The Royal Visit of King Francis I

History Enrichment Project

Oscar

The State Visit

King Henry VIIIKing of England

King Francis IKing of France

Thomas CromwellPrincipal Secretary and Chief Minister to King Henry

Host Guest Organiser

The State Visit

Sir,

King Francis of France is visiting King Henry to discuss an Alliance against King Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire. The King wishes to receive King Francis at a feast and banquet at Hampton Court Palace on the first of June 1535.

Please make sure that all the state chambers are made ready, the kitchens are fully staffed, sufficient food is ordered and that a great feast is prepared for his Majesty, the Court and Royal Guests.

The King and King Francis will arrive by Royal Barge at mid day and expect to stay for four days. King Francis’s advisors have informed me that the guest party will be 300 persons, including Prince Henry, Dauphin of Viennois and Prince Charles, Duke of Orléans.

God speed your preparations and God save the King

Thomas CromwellPrincipal Secretary and Chief Minister to King Henry VIII

Keeper of the Royal HouseholdHampton Court Palace

First of March 1535

• Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Wolsely in 1514

• Wolsey gave the Palace to the King in 1525

• Henry then spent over 10 years improving the Palace

Location: Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace

• The Royal Visit will make use of a large number of key rooms at the Palace including:– The Great Hall– The Great Watching

Chamber– The Kitchens– The King’s Bedroom– The State Apartments

The Great HallThe Kitchens

The Great Watching Chamber

The State Apartments

The Kings Rooms

State Apartments

• King Francis and his party will stay in the State Apartments

The Great Hall• This is where the feast is

to be held• This is one of the

grandest halls in England• The walls are hung with

tapestries• The most important

guests will sit closest to the King at the head of the hall

• There will also be music and entertainment

The Royal Kitchens

• The Kitchens are the largest in

England – over 50 rooms• They are designed to feed at

least 600 people, twice a day• Over 200 servants work there

The Great Feast - Menu

• First Course– Roast Boar head served with apple sauce

on a bed of bay leaves – Quarter of Stag which has been a night in

salt and cooked in vinegar and nutmeg– Civet of hare (Also known as jugged hare)– Stuffed chicken (with bread sauce)– Pastry deer (with red wine inside)– Manchet bread(bread made with rye and

barley

The Great Feast - Menu

• Second Course– Roast lamb and Boar– White bread– Roe deer, pig and sturgeon cooked in

parsley and vinegar covered in powdered ginger

– Apple tarts and custard– Ginger bread– Stuffed chicken with berries

The Great Feast - Menu• Third Course

– Roast Peacock and Swan cooked and presented in their skins and feathers

– Darioles (wafers) and stars, a jelly part white part red

• Fourth Course– Tart of rice (rice pudding made with thick

cream, sugar and spices) – Raisins, prunes and apricots with

cinnamon

The Great Feast - Menu• Banquet (for the most important guests)

– Cream of Almonds (sweet almond soup)– Gooseberry tart with saffron pastry– Blackbird pie with real birds– Marchpan (marzipan) in the shape of a

Tudor Rose– Apricot paste in the shape of seal crest– Conceit (jam tart shaped like a guests shield)– Sugar plates (eaten at the end of the meal)

• Drinks (served throughout the feast)– Hippocras wine sweetened with spices– Ale

The Royal Visit of King Francis I

The End