[MR] Wikipedia: Tomb of Philippe Pot

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

As some of you know, I can't resist commenting on anything about the Duchy
of Burgundy and its many fascinating characters. Imagine my delight
yesterday when Wikipedia featured an article on the Tomb of Philippe Pot.

Philippe Pot (1428-1493) was a major figure in the Burgundian hierarchy,
serving in many capacities, particularly as a diplomat under Duke of
Burgundy Philip the Good (reigned 1419-1467), and later his son Charles the
Bold (reigned 1467-1477). As such, Philippe Pot was instrumental in
negotiating several important marriage contracts, including all three of
Charles the Bold's successive brides. The third union with Margaret of York
in 1468, brought about an important treaty between Burgundy and Yorkist
England, much to the annoyance of French King Louis XI (aka the "Universal
Spider", reigned 1461-1483).

After Charles the Bold got himself out-generalled and his head cloven by a
Swiss halberdier at the Siege of Nancy in 1477, Phillipe Pot sided with
King Louis against Charles' daughter and heir Mary of Burgundy and her
husband Maximilian (later Holy Roman Emperor). Pot negotiated the Treaty of
Arras, which confirmed Louis' claim to Burgundy's French territories (he
had already grabbed them), leaving Mary with most of the Low Countries.

So back to the tomb. Pot commissioned it around 1480, some 13 years before
his demise. The sculpture includes an effigy of Pot in full armor,
supported by eight hooded mourning figures (*pleurants*). Unlike most other
noble tombs of the time that featured the effigy atop a stone casket, Pot's
effigy rests upon a slab supported on the shoulders of the *pleurants*.
Phillipe Pot was actually buried below the floor. Each figure carries a
shield bearing the arms of Pot's noble ancestors.

The tomb originally stood in the Chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste at the Cîteaux
Abbey, Dijon. After the French Revolution the tomb fell into private hands
and was successively sited *al fresco* in two private gardens. In 1889 it
was nationalized by the French government, and today is displayed in the
Louvre.

More details about the tomb are at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_Philippe_Pot .

Philippe Pot's biography is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Pot .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.