Guernsey

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Saint Peter Port

Les Echelons
(Helvetia Plaza - Credit Suisse)

Othon de Grandson

Otton I de Grandson

c. 1238 - 1328
medieval Savoyard knight long in the service of the English crown under Edward I. He was the closest personal friend of Edward; in 1277 he was granted the Channel Islands as a lordship for life
(Wikipedia)
Karsten Klingbeil
Singer / Morris Singer / William Morris (London)
1993

Saint Peter Port /  Othon de Grandson   Saint Peter Port /  Othon de Grandson

Description

Square with a 3 m (10 ft.) tall bronze statue of Otton de Grandson in front of a wall. In the center of the square is a bronze table (4 x 1.5 m - 13 x 5 ft) with a diorama, cast in metal, and depicting several scenes from the major events in Otton's 90-year life.

Inscription(s)

This is the story of Edler Schweizer Ritter Othon the First of Grandson, 1238-1328.
As the friend of Edward the First he established a lasting friendship between England
and Switzerland. Between 1269 and 1271 he accompanied the King Edward the First
on a crusade and on one occasion saved the King s life during a battle.
He was a great soldier and a brilliant diplomat.
Othon was appointed as the Papal Legate to Basel. The German Emperor gave him
the castle and town of Laupen, Edward appointed him as Chief Justice of Wales
between 1284 - 1294. In 1277 he was appointed as Governor for life of Guernsey
and the other Channel Islands. At the age of ninety he travelled to Avignon
to help his friends, there he was attacked robbed and died in prison.
His tomb was ordered by the Pope to be placed in the Cathedral of Lausanne.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

(click on the photo for an enlargement in a separate window.)
Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Othon the First of Grandson was born in 1238 in the Castle
of Grandson, Canton Vaud in Switzerland. His father was
Peter Grandisson the First, Lord of Grandson.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

In 1252 at the age of fourteen Othon became
a page at the court of Henry, King of England.
He became a friend of the Crown Prince Edward,
later Edward the First, and was knighted
by him in 1268 at the age of thirty.
The two were lifelong friends. Othon accompanied
Edward on the crusade of 1269-1271 to the
Holy Land, on one occasion he saved the King s
life during a battle.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

The main purpose of the
crusade was the liberation of
Jerusalem from the Saracens.
The crusaders conquered the
city in 1099 and founded a
Christian kingdom which
lasted until 1187.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Othon was present at the
defence of Acre in 1290
which did not succeed.
The Saracens conquered and
destroyed the city and
massacred the inhabitants.
Othon escaped to Cyprus.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Othon is pursued from
the defeat at Acre
but escapes to Cyprus.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Othon is believed to have
accompanied the Holy Shroud
of Christ to Europe from
Cyprus, it eventually arrived
in France, it was deposited in
Turin Cathedral in the
sixteenth century.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Guernsey and the other
Channel Islands were Othon s
reward for his services to
Edward, and were given to him
for life in 1277. He visited
Guernsey in 1323 with his
bodyguard of twenty crossbowmen.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

Othon was a succesful diplomat,
he negotiated with almost all
the rulers of Western Europe,
he was literate, unusual for a
knight, and pious. He was Chief
Justice for North Wales from
1284-1294. The Pope appointed
him the Papal Legate to Basel.

Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson
Saint Peter Port - Othon de Grandson

At the age of ninety he
travelled to Avignon to help
his friends. There he was
attacked robbed and died in
prison. His tomb was ordered by
the Pope to be placed in the
Cathedral of Lausanne.

Signature

(diorama) karsten klingbeil | berlin 1993

Sculptor

Sources & Information

Tags

Locatie (N 49°27'5" - W 2°32'11") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gg10; Photograph: 6 August 2015
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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