Primary sourcePainting1511

1511 Westminster Tournament Roll

Thomas Wriothesley · 1511

An illuminated roll recording a 1511 jousting tournament held by Henry VIII to celebrate the birth of his son, also showing trumpeter John Blanke.

The roll shows Catherine watching the tournament celebrating the birth of her son, at the height of her early marriage to Henry VIII.

Ask Catherine of Aragon about this source View the original

Detail of an illuminated tournament roll painting. A knight in blue armour with gold trim, on a dark horse with a blue caparison marked with gold letters, charges along a tilt barrier toward the left. Behind, a timber stand with a gold-and-patterned roof holds richly dressed spectators, and a crowned figure sits under a blue starred canopy. Foreground figures in tunics and hats stand near the barrier. Other knights in dark armour appear at the right edge. — 1511 Westminster Tournament Roll, workshop of Thomas Wriothesley. College of Arms, London.

About this source

What it is

This painted roll, nearly 60 feet long, was made around 1511 by the workshop of Thomas Wriothesley. It records a joust called by Henry VIII in February 1511 to celebrate the birth of his son to Catherine of Aragon. It is held by the College of Arms in London.

Why it matters

The roll shows young Henry performing as a chivalric champion before his queen, a display of royal magnificence modelled on European court culture. It also contains the earliest known portrait of a named Black person in Britain, the trumpeter John Blanke, who appears twice in the procession scenes, offering rare evidence of Black presence at the Tudor court.

Look closer

Why would a king want such an elaborate, costly record made of a single day's tournament?
What does the inclusion of John Blanke tell you about who was present at the Tudor court, and who usually gets left out of such records?
How is Catherine of Aragon shown in relation to the king, and what does that suggest about her role?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Catherine of Aragon on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.