace, many read these words and sought to recreate and interpret its meanings and ideas into their own lives. As industrialisation altered the landscape, the rising middle-classes gained prevalence and women began to challenge traditional roles, medievalism offered a form of escapism to the disenchanted man whilst reaffirming his place in society. Thus, 19th century medievalism would not only go on to inspire art, architecture and literature also influence aspects of masculinity through idealised concepts of chivalry.
On the 28th of August 1839, over one-hundred-thousand people descended on the Scottish county of Ayrshire, making their way to the castle of Eglinton. What had supposed to be a modest affair, a gathering of likeminded Lords and Ladies looking to while away a few summer days, the Eglinton Tournament had sparked the nation’s imagination and, encouraged by the press, had become much bigger than anyone could have anticipated.
Archibald Montgomerie, the 13th Earl of Eglinton, was inspired by a tourney held within the pages of Ivanhoe. Encouraged by his peers, Eglinton aimed to replicate the event with as much authenticity as possible, and so, hired Samuel Pratt to design and produce everything from the armour to the tilts and stands. Pratt, a dealer in medieval armour with a showroom on London’s Bond Street, was deemed the perfect choice, his own words revealing his dedication and enthusiasm for the craft.
To gaze upon the plumed casque of the Mailed Knight equipped for the Tournament, and to grasp the ponderous mace, yet encrusted with the accumulated rust of centuries, cannot failed to inspire admiration for chivalrous deeds of our ancestors.
It was this admiration that Eglinton himself, along with his other “knights”, hoped to provoke through their own armour. Whilst the physical whereabouts of Eglinton’s armour is unknown, a painting by Edward Henry Corbould demonstrates not only the suit itself but the overall effect Eglinton had hoped to achieve in wearing it (image 2). As both ‘Lord of the Tournament’ and its financier, it was only fitting that his armour be the most striking. Whilst the other knights wore suits of silver, Eglinton would stand out in his own extravagant suit of gold that was heavily gilt and engraved with leafy scrolls, a pair of wyverns and, of course, the Eglinton crest. James Bulkeley, one of the spectators, described the effect as ‘dazzling’ and noted Eglinton’s ‘courtly bearing [and] magnificent appearance.’ The precise cost of this particular suit is unknown, however, historian Mark Girouard notes that, along with the equipment for their horse and pavilions, ‘it was unlikely that even a more economic knight would get off for less than £200, at least as many thousands at today’s value.’
Another investment for Eglinton was seen in the artist chosen to depict him in his armour. Edward Henry Corbould was known as a historical painter, illustrating the work of Geoffrey Chaucer and, most tellingly, Sir Walter Scott. By engaging with this popular painter, Eglinton was further showing his preoccupation with the medieval, securing the links between himself and Ivanhoe. This need to display not just wealth but also status reveals a deeper apprehension for the early-Victorian gentleman. In his 1831 study, Thomas Carlyle writes,
For young valor and thirst of action no ideal chivalry invites to heroism, prescribes what is heroic: The old ideal of Manhood has grown obsolete, and the new is still invisible to us, and we grope after it in darkness, one clutching this phantom, another that…
These words not only show an early association between masculinity and chivalry but also a growing anxiety concerning a man’s place. Industrialization was not only changing the landscape but altering society too. With the rise of the bourgeoisie, the importance of capital assets increased, and the standing of landed property decreased resulting in a loss of power for the aristocracy. By looking to the Middle-Ages, Eglinton was invoking not only a period of stability but a system of feudality that ensured his, and his peers, places at the top.
It is unfortunate that the rainclouds which ultimately put an early end to the occasion also hid the sun and thus, the knight in shining armour depicted in Corbould’s painting was never seen at its full splendour. Yet, the image was not completely lost upon its audience. Writing about his experiences of the event American author, Nathaniel Parker Willis, described the vision of Eglinton in his golden armour as ‘chivalric’. The image of the knight in shining in armour was not only synonymous with chivalry but seemed to be the ideas’ physical representation too.
In their study on masculinity, sociologist R.W. Connell states that gender itself is ‘inherently relational’. Thus, I think it’s important to take a brief look at the role women played within the tournament. Though they may not have been among the armour-clad knights on horseback, neither were they confined to the audience. Part of the grand procession was a group of ladies that had formed their own company, the Ballochmyle Archeresses. As a sport that combined a minimal amount of visible exertion with a graceful stance, archery was deemed an “acceptable” form of exercise for ladies. However, there is no evidence to suggest that these women were ever intended to do more than be part of the parade. James Bulkeley dubbed them the Queen of Beauty’s ‘fair guard’, also describing them as ‘the lovely troop’ who were ‘clad in Lincoln green [and] trimmed with swan’s-down’ (image 3).
