Miranda Kaufmann
Find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube...
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Blog
  • Talks
  • History
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • Art and Theatre Reviews
  • Features
  • Food & Travel
  • Rugby
  • Contact

John Blanke and the More taubronar:  Renaissance African musicians at Peckham Library

1/11/2012

18 Comments

 
PictureJohn Blanke, 1511
Last Tuesday, I headed for Peckham Library to give a talk billed as "African musicians and Renaissance royal celebrations".  This consisted of an exploration of what is known of the lives of John Blanke, pictured here playing at the Westminster Tournament of 1511, and the 'More taubronar', a drummer at the court of James IV of Scotland in the early 1500s. 

The  Southwark Council theme for this year's Black History Month was "Celebration" and in line with that, I showed the role these musicians played in royal celebrations.

 John Blanke performed at Henry VIII's coronation in 1509, and in 1511 at the Westminster Tournament, a huge celebration organised in honour of the new prince, Henry. This child was born to Katherine of Aragon on 1st January 1511, but sadly died only ten days after the Tournament in February. I wonder if the 60 ft long Tournament Roll, (which depicts John Blanke twice, in the procession of people coming to and from the jousting event shown in the centre), was completed in that brief time, or whether they carried on painting it after the prince's death? The Royal Exchequer accounts show that Blanke was paid ten times his usual wage for the Tournament, so he had cause for celebration too! And the following year, he had a personal celebration, as we know he married in 1512 and that Henry VIII gave him a wedding present!

Up in Scotland, we find the More taubronar playing alongside four Italian minstrels at the court of James IV.  He might have sounded something like this. They travelled around Scotland with the court- and at one point the king bought him his own horse. Not just a drummer, the taubronar was also a skilled choreographer who devised a dance to celebrate Shrove Tuesday in 1505.  He was also paid wages and  was married, with a child. Though he seems to have been injured, possibly fatally in 1506: the royal payments to a doctor survive. Nor was he the only African at the Scottish court at that time- but that's another story.

Both men are part of a much longer tradition of black musicians in European royal courts- going back to at least 1194 when Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI was preceded by black trumpeters in his entry  into Palermo, Sicily (see below).  Valued for their skill and paid wages, we can still only guess at the daily details of these men's lives.

You can read more about Africans at European courts here.

Picture
18 Comments
Anne link
9/3/2014 08:51:18 pm

Do you know the origin of John Blanke's name?

It occurs to me to wonder whether it was a joke, a play on words where blanc meaning white becomes Blanke. Although of course it is possible it was just a mis-pronunciation of his birth name.

Reply
Massage Therapy in Orangeville link
24/11/2022 06:32:11 am

New Hope Physio a registered massage therapy clinic in Orangeville. We provide complete relief from sports injuries, stress, anxiety and more.

Reply
Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Kitchener link
23/3/2023 11:19:22 am

Finding Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Kitchener? So At VSR Law office, we offer several solutions to help you reach your goals.

Best Chiropractor in Orangeville link
12/12/2022 05:27:55 am

Finding Best Chiropractic Clinic in Brampton, ON (905) 846-4000. At New Hope skilled Chiropractor Brampton who treat and help to get rid of body pain. Book Appointment Today!

Reply
All World Day link
28/12/2022 02:17:07 pm

Looking for Global Family Day theme, quotes, significance, history? So at All World Day, you can read all about the Global Family Day 2023.

Reply
Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Cambridge link
9/1/2023 09:14:26 am

Finding Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Cambridge? So At VSR Law office, we offer several solutions to help you reach your goals.

Reply
Bankruptcy Lawyer in Cambridge link
10/1/2023 05:27:37 am

Finding Bankruptcy Lawyer in Cambridge? So At VSR Law Firm office, we offer several solutions to help you reach your goals.

Reply
Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Kitchener link
11/1/2023 08:41:32 am

Finding Debt Consolidation Lawyer in Kitchener? So At VSR Law office, we offer several solutions to help you reach your goals.

Reply
Car Accident Lawyer in Cambridge link
19/1/2023 11:24:23 am

Finding Car Accident Lawyer in Cambridge? So VSR Law can assist you in recovering damages and ensure that your Motor Vehicle Accident claim is as strong as possible.

Reply
Bankruptcy Lawyer in Kitchener link
21/1/2023 11:01:43 am

Finding Bankruptcy Lawyer in Kitchener? So At VSR Law office, we offer several solutions to help you reach your goals.

Reply
Lillian link
4/11/2014 12:17:20 am

This is a really good read for me, Must admit that you are one of the best bloggers I ever saw.Thanks for posting this informative article.

Reply
Baby Care Tips link
1/8/2017 09:40:45 am

Just read your post and would like to thank you for maintaining such a cool blog.

Reply
meladerm skin lightening cream link
7/8/2017 01:17:46 am

I have read all the john blank store.

Reply
Amah Jones
20/3/2018 02:06:54 am

You've just succeeded in posting total FALSEHOODS either due to ignorance or deliberate attempt to misinform and mislead the naive. As a "blogger', you're expected to purge your mind of silly lies and biases, but that, you've failed to do here. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V Hapsburg who you identified as "An African Man" was the ruler of the House of Hapsburg, Europe's most powerful and most influential political house. His son, Phillips II was the man for whom the Philippines was named. Charles V was the cousin of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII Tudor. These were all BLACK folks! Your FAKE TUDORS whom you've saturated the history books with, are the modern WHITEWASHED versions of the original black Tudors.

