Dowry of Mary
Encyclopedia
Dowry of Mary is a title used in Roman Catholic contexts to refer to England
.
preacher claimed in a sermon that "it is commonly said that the land of England is the Virgin's dowry". Around fifty years later, Archbishop Thomas Arundel
, discussing Mary and the Incarnation
, wrote that "we English
, being ... her own Dowry, as we are commonly called, ought to surpass others in the fervour of our praises and devotions". By the reign of Henry V
, England was being referred to in Latin texts as dos Mariae, "dowry of Mary", and according to chronicler Thomas Elmham
English priests prayed to "the Virgin, protectress of her dower" on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt
.
kneeling before the Virgin and Child. Carried by a nearby angel is the Cross of St George, the staff of which is surmounted by an orb featuring a minuscule map of England. A similar work from the same era, a now-lost altarpiece
, showed Richard handing the orb to Mary, with the inscription Dos tua Virgo pia haec est, "This is your dowry, Holy Virgin".
In the wake of the English Reformation
, the notion of England enjoying a special association or relationship with Mary became an important aspect of recusant
Catholic spirituality. The residents at English College
owned a painting which depicted Mary being handed a scroll carrying the words "We will remain under the shade of your wings till the wickedness passes" by a group of kneeling Jesuits
. The painting's superscription read Anglia dos Mariae, "England, Mary's dowry".
referred to England's association with the title in 1893. Addressing a group of Catholic pilgrims from England in Rome
, he spoke of "the wonderful filial love which burnt within the heart of your forefathers towards the great Mother of God ... to whose service they consecrated themselves with such abundant proofs of devotion, that the kingdom itself acquired the singular and highly honourable title of 'Mary's Dowry.'"
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Early use
The title originated in the Medieval period, when devotion to the Virgin Mary in England was particularly strong. Mary was seen as a "special protectress" of England, who took personal interest in the country's affairs. Though the title's precise origin is unknown, it had become widespread by the middle of the fourteenth century, and around the year 1350 a mendicantMendicant
The term mendicant refers to begging or relying on charitable donations, and is most widely used for religious followers or ascetics who rely exclusively on charity to survive....
preacher claimed in a sermon that "it is commonly said that the land of England is the Virgin's dowry". Around fifty years later, Archbishop Thomas Arundel
Thomas Arundel
Thomas Arundel was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken opponent of the Lollards.-Family background:...
, discussing Mary and the Incarnation
Incarnation (Christianity)
The Incarnation in traditional Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity, also known as God the Son or the Logos , "became flesh" by being conceived in the womb of a woman, the Virgin Mary, also known as the Theotokos .The Incarnation is a fundamental theological...
, wrote that "we English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, being ... her own Dowry, as we are commonly called, ought to surpass others in the fervour of our praises and devotions". By the reign of Henry V
Henry V
Henry V may refer to:People* Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg * Henry V of England * Henri, comte de Chambord, nominally Henry V of France, Entertainment...
, England was being referred to in Latin texts as dos Mariae, "dowry of Mary", and according to chronicler Thomas Elmham
Thomas Elmham
-Life:He was probably born at North Elmham in Norfolk. He may have been the Thomas Elmham who was a scholar at King's Hall, Cambridge from 1389 to 1394...
English priests prayed to "the Virgin, protectress of her dower" on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
.
Depictions in art
The Wilton Diptych, completed around 1395, shows Richard IIRichard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
kneeling before the Virgin and Child. Carried by a nearby angel is the Cross of St George, the staff of which is surmounted by an orb featuring a minuscule map of England. A similar work from the same era, a now-lost altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
, showed Richard handing the orb to Mary, with the inscription Dos tua Virgo pia haec est, "This is your dowry, Holy Virgin".
In the wake of the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
, the notion of England enjoying a special association or relationship with Mary became an important aspect of recusant
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
Catholic spirituality. The residents at English College
English College, Valladolid
The Royal English and Welsh College, Valladolid, under the patronage of St Alban, was founded in 1589 during the protestant reformation for the training of Catholic priests for the English and Welsh Mission....
owned a painting which depicted Mary being handed a scroll carrying the words "We will remain under the shade of your wings till the wickedness passes" by a group of kneeling Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. The painting's superscription read Anglia dos Mariae, "England, Mary's dowry".
Papal recognition
Pope Leo XIIIPope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
referred to England's association with the title in 1893. Addressing a group of Catholic pilgrims from England in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he spoke of "the wonderful filial love which burnt within the heart of your forefathers towards the great Mother of God ... to whose service they consecrated themselves with such abundant proofs of devotion, that the kingdom itself acquired the singular and highly honourable title of 'Mary's Dowry.'"