Here\'s what\'s inside:  In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras orders an elaborate military funeral for Hamlet. I’ve read that Sir Philip Sydney’s actual funeral in 1587 might have been the inspiration behind this scene in the play. Portrait of Sir Philip Sidney, After Antonis Mor  (1519–1575) | On display at Ditchley Foundation, Chipping Norton | Public Domain | Source This gallery shows engravings from the detailed account of Philip Sidney's funeral. From top left: 1. This image shows what Ralph shares would have been known as Sidney's "hearse" It was where the coffin/effigy would be displayed | 2. In this image, I thought it was significant that there are musicians (see drummer on far left) 3.This engravings shows the elaborate nature of Sidney's coffin, including the drapery, the heraldry, and the men carrying the coffin on poles 4-5. These images show the heraldry and the processions of people that walked in the funeral march. 6. In this image, a page is seen riding Sidney's horse, and carrying a broken lance to mark the death. 7. I included this image to show the various funeral paraphernalia. | Source: Lant, Thomas, and Lant, Thomas, "Haec Pompa Funebris Viri Illustrissimi Phillipi Sidney Spectata fuit Londini. 16. die feb: Anno MDLXXXVI" (1587). Prints, Drawings and Watercolors from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:401042/ | Source | Engraved throughout; with captions in Latin and EnglishPublication date from STCManuscript title page with watercolor illustration of armorial hatchment; extra illustrated with 8 engraved portraits of Sidney; roll divided into 32 mounted engraved plates (proofs) numbered 3-34, of funeral procession by Theodor de Bry after Thomas Lant. [Philip Sydney] was an exemplary hero, he died in the Netherlands fighting agains the Spanish and he was highly respect ted elizabethan poet and courtier. His funeral was very elaborately arranged. This is a cropped/edited version of one of the engravings by Thomas Lant, Theodore de Bry, 1587, showing Philip Sidney's coffin. | Public Domain| Source 1610 funeral for Charles de Nancy | Brentel, Friedrich (dit Brentel le père) (Lauingen, vers 1580 - Strasbourg, en 1651), graveur | Public Domain | Source | Original Visual Indications of a Funeral To indicate a funeral all you need is long black cloaks and hoods over the head and a body being carried. In this series of images, you can see the 1566 Funeral for Ottoman Emperor, Sulemann II. The first one illustrated Ottoman Soldiers (Matrakci Nasuh), the second one is of the funeral, by an unknown author, scanned by Szilas from Török miniatúrák by Géza Fehér, Corvina 1978, Budapest, the third is of the funeral by Matrakci Nasuh. All are public domain. | Source | Source | Source If you are interested in more information on the Ottomans, and Suleman II in particular, we cover his story further in these episodes: Ep 195: The Ottoman Empire with Aisha Hussain The Battle of Lepanto, 1571 Shakespeare's Fictional Funerals In the case of Ophelia's funeral, Shakespeare takes great license creatively and includes aspects that were not true to reality for...
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