Court Banner

The Court Banner was created at the wedding and coronation of Sigismund II Augustus and his third wife, Catherine of Austria, which took place on 30th July 1553 in Kraków.
Poland 1553
silk, tempera, gold and silver
229 x 352 cm

This is the oldest funeral banner, one of around a dozen textiles of its type which have been preserved.
Kraków, 1571
silk, tempera, gold
313 x 163 cm

The Banner was won on 24th January 1588 at the Battle of Byczyna, which was fought between the armies of Maximilian III Habsburg, pretender to the Polish throne, and Chancellor Jan Zamoyski, on the side of Sigismund III Vasa.
Silesia, 1587
silk, tempera
170 x 190 cm

This was won on 12th September 1683 at the Battle of Vienna by the army of Marcin Zamoyski, a friend of King John III Sobieski.
Turkey, 2nd half of the 17th cent.
Silk, gold, silver
233 x 358 cm