The Seals of the Lords and Ladies of Rozoy : the Future of the three Heraldic Roses of Thiérache. Third part : the Flemish Legacy
Les sceaux des sires et dames de Rozoy : le devenir des roses de Thiérache au XIIIe siècle. Troisième partie : l’héritage flamand
Résumé
In this third and last article dedicated to the Rozoy, the fiefdom belongs to the flemish family of Audenarde during the second half of the Thirteenth Century. Before the Rozoy legacy was transmitted to different members of this lineage, this legacy was never alluded to on any seals. But as soon as it was delivered, roses bloomed on new seals.
Alix de Rozoy, Arnulf IV d’Audenarde’s widow, inherited Rozoy from her brother Roger II (III) who deceased with no heir in 1250. When this lady received her inheritance, she used two new seals : both great seal and secret seal showed roses. As her son John Irst became sire of Rozoy after her death, he also changed his matrices, mixing Audenarde’s and Rozoy’s coats of arms. Even his wife Mathilde de Crecques, wealthy and ruling important fiefdoms, adopted the roses on a new set of seals. The name of Rozoy was also mentionned in legends. This reflects the high consideration the Rozoy inheritance earned.
John II d’Audenarde, one of their youngest sons, became sire of Rozoy. However, the last lord of Rozoy was no aristocrat : he was the first of the Rozoy family to give up the equestrian seal. His heraldic seals betrayed his modest social rank within nobility despite the presence of the once prestigious three roses.
The cinquefoils engraved on the seal matrices of the Rozoy lineage offer various designs. This series of seals reveals that an ornament as simple as a rose was represented with great differences on each matrix. This variety is not due to chronological evolution but rather to each artisan’s style and way of working the metal.
Origine : Accord explicite pour ce dépôt