Charging knight

This small ornamental plate, which was probably intended for a casket or harness piece, features a charging knight.

Brandishing a sword, wearing a great helm and a coat of mail, he carries a heraldic shield with a coat of arms. The heraldic pattern also covers his tabard and the caparison of his horse. This composition is commonly found in seals and coins.

The heraldic shield with a coat of arms, a red background with ten golden roundels arranged 4, 3, 2, and 1, renders any identification uncertain. It could be that of a knight from Malestroit, who also bears a red shield with golden roundels.

Nevertheless, it is more likely to be linked to a Baron La Zouche, a younger member of the House of Rohan, due to the composition of the shield, which features exactly ten roundels.

This type of plaque is extremely rare, and less than a dozen remain. Discovered at the site of a feudal mound near Vannes, the applique was excavated without authorisation, in violation of French archaeology law.

Following legal proceedings, it was awarded to the State and then assigned to the Musée de Cluny in 2021.