Badge, Medieval, 15th century, lead pilgrim badge, possibly related to St Edward the Confessor; crown in form of an oval with three diadems
This crown-shaped pilgrim badge is associated with the shrine of a saint who was a king. The two likeliest saints are either Saint Edmund the Martyr (841-869), whose shrine is at Bury St Edmunds, or Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066), whose shrine is at Westminster Abbey.
Saint Edmund was the last king of East Anglia before the Vikings conquered the region in 869. He was venerated because he was martyred (killed for his faith) when the invaders demanded that he give up Christianity or be executed. He was tied to a tree, whipped, shot with arrows and beheaded. Soon after, Edmund became one of the most popular English saints. Over time his popularity faded, but his cult experienced a revival in the fifteenth century after the twelve-year-old king Henry VI stayed at the abbey of Bury St Edmunds from Christmas 1433 to Easter 1434. Edmund was considered to be an important role model for a young king.
Saint Edward the Confessor was one of the last kings of England before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Conquest was the culmination of a conflict caused by uncertainty over his choice of successor, as he had no children. After his death, Edward was considered to be an incredibly pious and generous person. ‘Confessor,’ short for ‘Confessor of the Faith,’ is a title that the Catholic Church confers to a saint who lived a holy life but was not martyred. The historical reality of Edward’s piety is now disputed, but it was an important element of medieval English Christian belief
