European Armour in the Royal Collection
An introduction to European armour in the Royal Collection.
The Horse Armoury in the Tower of London.
publishedRCIN 702283
Following the Restoration of 1660, a display known as the 'Line of Kings' was established in the Horse Armoury at the Tower of London. The exhibit was intended as a powerful reassertion of the dignity and longevity of the monarchy after the upheaval of the Interregnum. Every monarch from William the Conqueror (1028–1087) onwards would be represented by an armour mounted on a life-size wooden horse, and with a realistically carved face in the helmet. The display was opened to the public following the death of Charles II in 1685, and proved a popular addition to the sights of the Tower. Successive monarchs, each represented by a mounted armour, were added until George II (1683–1760) in 1768. The Line of Kings nevertheless proved highly anachronistic in its presentation – Edward III (1312–1377), for example, was for many years depicted in the Greenwich armour of Henry VIII (RCIN 72834). The display was eventually dismantled in 1883, but was partly re-installed in the White Tower in 2013.