Royal Manuscripts
58 outstanding royal manuscripts, 500 high-resolution images, expert videos, in one luxurious app.
Discover 58 of the most outstanding illuminated medieval and Renaissance manuscripts from the British Library’s exhibition, 'Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination'.
Collected by the kings and queens of England over 800 years these treasures are outstanding examples of the decorative and figurative painting of the era. Together they are our most vivid source for understanding royal identity, moral and religious beliefs, learning, faith artistic trends and the international politics of the period.
Explore them now in beautiful high-resolution detail, with 500 images, videos of British Library experts, and informative text.
What's in it?
• 58 manuscripts from the exhibition, each with interpretive
text
• 500 high-resolution manuscript images of some of the best surviving
examples of medieval painting in England, including many pages not on
display in the exhibition
• 6 expert curator videos exploring the history and details of
the manuscripts
• Functionality to star your favourite items and view them together
in one place
Selected manuscripts include colourful histories and genealogies, Bibles and Psalters, scientific works and accounts of coronations.
Highlights include:
• Book of Hours made for Margaret Beauchamp (great-grandmother
of Henry VIII)
• Henry VIII’s Psalter, commissioned and annotated by
the king himself
• Maps of an itinerary from London to Apulia and to the Holy
Land
• Shrewsbury book, presented to Margaret of Anjou on her marriage
to Henry VI in 1445
Please note, a WiFi connection is required to download the app and to view the videos.
How do I get it?
'Royal Manuscripts' is available for download world-wide
From the iTunes App Store for iPhone (and iPod Touch): UK £2.99 (US $4.99)
From the Android Marketplace: UK £2.99 (US $4.99)
'Royal Manuscripts HD'
From the iTunes App Store for iPad: UK £3.99 (US $5.99)
From the Android Marketplace: UK £3.99 (US $5.99)
Created by the British Library in partnership with Toura 
Also available:
'Treasures': our first app for the iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones
Updated with a brand new design and extra images
Updated with a brand new design and 150 extra images, our re-launched Treasures app is now available to download for iPhone, iPad and Android.
The app features over 100 highlights, including literary, historical, music-related and scientific documents - alongside illuminated manuscripts and sacred texts. Each is presented through high-resolution images, allowing the viewer to zoom in and explore in detail. 'Treasures' offers smartphone users a true multimedia experience.
Available across multiple mobile platforms: iPhone, Android and, in an HD version, the iPad
What's in it?
- Over 100 unique or rare items: the original version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the world’s oldest bible, priceless hand-painted medieval books, Nelson’s battle plan for Trafalgar, sketches by Leonardo, a 1664 plan of New York, ‘The Tyger’ in William Blake’s hand, and many more...
- Arranged in easy-to-browse sections: Science, History, Music, Literature, Faith and Religions, Maps and Views, Illuminated Manuscripts
- With highlights from our current major exhibition
- Audio excerpts and nearly 50 WiFi-served videos from our expert curators
- Plus explorer Ben Fogle talking about Captain Scott’s diary
and linguist David Crystal discussing Beowulf.
Chosen by The Sunday Times App List: top 500 apps
How do I get it?
'Treasures' is available for download world-wide
From the iTunes App Store for iPhone (and iPod Touch): UK £2.49, US $3.99
From the Android Marketplace: UK £2.49, US $3.99
'Treasures HD'
From the iTunes App Store for iPad UK £3.99, US $5.99
Created by the British Library in partnership with Toura
Also available
and
19th Century Historical Collection App (for iPad) produced by BiblioLabs
