Moors in Europe

Similarly, England's King Henry VII and Henry VIII's courts had African employees. The most famous was John Blanke (1500s), a musician who was paid on a daily basis, as noted in the Treasurer of the Chamber's accounts. His image can be seen on the UK National Archives' "Westminster Tournament Scroll" of Henry VIII (shown at right). The Archives asserts that it was perhaps one of the most important royal galas, suggesting the high regard for John Blanke, "the blacke".