1520: The Field of the Cloth of Gold

by Amy Licence

1520 explores the characters of two larger-than-life kings, whose rivalry and love-hate relations added a feisty edge to European relations in the early 16th century. What propelled them to meet, and how did each vie to outdo the other in feats of strength and yards of gold cloth? Everyone who was anyone in 1520 was there. But why were the flower of England’s nobility transported across the Channel, and how were they catered for? What did this temporary, fairy-tale village erected in a French field look like, feel like and smell like? This book explores not only the political dimension of their meeting, and the difficult triangle they established with Emperor Charles V, but also the material culture behind the scenes. While the courtiers attended masques, dances, feasts and jousts, an army of servants toiled in the temporary village created specially for that summer. Who were the men and women behind the scenes? And what was the long-term result of the meeting, of that sea of golden tents and fountains spouting wine?

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Tudor Period

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Medieval and Tudor historian, with a particular interest in women's lives and experiences, also dabble in Modernism. I write fiction and non-fiction, also journalism for The Guardian, BBC History website, The New Statesman, The Huffington Post, The English Review and The London Magazine. I appeared in TV documentaries "The Real White Queen and her Rivals" and "The Private Lives of the Tudors." Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Reviews

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1520, two larger than life kings met each other in France for two weeks. This may not sound astounding as many kings left their respected countries to meet other rulers throughout history. It was part of European diplomacy. However, what made this particular period of time extraordinary is the sheer size and the opulence of the event. The King of England, Henry VIII, met the King of France, Francis I, for two weeks of festivities and feasting that we now call The Field of the Cloth of Gold. We often think that this event accomplished nothing because the rivalry between Henry VIII and Francis I continued afterward. Was the purpose of this event to quell the rivalry between the two kings or was there something more behind all the glitz and glam of the Field of the Cloth of Gold? What do the behind the scenes records reveal about this event? Amy Licence explores this event from every angle in her latest book, “1520: The Field of the Cloth of Gold”.

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. When I heard about this book from Amy Licence, I knew that I wanted to read it. Since 2020 marks the 500th anniversary of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, it seemed extremely appropriate to read this book in 2020.

To understand why Henry VIII and Francois I met each other, Licence includes brief biographies of these two dynamic figures and the women that accompanied them to the field in France. Obviously, the information about Henry VIII and his wife Katherine of Aragon was a review for me, but I found the biographies of Francis I and his wife Claude quite fascinating. The relationship between the two kings shaped why this event took place. Licence explains the political negotiations that took place to make such an event happen. She also takes the time to show the role that a third party, Emperor Charles V, took in the timing of the event.

The bulk of this book is the grand event itself. Licence’s attention to detail is meticulous and readers can tell her passion for this subject. What I knew about the Field of the Cloth of Gold before reading this book was an overview of the event, which is why I appreciate the attention to detail in this book. Licence uses letters and descriptions from those who were able to attend this event to show the vast scale of each day. From jousting to feasts, balls, and masques, there was so much symbolism and revelry to be had by all. To pull off a spectacle such as this on both sides, it was the craftsmen, the cooks, and the temporary villages of people who made these two weeks a sensation. Licence shows how much planning and how expensive it was to throw a party of this magnitude and what impact it had on political decisions after the pavilions and temporary palaces went down.

I found myself thoroughly enjoying the intricate details that Licence included with her stylistic yet readable writing style. Licence made her readers feel like they had a front-row seat to the Field of the Cloth of Gold while being academic and very well researched. I found myself imagining the splendor of those two weeks. If you want a tremendous book on this extravaganza of 16th-century European grandeur, I highly recommend you read, “1520: The Field of the Cloth of Gold” by Amy Licence.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Licence clearly did a lot of excellent research for this book. It is filled to the brim with details, and ordinarily that would be amazing.... but the fine details here don’t exactly add up to anything. I didn’t get a sense of the big picture. Had I no prior knowledge of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, I wouldn’t really have any solid idea of why it was happening or why it was important. Whilst you certainly get a sense of the grandeur and expense of it all, the legacy and significance of the event gets lost in the descriptions of what people were wearing, how long they jousted for, how much people were paid, when they arrived.... etc.... etc.... etc.....

If you are into the fine details, then you’ll love this book. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, fine details do nothing for me - telling me who went left and who went right in a battle, for example, makes me switch right off - and whilst this book was clearly very well researched, for me it was simply too microscopic a look at a huge event.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 was to be one of celebration as it marked the 500th anniversary of the meeting between King Henry VIII and his French counterpart, King François I at an event called The Field of the Cloth of Gold.

Amy License takes us to that right royal get-together and what we get, is a wonderful insight into the event. It is told beautifully and in a narrative that brings this important moment in history to life for the reader.

Each page is filled with information that the author has drawn from source material such as letters and dispatches from those involved.

The Field of the Cloth of Gold is an important event in Tudor history and Amy License has brought to us not just the magnificence of the event, but the pure logistics of pulling off such a spectacle.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the pageantry of the Tudor period.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised because I have loved all of License's works, but found this to be just so-so.

Instead of a micro-history of the time period through the lens of this international event, we mostly just get biographies of all the main players who attended - and even those who didn't, like Emperor Charles, whom she calls "the spectre at the feast" in his conspicuous absence. That's all well and good, but I wanted the focus to be on the event itself, instead of almost the afterthought its presented as. From just this book alone, I didn't come away with any impression as to why this event is still talked about 500 years later.

[Andrew Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no doubt that this is a well researched book but I expected more. It is a detailed factual account of the meeting between Henry and Francis but there seems to be little by way of in-depth analysis of the reasons and political machinations for the meeting. This book will appeal to anyone wishing to know the logistics involved in organizing such an enormous event, however it sometimes reads simply like a list of who attended, what they wore, what they ate, and how much was spent.

[Tracy Powers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Glenn Richardson's excellent book on the same topic came out only in 2013. This book's just a rehash and offers nothing new. Skip it.