 |
          |
 |
 |
|
It's not surprising that the 'Moor's head' became such an important heraldic symbol, which represented powerful private and civic European entities. The city of Coburg in Germany, for example, carries a jet-black moors head on a yellow and black background as its coat of arms. Shakespeare’s moor, Othello, popularised the noble, yet savage and exotic commander for his contemporary Elizabethan audience, and by 1596, this audience would have come into contact with blacks on a regular basis - In fact there were so many blacks in England that an edict was issued by Elizabeth I herself stating that the growing number of Negroes and blackamoors in England should be reduced by deportation. This protest
however, was short lived, as blacks had become faithful and inexpensive
labour on all levels of society. Elizabeth herself employed African
pages and entertainers.
Slavery and commercial trades brought black people into Europe consistently,
helping to fashion culture and society with exoticism and difference.
|
|
 |
 |
||||
 |
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
 |