On this day in 1457, Mary, the Duchess of Burgundy was born (an only child) to Charles the Bold and Isabella of Bourbon. After her father’s death in 1477 she took over the rule of the Netherlands, Franche-Comte, Artois and Picardy. She successfully resisted Louis XI of France’s efforts to force her to marry his son, the Daughin Charles, in order to stake claim of these lands for France. Instead Mary chose Maximilian, archduke of Austria and they had three children. She died at the age of 25 in a horseback riding accident.

Beatrice Wong, of Honolulu on Oahu Island, Hawaii , made this burgundy and white wholecloth beauty in the 1940’s. The top is hand appliqued and not quilted.  The current owner inherited the quilt documented it during the Hawaiian Quilt Research Project in 1997.

View this quilt on The Quilt Index to find out! Read more about its history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view or click the “See full record” link to see a larger image and all the data entered about that quilt.

Source:
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/medrenqueens/p/mary_burgundy.htm

Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org