3-075-126 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Queen Philippa Interceding for the Lives of the Burghers of Calais, 1788. This painting depicts a scene from English history during the fourteenth-century siege at the French port of Calais by the English King Edward III. Dressed in white, Queen Philippa stands next to the armor-clad king with a hand outstretched toward several prisoners - the burghers, or leading citizens, of Calais. The burghers surrendered themselves to Edward, who promised to spare the populace of the city in exchange for their lives. Philippa intervened on their behalf, convincing the king to spare them in honour of their bravery and sacrifice.