NARRATOR:
This highly decorative, gilded armor was designed as a display of loyalty to the queen. It was made for George Clifford, the young Earl of Cumberland. Soon after, Cumberland was appointed as Elizabeth’s official Champion at her Accession Day tilts. At this annual event, jousting and tournaments were held at the court to celebrate the coronation. Curator Elizabeth Cleland.

ELIZABETH CLELAND:
Elizabeth and her courtiers really develop this idea of Elizabeth as the Virgin Queen with her group of loyal, valiant knights who would fight to the death to protect her. It’s returning to the idea of Arthurian romance, and it’s making a virtue out of what politically was a bit of an issue, that Elizabeth refused to marry; that there was no Tudor heir to the throne.

NARRATOR:
Medieval chivalry was among a broad range of sources the Tudors drew on to create their distinctive artistic style.

ELIZABETH CLELAND:
I think it is the Elizabethan notion of chivalry embodied. We can almost imagine his body still inside the armor. And he is literally enveloped with Elizabeth’s emblems: there’s no doubt whose champion he is. We can see so many different heraldic devices here. The Tudor rose, of course. The fleur-de-lis, which is a nod to England’s increasingly sanguine claims to the French throne as well. We can see Cumberland’s own device of annulets or small rings. And within the knotwork patterns, there’s Elizabeth’s device of back-to-back Es. They’re a little harder to make out, but there’s one right in the center of Cumberland’s chest, and there’s another in a heart shape just below his neck.

NARRATOR:
It would have been an immensely costly commission. Cumberland’s daughter later reported of her father:

FEMALE VOICE (initially proud, then turning to bitterness):
In the exercise of Tilting, he did excel all the Nobility of his time. All such expensive sports did contribute the more to the wasting of his estate….

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