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Tombstone

This tombstone came from a church in Famagusta, northern Cyprus, and it marked the grave of Lady Eschive de Renier, the wife of a French nobleman. While accounts of the crusades and the Latin East focus on a male experience, Lady Renier’s burial stone demonstrates that numerous women also travelled to these lands so distant from Western Europe.

This object is on display

Object type: Plaques
Date: Production: 1402
Subject(s): Bearers of the Cross
Gender
Associated person: Subject: Lady Eschive de Renier (d.1402)
Subject: Balien Du Lyon (active c.1400)
Inscriptions: obverse: + CI : GIT . DAM : ESC/HIVE . D’RENIER . ESPO/UZ’ . D’BALIEN . D’LIOVN :/ Q’T’SPASSA . L’MERCR’/DI . A XX . IOVRS . D’S’T’BR’ . LAN . D’ . MCCCC . II . D’ X’ . Q’. DIEV . AIT LARM’ . AM° (Here lies the Lady Eschive de Renier, wife of Balien de Lyon, who died on Wednesday 20th September in the year of Christ 1402. May God receive her poor soul. [Translation from Old French provided by Maria Aimé Villano, 25 October 2022.])
Dimensions: Height x width x depth: 230 x 230 x 30mm
Materials and technique: Engraved marble
Production place: Famagusta
Cyprus
References: Foakes, Tom, ed. Treasures: Faith, Care, Valour: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum of the Order of St John. Priory of England and the Islands of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, 2019.
Page 103
Credit line: Gift of Professor Lionel Butler, 1977
Catalogue number: 211008