Describing the ladies as ‘fair’, ‘lovely’ and emphasising their decoration of swan’s-down help in striking a direct contrast to the descriptions given of the lords in their armour. This is seen in the prominence placed upon the women’s ‘fairness’, further highlighting the altogether bolder ‘magnificence’ of the knights. Author Sandra Schwab notes that during an age when female emancipation was challenging traditional roles, this relationality is seen in the passive and active roles expected of the corresponding gender. The Victorian ideal of the ‘delicate’, thus, passive, female allowed for the glorification of the ‘strong’, thus, active male. Regarding the tournament, this passivity is most exemplified in the character of the Queen of Beauty.
On the third day, the rains having subsided, the tournament could finally take place and upon winning a joust, Eglinton was conducted to the Queen of Beauty herself, Lady Jane Seymour. Whilst Bulkeley appreciated the lady’s grace and ‘mild dignity’, she, in turn, was said to admire Eglinton’s ‘dexterity and prowess’. Once again, the very dichotomy of the active and passive being performed. This is further represented in a portrait of Jane where costume, and more specifically armour, is again used to highlight the importance of these ideals (image 4).
Painted by William John Newton, the portrait is a full-length depiction of Jane in her role as the tournament’s Queen of Beauty. Though not obvious from the available version of this painting, her costume was richly coloured. A violet skirt was decorated with golden wings and fleur-de-lis, whilst on top of this sat a crimson mantle along with a jacket trimmed with ermine and miniver. This, as well as her loose curls, veiled head and loosely crossed arms, forms the very picture of ‘mild dignity’ attested to Jane by Bulkeley. The gold of the angel wings upon her skirt would have helped to highlight the gold of Eglinton’s breastplate and helmet depicted to the left. The inclusion of the armour speaks once again of the importance of its image in representing this chivalric masculinity, whilst the decision to decorate Jane’s skirt with angel wings promotes the vision of purity and virtue so valued in women amongst the upper classes. Even though Eglinton himself is not depicted, by painting the two costumes together is reaffirming their different roles in society.
The world was changing and although change is inevitable, it is not surprising that the past is often sought out to offer comfort and a form of stability. Eglinton’s tournament could simply be seen as a magnificent display of wealth, with a few members of the aristocracy getting to play an (albeit extravagant) game of dress-up. However, a deeper look into contemporary societal concerns shows how and why Eglinton and friends sought to re-establish their place in the present through looking to the past.
Secondary Sources Used:
Anstruther, Ian. The Knight and the Umbrella: An Account of the Eglington Tournament 1839 (London, 1963).
Bell, Barbara. ‘The Performance of Victorian Medievalism’, in Jennifer Palmgren and Lorretta Holloway, Beyond Arthurian Romances: The Reach of Victorian Medievalism (Basingstoke, 2005).
Girouard, Mark. The Return to Camelot: Chivalry and the English Gentleman (London 1981).
Kingsley Kent, Susan. Gender and Power in Britain, 1640-1990 (London, 1999).
Mallalieu, Huon. ‘Corbould, Edward Henry’, 23 September 2004 [online source] https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-32568
Schwab, Sandra Martina. ‘What is a Man?: The Refuting of the Chivalric Ideal at the Turn of the Century’, Jennifer Palmgren and Lorretta Holloway, Beyond Arthurian Romances: The Reach of Victorian Medievalism (Basingstoke, 2005).
Primary Sources Used:
Bulkeley, James. A Righte Faithful Chronique of the Ladies and Knights who gained worship at the Grand Tourney holden at his Castle by the Earl of Eglintoun (London, 1840).
Carlyle, Thomas. Characteristics (London, 1831).
Scott, Walter. Ivanhoe: A Romance (1835).
Willis, N.P. Dashes at Life with a Free Pencil (New York, 1845).
Images Used:
Image 1: James Henry Nixon (1839), Archibald, Earl of Eglinton, Lord of the Tournament. Located: Wiki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglinton_Tournament_of_1839#/media/File:Archibald_William_Montgomerie,_Lord_of_the_Tournament.jpg
Image 2: Edward Henry Corbould (1840), Lord Eglinton and Winton, dressed as Lord of the Tournament. Located: V&A, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78689/lord-eglinton-and-winton-dressed-oil-painting-corbould-edward-henry/
Image 3: James Henry Nixon (1839), Duchess of Somerset, Queen of Beauty. Located: Wiki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglinton_Tournament_of_1839#/media/File:Jane_Georgina,_Lady_Seymour,_Eglinton_Tournament..jpg
Image 4: William John Newton (1839), The Queen of Beauty, Lady Jane Seymour. Located: Anstruther, Ian. The Knight and the Umbrella: An Account of the Eglington Tournament 1839 (London, 1963), 223.