Baldoquin

BALDACHINE (Baudekin, Baldoquin, Bodkin)

A silk fabric embroidered with gold, woven in the Middle Ages at Damascus, silk warp, gold weft, often studded with precious stones, used for ceremonials, robes of State, curtains, canopies, etc. Later made only of silk, dyed crimson. During the 15th century became more common, most of it coming from Lucca, Italy, and the term is still used for the canopy borne over the head of the Pope. In the inventory of the wardrobe of Henry V appears "A piece of baudekyn of purple silk," " a piece of white baudekyn of gold," and in that of Henry VIII there appears " green baudekins of Venice gold, and blue, white, green and crimson baudekins with flowers of gold."