II.3.2. THE STREET THAT ASSERTED ROYAL POWER

MENU: 2.3.2. The street of royal power 

KINGS MARCHED DOWN RUE SAINT-DENIS FOR "JOYOUS ENTRIES," AND COURTIERS MARCHED UP IT TO ENTOMB THEM

The city's most opulent street under the monarchy retains traces of grandeur.

 

    Entry of Louis XI to Paris by Francis Tattegrain, 1889-90 / zoom

       For more images and a text (in French), please click.

Aspects of monarchy

• Parades that unite kings and subjects

• The exceptional number of French entries...

• Marching down rue Saint-Denis

• Royal funeral processions take the route in reverse

• The vanished gate

• Beyond the gate, the royal gibbet

• Public executions, demonstrations of power

• Executioners, necessary pariahs

• Now a street that is pleasant and pedestrian

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Parades unite kings and subjects

PARADES THAT UNITE KINGS AND SUBJECTS

PROCESSIONS OF THE BIBLE AND ANTIQUITY INSPIRED THE ENTRIES OF CHRISTIAN KINGS

     Christ Enters Jerusalem, toward 1480 / zoom

The Triumph of Josephat, toward 1470 / zoom

They celebrated major events associated with the crown: weddings, coronations, victories or visits.

The Entry of Louis XII in Genoa by Jean Marot, early 16th century / zoom

From the 16th century, images emphasize the crowd:

            The Joyous Entry of the Duke of Anjou to Antwerp, February 19, 1582, end 16th century / zoom

  

                   The Triumphs of César, 1, the Picture Bearers by Andrea Mantegna, toward 1595 / zoom  

         The Entry of Prince Charles to Madrid in 1623, anonymous, Alcazar de Madrid / zoom

     The Triumphal Entry of Henri IV to Paris, allegory by Peter-Paul Rubens, 1627-1630 / zoom

   The Entry of Marie de Medici to London in 1638 / zoom

 Entry of the Archiduchesse Marie-Elisabeth to Brussels, October 9, 1725 by Andreas Martin / zoom

That evolution coincides

with stronger royal power. 

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The exceptional number of French entries...

THE EXCEPTIONAL NUMBER OF FRENCH ENTRIES...

 

SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS MONARCHY

Most of the images one finds on the web are French: The first date from the middle of the 15th century, when the monarchy emerges strengthened from the Hundred Years War.

• Louis VII enters Constantinople

      By Jean Fouquet, toward 1455  

   

• Entries in provincial towns*

*Stendhal describes the excitement and intrigues of a provincial town when the king made his entry in the 1820's (the chapter The King in "The Red and the Black," 1830).

   Entry of Charles VII to Toulouse in 1441,  zoom

   Entry of Louis XIV to Toulouse, on October 14, 1659 / zoom (please scroll down)

                                                              Nautical fête after the entry of Henry II, October 1, 1550 / zoom

• In Paris

Entry of Isabeau de Bavière by Jean Fouquet, mid-15th century / zoom

Jousting in Paris at the entry of  Isabelle of Bavaria on 22 August 1389, detail, " Chroniques de Froissart " / zoom (scroll down)

     Entry of Francis I of France and Cardinal Farnese to Paris in 1540 by Taddeo Zuccari, 1559 / zoom

Notice the white horse, symbol of heroism...

   Sketch / zoom

And the nude horseman, symbol of the gods, so of nobility.

# # #

The attempted return to traditional monarchy* after Napoleon's defeat resuscitate the entries for a time:

*The Restauration, 1815-1830

• The visit of the Pope 

Entry of Pope Pius VII to Paris in 1819, Marc Gaillard archive  

• The coronation of Charles X

Entry of Charles X to Paris by the Villette gate after his Coronation by Louis-François Lejeune, 1825 / zoom with analysis.

The parades proclaim 

glory and unity.

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Marching down rue Saint-Denis

MARCHING DOWN RUE SAINT-DENIS

.

RESIDENTS HANG TAPESTRIES OR SUMPTUOUS CLOTHS 

FROM THE WINDOWS 

            Entry of Charles VII in Rouen, 1449 / zoom

Knights joust at halts:

Entry of Isabeau of Bavaria in Paris,1389, "Froissart's Chronicles" / zoom

Jesters and elegant youths add fun and glamour:

Entry of Isabeau of Bavaria in 1385 (cut) by Jean Fouquet / zoom

# # #

Growing royal power brings change:

• 1557: Mythology is introduced, reinforcing nobles and kings

• 1594: Soldiers replace the baldaquin

   Henry IV arrives at Notre-Dame on March 22, 1594 /  zoom

• 1610: Louis XIII begins his entry at the Bastille fortress, on the other side of town

The Entry of Louis XIII in 1610 / zoom (please scroll down)

. 

• 1661: Louis XIV's entry concludes not at Notre-Dame Cathedral but at the Louvre palace, after it wheels about in front of the statue of the Bourbon dynasty's founder (Henri IV, 1585-1610).

          The Royal Entry of  Louis XIV and Maria-Theresa of Spain in 1660, no more information / zoom

The change is part of stronger kingship:

Please click and scroll down.

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Royal funeral processions take the route in reverse

ROYAL FUNERALS TAKE THE ROUTE IN REVERSE

THE KINGS' MAUSOLEUM AT THE SAINT-DENIS BASILICA EVOKES THE START OF CHRISTIANITY IN FRANCE

     Adapted from a map of 1565 / zoom

Zoom

       From the exhibit The King is dead (Louis XIV, in 1715) at Versailles

  The funerary cortège of Charles VI in 1522 (cut) / zoom

Burial of Philippe le Bel, 1314 / zoom

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The vanished gate

THE VANISHED GATE

PARTICIPANTS MET AT THE BASILICA, MARCHED DOWN RUE SAINT-DENIS AND ENTERED TOWN AT THE RAMPART GATE

            Paris in 1530 / zoom

Entry of Jean II le Bon, September 27, 1350 by Jean Fouquet, toward 1475, zoom

     Entry of Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, August 22, 1389 / zoom

Entry of Charles VII in 1436 / zoom  (for other images, please scroll down)

Entry for the Marriage of Isabeau of Bavaria in 1385 / zoom

      Charles IV greets Isabelle of France in 1325 / zoom 

     Another version of the entry pictured above, Froissart's Chronicle, zoom

# # #

 

Only a sign marks the gate's location, which one needs sharp eyes to see:

 

I myself, looking for the sign,

may not notice it as I pass. 

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Next,

Beyond the gate, the royal gibbet