II.3. A TRADE ROUTE FOR PILGRIMS AND KINGS (rue Saint-Denis)

MENU: 2.3.  TRDE RTE FR PILGRMS & KINGS

"WE ARE NOT MAKERS OF HISTORY. WE ARE MADE BY IT"

-- Martin Luther King

Rue Saint-Denis was a minor trade route until relics of France's most important Christian martyr were deposited in a church near its route. Later the kings made the Saint-Denis Basilica their mausoleum.  

(Relics, end of the third century; mausoleum, sixth century)

The religious and political importance of what had been a humble path became immense. 

                             Plan of Paris, toward 1640, zoom

The very long rue way is made up of segments. All hark back to the past. 

The red arrow shows our walk, the yellow one shows a site.

In brief

• The street that asserted royal power

• Medieval spirits linger

• Transforming rebel neighborhoods

• A hinterland for criminals, nobles and the garment district 

• Louis's arc looms over the route

• Toward the horizon

• Immigrants energize tradition

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II.3.1.

The street that asserted royal power

II.3.1. THE STREET THAT ASSERTED ROYAL POWER

MENU: 2.3.1. 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 mass of French parade images show the power of its kings 

• Marching down rue Saint-Denis

• Royal funerals 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

BIBLE PROCESSIONS INSPIRED THOSE 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 mass of French parade images

 show the power of its kings 

THE MASS OF FRENCH PARADE IMAGES SHOW THE POWER OF ITS KINGS

 

MOST WEB PICTURES ARE FRENCH, AND DATE FROM ABOUT 1450 WHEN THE KINGDOM EMERGED FROM THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR* 

*Its gradually expanding economy is the reason for its strength, which the flourishing production of manuscripts also reflects. About 6000 copyists and illustrators were active in Paris toward 1520 (and accused the suddenly-emerged printers of sorcery). 

-- Le Massacre de la Saint-Barthélémy by Philippe Erlanger, 1966, p. 3

.

They concern French kings, even far away... 

   Louis VII Enters Constantinople by Jean Fouquet, toward 1455 

   

In the provinces...

   Entry of Charles VII to Toulouse in 1441,  zoom

 Entrée de Louis XIV à Toulouse, le 14 octobre, 1659 / zoom (please scroll down) 

       Fête nautique après l'entrée d'Henry II à Rouen le 1 octobre 1550 / zoom

  

Long ago:

Entry of Isabeau de Bavière by Jean Fouquet / zoom

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

As current events:

     Entrée de Francis I de France et du Cardinal Farnese à Paris en 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 the nobility.

Zoom

L'arc construit à Chalons en Champagne pour l'entrée de Marie-Antoinette, venue d'Autriche pour épouser le futur Louis XVI (en 1770).

# # #

The attempt to restore traditional monarchy after Napoleon's defeat brings back the entries: 

*The Restoration, 1815-1830

• Stendhal describes the effervescence and intrigues that take hold of a provincial town when the king makes his entry there.  

-- Chapter The King in "The Red and the Black," 1830.

• The Pope's visit

Entrée du pape Pius VII à Paris en 1819, archives Marc Gaillard

• The coronation of Charles X

Entrée de Charles X à Paris par la porte de la Villette après son couronnement by  Louis-François Lejeune, 1825 / zoom with analysis in French.

The processions proclaim

glory and unity around the king. 

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Marching down rue Saint-Denis

MARCHING DOWN RUE SAINT-DENIS

.

RESIDENTS HANG TAPESTRIES OR SUMPTUOUS CLOTHS 

FROM THE WINDOWS AND TRUMPETS BLARE

            Entry of Charles VII in Rouen, 1449 / zoom

 

   The Crusaders arrive at Constantinople (detail) by Jean Fouquet, mid-15th century / 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

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Growing royal power brings change:

• 1557: Mythology is introduced, reinforcing nobles and kings.

• 1594: Soldiers replace the baldaquin.

   Henry IV arrive à Notre-Dame le 22 mars, 1594 /  zoom

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

L'Entrée de Louis XIII en 1610 / zoom (please scroll down)

. 

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

          L'Entrée royale de  Louis XIV et Maria-Theresa d'Espagne en 1660, no more information / zoom

The change is part of stronger kingship:

Please click and scroll down.

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Royal funerals 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