Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Royal seal of King Henry IV of England

Royal seal of King Henry IV of England

c1399–1413
Beeswax with linen cord
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
DR 70

‘I am not in the roll of common men’

This is the first of two royal seals used by King Henry IV, who ruled England from 1399 to 1413. The design features a series of canopied niches. The centre niche shows the king seated on a carved pedestal between two lions, holding a sceptre and orb. Above the lions in small side niches are two figures; on the right, the Virgin and Child, and on the left, St George with his shield. Next to these figures, in larger canopied niches is a larger shield hanging in a branching tree, with a greyhound seated at the foot. Next to these, just inside the border on each side, is a soldier in his armour, pictured three-quarter length. The reverse side shows the king seated on his galloping horse in his chainmail, holding a sword and shield. The remains of the linen the cord used to attach the seal to the document are still visible at the top.

It is not known how the seal came into the collection of Sir William Dixson, although an accompanying note says that it was ‘at one time the property of the first Governor of South Australia’, Sir John Hindmarsh.

‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’

Henry IV was born in at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire in April 1367 to John of Gaunt, the third surviving son of Edward III, and Blanche of Lancaster. Following the death of his father, Henry’s inheritance, including the family estates, was seized by King Richard II to fund his Irish expedition. Exiled in France, Henry returned to England to recover his inheritance and depose Richard. He took the throne as King Henry IV in 1399, becoming the first of the Lancastrian kings.


Henry spent much of his reign fighting to keep control of his lands, and much his reign battling ill health. Many at the time believed he suffered from leprosy, however no evidence of this has been found. He died exhausted in March 1413 at the age of 46, after collapsing while praying in Westminster Abbey.


The House of Lancaster produced three kings of England: Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI.


Footnotes

Heading quote from Henry IV Part 2, by William Shakespeare, Act 3, Scene 1