Every year, this 16th-century showpiece leaves the museum for a week. During this period, the chain is worn by a king or sire for a day. Hence the name: Sire's Chain.
This king is the king of the guild: he successfully shot the bird off its perch during the Archery King Contest of the Mijnheere Sint-Sebastiaen guild in Sint-Kruis, near Bruges. The bird, a parrot, can be seen in the middle, below the velvet collar.
De Vrye Archiers is an archers' guild. Sebastian is their patron saint and the bow is their weapon. It was founded in 1472, by none other than the Burgundian Duke, Charles the Bold. The guild is now around 550 years old. Like other guilds, it evolved from being an urban militia into a social club. Nowadays, women and children are also welcome to join.
Take another look at the Sire's Chain. It consists of a velvet collar. Underneath, in between the two lions, you can see the Habsburg coat of arms. This family was in power when the Sire's Chain was used for the first time. Small chains with shields and medals hang around the collar, along with the bird. The shields and medals feature the names of successive kings or sires, and commemorate events from the guild’s rich history.
One such illustrious event that took place in Bruges is commemorated in the painting of the man in full armour: looking down at us is none other than Henry Stuart, the third son of the English King Charles I. On 11 July 1656, Henry was made a member of the Bruges St. George guild, together with his brother, King Charles II. The brothers were temporarily in exile in Bruges. This was no coincidence: the city had close ties with Great Britain for centuries. The painting's frame features various motifs of the St. George guild, whose members shoot with the crossbow.