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17.09.2021

Reliquary Pendant with Queen Margaret of Sicily Blessed by Bishop Reginald of Bath

The engraved Latin inscriptions on this object provide valuable historical context and identification. On the back of the pendant, it is inscribed: "Bishop Reginald of Bath gives this to Queen Margaret of Sicily." This inscription indicates that the pendant was a gift from Bishop Reginald of Bath to Queen Margaret of Sicily.

The obverse side of the pendant features another inscription that lists the relics once contained beneath the crystal. It reads: "From the blood of the holy martyr Thomas. From his vestments stained with his blood: cloak, belt, hood, shoe, shirt." This inscription suggests that the pendant once held relics associated with Thomas Becket, the holy martyr. These relics included items like pieces of his clothing stained with his blood.

The historical context surrounding this pendant is significant. It is believed that the bishop presented this pendant to Queen Margaret of Sicily on the occasion of her son's marriage in 1177. Notably, this marriage was between her son and the daughter of Henry II, the English king. It is worth mentioning that Henry II was involved in the instigation of the murder of his former friend and chancellor, Thomas Becket, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The murder of Thomas Becket took place on December 29, 1170, and had significant repercussions in medieval Europe.

This pendant thus holds historical and symbolic importance, as it connects various historical figures and events of that era, including religious figures like Thomas Becket and the political and social dynamics of medieval Europe.

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