In order to pursue his ambitions in France, Henry VIII formed an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I. This painting records their meeting and the main events pertaining to Henry's first campaign against the French in 1513.

The composition comprises of a series of horizontal bands. The emperor and the king, both on horseback, meet in the centre foreground. They are shown again in the middle distance and then again on horseback, between divisions of infantry and artillery. The emperor's coat-of-arms is shown on the tent to the left and Henry's on the tent to the right. Just above the centre the Battle of the Spurs is taking place, while in the background the towns of Thérouanne (left) and Tournai (right) are under siege.

Military success and glory was important to Henry VIII and featured highly in his foreign policy. This painting follows the tradition set by Henry's forebears of recording significant events in a monarch's reign. It is not sure where it would have originally hung, but one possibility is at Whitehall Palace where it may have been incorporated into the architecture as a frieze together with another painting depicting the Battle of the Spurs (RCIN 406784).