What is it?

This beautiful gold collar and a pendant depicting St Andrew – the patron saint of Scotland – together form part of the insignia of the Order of the Thistle, the greatest Order of Chivalry in Scotland.

What does it represent?

James VII and II established the Order with a statutory foundation under new rules in 1687 – to reward Scottish peers who supported his political and religious aims.

The Order continues today and you can find out more here.

Who owned or acquired this?

Those men who were loyal to James, who backed his Declaration of Indulgence were the first Knights of this Order, including the brothers John and James Drummond, who were Lord Chancellor of Scotland and the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Is it the only one? Where is it now?

This is one of only three in existence and it is in the collections of National Museums Scotland.

After watching the above video, in which Curator Lyndsay McGill describes the detailed workmanship on these two pieces, consider the following questions:

• What do you think about the craftsmanship on these objects?

• What does it tell us about the status conferred on those who were awarded the Order of the Thistle?

• What do you think of James’s motives for conferring this honour?

• Are there any parallels you can think of in twenty-first century politics?

We invite you to leave a comment.