12 Of The Biggest Banquets In History
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Banquets have been a means to celebrate important events, show off political connections, and display monumental wealth. They usually reflect the culture, power, and social systems of the civilizations that held them, from ancient Persia to the present. These festive events, frequently graced by the presence of royalty, nobles, and notables, serve as a culinary celebration reflecting excess with deep diplomatic and social significance.
Banquets on the biggest scale were usually opportunities for rulers to showcase the extent of their gold reserves. The host was then a status symbol, and lavish feasts in extravagant settings enhanced his or her prestige with the serving of exotic foods and multiple entertainers. These feasts had historically significant causation, affecting the dynamics of many empires, countries, and dynasties.
Delmonico’s Dinner (1873)
This could be called the lavish dinner at Delmonico’s in 1873, which cost $10,000 and celebrated a German businessman and his furthest circle of 74 friends. The dinner was set at a specially ordered 24-foot table, with swans swimming in a pond and $3,000 of flowers.
There was a sumptuous dinner for guests followed by dancing until 4 a.m. The event lasted more than eight hours. It helped transform the dinner into a byword of unbridled Gilded Age luxury and ultimately solidified Delmonico’s vaunted status.
Field of the Cloth of Gold (1520): Henry VIII
Henry VIII held an 18-day banquet in 1520 to keep the peace with French rival King Francis I. 12,000 guests dined at long tables under golden-cloth tents, and fountains flowed with beer and wine.
The English also brought 53,000 gallons of wine and 98,000 eggs on the invasion to symbolize that wealth. The banquet was successful, but the ensuing political heights the maneuvers scaled proved fleeting.
Coronation Banquet of Richard III (1483)
When Richard III hauled up Westminster Hall, his coronation banquet was a two-day extravaganza in 1483. The kitchen staff cooked everything from aquatic critters to roasted meats and went through more than 1,000 eggs and 50 gallons of milk.
For himself, Richard dreamed on a grander scale — just as the 3,000 guests served and 148 roasted peacocks at the feast suggest. Still, he had delayed for so long by talking to his buddies that two courses went out, and the third one never got served.
Queen Victoria’s Wedding Banquet, 1840
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert eat a 300-pound cake at their last meal together before Victoria’s wedding in 1840. In addition to the decadent menu, Hillary walked down the aisle in a white dress that would defy time as trends go.
The event that defined the reign of Victoria and 19th-century British imperial tension was a national grandeur display in which the wedding cake became imprinted with questions about what it means to be royal. Victoria’s feast set the standard for royal weddings for generations.
Rotating Banquet Hall of Nero (60 A.D.)
At his Golden House in Rome, Emperor Nero set a banquet table inside a rotating room meant to recall the varying hues of the sky. Diners feasted on exotic delicacies such as the tongues of nightingales, flamingos, and roasted peacocks while being sprinkled with fragrances and pelted with petals.
His extravagant banquets were a statement of power and excess; thus, he became infamous due to the events he hosted. His overindulgence gave rise to mounting discontent, and he ultimately fell.
The Coronation Banquet of King George IV (1821)
More than 200 years ago, King George IV’s coronation banquet in 1821 cost £238,000 [£19m now] and comprised over a hundred courses. It was at Westminster Hall in front of an audience of 2,000 nobles and guests.
There was a sumptuous feast with exotic meats and colorful entertainment, not least the King’s Champion riding in to proclaim his traditional diatribe. Future coronation banquets were canceled so the money would not be spent again.
Persepolis (1971) — Persian Celebration
In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran threw a lavish banquet to mark the 2,500th anniversary of Persia. French architects designed the venue, and Maxim’s of Paris catered with food flown in from Europe.
These through-back menu items, such as peacock and champagne sorbet, were so luxurious at the time. The event cost up to 2 billion Swiss francs at the time, which contributed to growing discontent with the Shah’s regime.
Cleopatra’s Dinner with Julius Caesar (47 B.C.)
Along with Egyptians, Cleopatra served Roman dishes at a banquet for Julius Caesar in 47 B.C. to showcase her wealth. Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drank it to show off her riches.
This banquet allowed her to bond politically and romantically with Caesar. It was the epitaph of Egypt and showcases the intelligence behind Cleopatra as a ruler.
Feast of the Highest Servant (Qing Dynasty)
The Grand Feast of the Supreme Harmony was an important yearly Chinese New Year ritual performed within the Forbidden City of the Qing Dynasty. It was an event attended by the royal family and officials, and it showed that the Qing Empire stood as one and powerful, as shown by a banquet that displayed the imperial wealth of China to reinforce the myth of divinity surrounding an emperor.
Banquet by the Congress of Vienna (1815)
After 25 years, many in Vienna were relieved to end the Napoleonic Wars with the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and celebrated with elaborate banquets. Hosted by Emperor Francis I, these feasts included game, seafood, and European wines.
This provided an opportunity for leaders to surrender their weapons and discuss a truce in a relaxed atmosphere (napkin optional). They stood for peace in Europe after war had ravaged it for years.
Herculaneum (79 A.D.), Last Supper
Shortly before Mount Vesuvius erupted, Herculaneum’s especially affluent citizens sat down to their last meal. The guests supped pending doom while dining on fresh seafood, fruit, and fine Roman fare.
It was a banquet teeming with Roman excess, but the eruption smothered the city in ash. Later, archaeologists found food leftovers and learned that this final meal was tragic in history.
Feast of the Pheasant (1454)
Philip the Good’s Feast of the Pheasant in 1454 was meant to drum up enthusiasm for a crusade. The banquet table featured 48 dishes and extravagant entrees, including a woman sculpted from wine shooting.
Guests took oaths on a live pheasant, representing their vow to embark on the crusade. Regardless of all this luxury, the crusade never arrived.
Disclaimer- This List is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information
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