Herald's Tabard

Herald's tabard, worn at the funeral of Prins Frederik Hendrik, stadhouder of The Netherlands, in Delft on 10 May 1647. Herald's tabard, worn at the funeral of Prins Frederik Hendrik, stadhouder of The Netherlands, in Delft on 10 May 1647. Courtesy Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, acc. no. NG-KOG-42.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam houses a richly embroidered herald's tabard (Dutch: wapenrok) that was worn at the funeral of Prins Frederik Hendrik van Oranje Nassau (1584-1647), stadhouder of the Netherlands, in Delft on 10 May 1647. Four heralds were wearing such a tabard; a fifth was held up on a standard (see engraving). This is the only one still extant, and measures 90 x 120 cm.

Funeral procession of Prins Frederik Hendrik, 1647.The embroidery on the back, front and sleeves includes the combined arms of Orange and Nassau. Also represented are the arms of other possessions of the deceased, namely Buren, Chalon, Diez, Geneva, Katzenelnbogen, Moers, Nassau, Orange and Vianden. The embroidery is worked in silk and metal thread on a silk ground.

One of the engravings made by the famous craftsman, Pieter Nolpe, depicting the funeral procession of Prins Frederik Hendrik (Delft, 10 May 1647). One of the men, in the centre of the lower register, is carrying a standard with a wapenrok ('herald's tabard'). The engravings were published in 1652 and measure 22.5 x 56.5 cm.

Tha tabard was also worn at the funeral of Prins Willem IV, in Delft, in 1752.

Frederik Hendrik was the grandfather of Willem III, stadhouder of The Netherlands and King of England, Ireland and Scotland.

See also the Needles entry on the jupon of the Black Prince.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam online catalogue (retrieved 20 March 2017).

WV

Last modified on Monday, 20 March 2017 10:32
Published in Secular ceremonies and rituals
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