The mythical emperor was more well-known for shedding wives than for acquiring jewelry.
Nonetheless, a cafe owner has unearthed one of the most significant Renaissance artifacts in Britain in decades, a gold pendant with ties to Henry VIII.
Charlie Clarke, an amateur treasure hunter, discovered the 24-carat heart-shaped pendant that curators initially deemed “too good to be true.”
On one side, the initials “H” and “K” correspond to Henry and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Henry wed Katherine in 1509, and the couple remained together for 24 years before the monarch annulled the marriage to marry Anne Boleyn.
On one side, the initials “H” and “K” correspond to Henry and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. The opposite side is adorned with a Tudor rose and pomegranate bush, the emblem of the previous English monarch. It rests on a chain with 75 links.
The great ruler Henry VIII was better known for his infidelity than his jewelry collection. But a café owner has made one of the most significant Renaissance discoveries in Britain in decades by discovering a Henry VIII-related gold pendant.
The reverse side of the pendant is adorned with a Tudor rose and pomegranate bush, the emblem of the previous Queen of England. It rests on a chain with 75 links.
Mr. Clarke, a metal detectorist, discovered the piece in a field in Warwickshire in December 2021. Rachel King, a Renaissance Europe curator at the British Museum, characterized it as “blingy.”
The 35-year-old father of one told The Guardian, “I had found a few coins before, but nothing noteworthy.” “However, I knew it was gold.
“As a metal detectorist, you are there when you see that color”
His “once in 30 lifetimes” discovery drove him to squeal like a schoolgirl, he claimed.
Yesterday, Ms. King stated, ‘The majority of people who viewed this at the museum thought it was almost too fantastic to be true.’
After verifying that it was authentic, curators stated that nothing of this scale and significance from the Renaissance period had been discovered in Britain in over 25 years.
Henry married Katherine after she had been previously married to his older brother, Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died at the age of 15 in 1502.
When he died, the couple had barely been married for six months, possibly due to sweating illness.
The letter ‘K’ on the gold pendant is a homage to Henry VIII’s first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
The discoverer of the chain and pendant associated with Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, Charlie Clarke (left), and the Arts and Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (right), view the pendant on display at the British Museum in London, as archaeological discoveries made by members of the public are revealed through the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS)
The piece, described as ‘blingy’ by Rachel King, a curator of Renaissance Europe at the British Museum, was discovered in a field in Warwickshire in December 2021 by metal detectorist Mr. Clarke.
After verifying that it was authentic, curators stated that nothing of this size and significance from the Renaissance had been discovered in Britain for more least 25 years.
Katharine, the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile, was able to marry Henry because she insisted the marriage had not been consummated.
Despite the fact that he went on to marry five more times, historians believe she was the only woman he ever truly loved.
As a result of her inability to produce a male heir, she fell out of favor with Henry. Only one of the six children she gave birth to, daughter Mary, survived.
In 1525, the King turned his attention to Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting to Katherine.
His ambition to marry her instead of Katharine and have their marriage annulled ultimately caused a rift with the Roman Catholic Church.
Yesterday, Ms. King stated, ‘The majority of people who viewed this at the museum thought it was almost too fantastic to be true.’
Henry passed the Act of Supremacy, making him the head of the Church of England, in response to Pope Clement VII’s refusal to annul the marriage.
Henry could then proclaim his marriage to Katharine null and void in order to marry Anne.
The pendant’s worth has not yet been determined, although it is likely to be significant.
When it is sold, most likely to a museum, Mr. Clarke and the landowner will split the proceeds.
In the British Museum’s Treasure and Portable Antiques Scheme (PAS) annual reports for 2021, the pendant was one of more than a thousand treasures uncovered by “everyday people” — primarily metal detectorists — in Britain.
»Gold pendant with ties to Henry VIII is uncovered by metal detectors in a field«