Manuscript Miniature

c. 1490
This miniature, on a folio of Chartier’s Chronicle of Charles VII, depicts the wedding of Henry V and Catherine de Valois.
British Library

Manuscript miniature from Chartier's *Chronicle of Charles VII*. [Source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marriage_of_henry_and_Catherine.jpg)

Manuscript miniature from Chartier’s Chronicle of Charles VII. Source

Connection to Website Themes

Spousal Power Dyanmics: At the time of this marriage, Henry V held the upper hand over the King of France. Henry’s victorious military campaign forced the French king to recognize Henry as the heir to the French throne. The depiction in this miniature presents Henry as a larger figure than the French king, who stands behind the bride, his daughter Catherine. The French appear unsmiling and the bishop may even have a regretful expression. Henry and the English appear more cheerful. Even though Catherine entered into the marriage on the heels of military defeat, she could still leverage her position as the future mother of Henry’s heirs.

Community Social Norms: Royal weddings provided an archetype for the values medieval elites wanted to enact in their weddings. The gathering of a great crowd to witness the marriage ceremony underscores the community aspect of high status marriages. The crowd of family members, courtiers, and clerics all look on as the event unfolds. They, as witnesses, certify its legitimacy and grant it the imprimatur of a sealed agreement between the parties.

Church and State: The creator of this miniature places the bishop at the center of the image and his mitre makes him the tallest figure. In royal weddings, the authority of the Church intertwines with the authority of the State. In the reality of the reality of the historical event of this marriage, Henry’s power exceeded that of all involved. Rather than adhering to the actual power dynamics, the creator of the image re-orients the event to place the authority of the State below that of the Church.

What is Love: Although records exist that praise Catherine’s beauty, Henry made this marriage for entirely political reasons. This is an excellent example of a marriage initiated for non-affective purposes, namely to solidify military gains and to produce heirs to the throne. Perhaps Henry and Catherine hoped they might enjoy each other’s company and that their feelings for each other might grow into tenderness. At the time of their marriage, though, that remained only a potentiality.