Le maire Jan van de Werve reçoit le serment du prince Charles en 1515
1889
Godfried Guffens brings a 16th-century political ritual to life in this bustling scene created in 1889. Here, a 15-year-old Prince Charles—destined to become the powerful Holy Roman Emperor Charles V—stands on a platform to swear an oath to Mayor Jan van de Werve. This ceremony was part of the 'Joyous Entry' tradition, a crucial ritual where new rulers had to confirm the privileges of a city like Antwerp before being accepted. Surrounded by bishops holding croziers, armored guards, and nobles in heavy fur-lined robes, the young prince looks surprisingly small amidst the grandeur. The detailed, sepia-toned composition feels like a page torn from a history book, freezing a moment where a boy stepped into the shoes of an empire.
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