Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Constantine

This is the entrance to the chapter house of the former "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conqueror, and in existence upto the French Revolution. The abbey church serves the parish since then. Most buildings of the abbey got demolished after the Revolution, but the chapter house survived. I had been here about 10 years ago, when this part of the abbey was closed. This time I had more luck - and was surprised by originality and quality of the carvings. A crowned king on a horse and a person on the ground. An popular icon in medieval times, mostly interpreted as Constantine the Great, trampling down heathenism, or St. James, leading the Reconquista. This one is different, as to the left a queen (?) presents the "Fleur-de-Lys". Actually the couple may be Clovis I and his wife Clotilde. The legend tells, that after the Battle of Tolbiac (496), an angel gave the lilies to Clotilde. As Clovis got baptised after the battle there may be a connection to the previous capital.

"Santa María la Real" is one of the highlights for all people following the "Camino Aragonés" - since about 800 years. The facade is impressing it may take hours, to find out the many details. I stayed an extra day, when I had reached the town, just to see the shadows movig over the carvings. A church did exist here already in 1131 next to the bridge crossing the river Aragon. It was transferred by Alfonso I to the "Knights Hospitaller" (aka "Order of Saint John", later "Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta"). The apse is the oldest part of the structure and probably dates back to that time. The nave and the breathtaking Southern Portal of Santa María la Real were created late 12th/13th century. I have uploaded a "total overview" earlier and will now focus on some details. The horseman trampling down a victim has many "cousins" France and can often be seen along the old chemins and caminos. In the Poitou, the rider is seen as Constantine the Great , while in Aquitaine, the character is seen as St. Jaques is seen as "matamoro".

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! The right blind arch of the facade. A closer look onto the equestrian statue. The Poitou has an astonishing number of these large carvings (eg Melle, Surgeres, Airvolt), that can not found often elsewhere. On all places, a small person is sitting on the ground and is trampled over. Most historians see Constantine the Great, triumphing over heathenism. Here, the statue has an even more imperial attitude, as the (crowned) rider holds a falcon, a clear attribute of rank and nobility. The inner archivolt depicts ladies in bathtubes. - These ladies may refer to Mélusine, a legendary water nymph, connected to the House of Lusignan. The oral myth about water-nymphs as very old, but this specific story, centered in the Poitou (around Parthenay) story was written down first time by Jean d'Arras. It got translated - and spread all over Europe. Wikpedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_d%27Arras

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! The right blind arch of the facade. An equestrian statue. The Poitou has an astonishing number of these large carvings (eg Melle, Surgeres, Airvolt), that can not found often elsewhere. On all places, a small person is sitting on the ground and is trampled over. Most historians see Constantine the Great, triumphing over heathenism. Here, the statue has an even more imperial attitude, as the (crowned) rider holds a falcon, a clear attribute of rank and nobility. The outer archivolt has griffons all around (similar to Sainte-Croix, Parhenay), while the inner archivolt depicts ladies in bathtubes (?), what may connect to another story. Maybe..