Angel and Sovereign: Henry VII’s Royal Coins, Legitimation, and Relics of Power

The introduction of the angel and later Tudor sovereign gold coins in late 1400s became part a political rhetoric aimed at mediating king’s image, power, wealth. However, it also played legitimation dynasty during stages Wars Roses, time Yorkist pretenders foreign opposition to Henry VII’s reign. As only rightful king was believed have gift healing, VII appropriated both ritual from Plantagenet associated with sanctity kingship. Ordinary objects bearing King’s image were imbued by people supernatural powers. How could religious function contact relics facilitate use non-religious other denominations mimicking iconography angel? And how these used as legitimate claim for throne support myth royal succession prove right appealing public? This article argues that created empowered King saintly abilities, granting object carrying reliclike further fusing people’s belief God-given power healing. visual migration or transfer an image’s symbolic properties, this case transference its sacred properties secular objects, mediated literal conceptual against powers