Additionally, the powerful Black Nobility----real indigenous Europeans, not descendants of CENTRAL ASIAN MIGRANTS into Europe---who dominated Venice, Florence, Milan, Genoa, Mantua, etc. were conveniently reduced to "Allegorical Africans", not so? If you don't have your facts well-researched, please stop feeding us regurgitated RACIST NONSENSE, okay?

For a start, I'll advise you to see the following;

1. Henry VIII Tudor:

a. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155330899457436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

b. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155330894917436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

2. Cicero : http://realhistoryww.com./world_history/ancient/Misc/Crests/Medieval_Life_of_Christ_Books.htm

3. Justinian II of the Byzantine Empire:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155315717857436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

4. Jesus :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151738141827436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

5. YOUR FAKE JESUS:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151737893252436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

6. Phillips II Hapsburg :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151733826357436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

7. Edward III :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151727665077436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

8. EDWARD III

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151727444142436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

9. EDWARD II:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151727298157436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

10. Doge Nicolo Tron : A powerful Merchant of Venice

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156215508177436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

11. Nicolo Tron :

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=DOGE%20NICOLO%20TRON%20

12. Francesco Gonzaga :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156247619817436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater

Ferdinando De Medici :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155841281057436&set=basw.AbrPHWsxI_E6t_xiKz1tUN261a8m-maueCf8Rwr-dgEa9NFxFDPEOu6JHvYAwbqVV4hBRskCfDG3ulDHZBJSZ7AO6thaZx134WFpwZsqgYoG_xv-SeuP5me3iKcPpyE1mITB8Iio5lNRf1Gh5_mpwi2_.10156247619817436.10153796201407436.10156248084852436.10156247556117436.10155841281057436.10153431921422436&type=1&opaqueCursor=AbpS2l3ZKUDc9DtXnzWY3fNmCKgomMOTNt7BiKpNWSb8RLQ6yW6ViXjvTUrjr_6QwZfJwvgAHGAqM5u3zCzyyeMjhPDhJSf7NCwDP5ETGB6U823cJ1kLVEkqd09D2ztHRnDnrBwyYNH9yMCti0KB6gHXN5uCNwgZ8zggHA3bHhtp-wpA4i72h2X-gpc4Az681l9D-fUaI_CUaCbyu7_rplIfnxLU5aLVRXzWvQ--1yA2qqiDt-c4zmOewdqgA1RuUOANomGpU3FBJ68r3iYvvOC_2w0E669cU0DM0B4Dbkd8I_khHSmqbDENk7RpTcu66vz6i8XmPyCHmP9e1tM0V2GSXU8u-2dom7hUUk2S-onSBXBK6ru6E96H1ogGe47dTQzJEUe4MmfLBo6KvZBtmqNqfICm2SWr_KAnvpW-Sm-1xZ7lu_Ypm1pvouuCtzcpUewqB7HXZQPEzOuRKHT2Rzp1PQh9SzsN7yo2hbgTy20W9EXubvnD25g6Ye1HL-IRO3wVwq1KsNE1yfgQe8MWQISZFWDyj2diDDs8aXH4QNiKwTWKUf9Gnxf6FIkNpb5yBW9GC7VHZwf3DQ5zUReHOADNsYMNr7JMkf713T-W-cJAGz_aOw1S-Qv1EAGTGdg4mH8P5EcYrbeyRt0COci3W5L1AcrwB_w6HMWCuE-FKxghKa_S697qrKSRYfF6liDxwUxaZYbfxuqn343hKBf31eC1&theater

13. LUDOVICO SFORZA:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156248436317436&set=a.10150653864112436.415633.519477435&type=3&theater




Reply
Amah Jones
20/3/2018 02:11:10 am

Correction

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V Hapsburg whom you identified as "An African Man", .......

Reply
Clothing Manufacturers India link
23/2/2021 11:15:30 pm


Your site always offer some really interesting information. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Reply
Bicycle Accident Lawyer Canada link
21/4/2022 07:40:02 am

Good Post! Thank you so much for sharing this pretty post, it was so good to read and useful to improve my knowledge as updated one, keep blogging.

Reply
Travelling North link
29/8/2022 06:15:48 am

I have been reading your posts frequently. I need to say that you are doing a fantastic work. Please keep up the great work.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Dr. Miranda Kaufmann is a historian of Black British History living in North Wales. You can read a fuller bio here, and contact her here.

    Related Blogs/Sites

    Michael Ohajuru's Black Africans in Renaissance Europe blog

    Temi Odumosu's The Image of Black website

    The UCL Legacies of British Slave-ownership project Database and blog

    The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

    The Black Presence in Britain

    Jeffrey Green's website, on Africans in 19th and early 20th Century Britain
     
    Untold Theatre 

    Categories

    All
    Africans In British Art
    Africans In Early Modern London
    Africans In Eighteenth Century England
    Africans In Renaissance Scotland
    Africans In Stuart England
    Africans In Tudor England
    Archives
    Black History
    Black History Month
    Early Modern England
    Exhibitions
    Heritage
    History
    Inclusive Curriculum
    Journalism
    Legal History
    Medical History
    National Curriculum
    Podcasts
    Politics
    Public History
    Radio History
    Research
    School History
    Shakespeare
    Slavery & Abolition
    Talks
    Travel
    Tv History

    Archives

    October 2022
    August 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    July 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.