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Detailed record for Royal 19 D I
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| Title |
Historia de proeliis, translated in French as La vraie ystoire dou bon roi Alixandre, and other romances |
| Origin |
France, Central (Paris) |
| Date |
c. 1340 (after 1333) |
| Language |
French |
| Script |
Gothic |
| Scribe |
Jean de Senlis and others |
| Artists |
Jeanne de Montbaston |
| Decoration |
2 large miniatures in colours and gold with foliate initials in colours and gold and full bar borders with heraldic devices and vine leaves (ff. 1, 58). 162 one or two- column miniatures in colours and gold, at the beginning of book or chapters, 124 of which are accompanied by preliminary sketches (e.g., ff. 11v-15v, 17v-19v, 39v, 40, etc). Foliate initials in colours and gold, or puzzle initials in red and blue with red and brown pen-flourishing, at the beginning of some books or chapters. Initials in blue with red pen-flourishing, or in red with brown pen-flourishing. |
| Dimensions in mm |
425 x 310 (295 x 195) |
| Official foliation |
ff. 267 (+ 7 unfoliated modern paper flyleaves at the beginning and 2 at the end, and 4 unfoliated medieval parchment flyleaves at the end) |
| Collation |
i-v8 (ff. 1-40), vi6 (ff. 41-46), vii8 (ff. 47-54), viii3 (ff. 55-57), ix-xi8 (ff. 58-81), xii4 (ff. 82-85), xii-xviii8 (ff. 86-133), xix2 (ff. 134-135), xx-xxii8 (ff. 136-159), xxiii6 (ff. 160-165), xxiv8 (ff. 166-173), xxv4 (ff. 174-177), xxvi-xxix8 (ff. 178-209), xxx2 (ff. 210-211), xxxi-xxxvii8 (ff. 212-267). |
| Form |
Parchment codex |
| Binding |
BM/BL in-house. |
| Provenance |
Philip VI of Valois (b. 1293, d. 1350), king of France (1328-50), perhaps commissioned by him or for him, after 1333, and around the time of his proposed Crusade, c. 1334-37 (see Rouse 2000, pp. 244-47): three of the eight texts are the unique examples of the French translations by Jean de Vignay (b. 1280, d. c. 1340), translator working for Philip VI and Jeanne de Bourgogne; one of which, 'Le Directoire a faire le passage de la Terre Sainte', is addressed to the king, 'au tres noble prince / et seigneur mon seigneur phelippe roy de / france lan de n[ost]re seigneur mil ccc xxxii. / et fu translate en francois p[ar] iehan de vi/gnay. Lan mil ccc. xxxiii/ (f. 165v).
The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): perhaps to be identified with 'Le bon roy Alexandre' included in the list of books at Richmond Palace of 1535, no. 101; and in the catalogue of 1666 (f. 13v).
Presented to the British Museum by George II in 1757 as part of the Old Royal Library. |
| Notes |
Full digital coverage available for this manuscript: see Digitised Manuscripts at http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts.
Includes 8 works forming a compendium of the wonders of the East combined with crusading texts:
Historia de proeliis translated in French as La vraie ystoire dou bon roi Alixandre (ff.1-46);
Jehan le Nevelon (or le Venelais), La Venjance Alixandre in Old French verse (ff. 47-57);
Voyages of Marco Polo in a revised version attributed to Thibault de Cépoy, admiral of the fleet for Charles's of Valois projected crusade and Jean de Cépoy, admiral of the fleet for the projected crusade of Philip VI of France (ff. 58-135); Odoric de Pordenone, Merveilles de la terre d'outremer, written in 1330 and translated by Jean de Vignay in 1331 (ff. 136v-148);
John of Plano Carpini, Travels to the East in the abridgement of Vincent de Beauvais, Speculum Historiale 32, 2-66, in the unique French translation perhaps by Jean de Vignay (ff. 148v-165v);
Directorium ad faciendum passagium transmarinum of an anonymous Dominican, originally addressed to King Philip VI of France in 1332, and translated in French in 1333 by Jean de Vignay (a unique example of the translation) as Le Directoire a faire le passage de la Terre Sainte (ff. 165v-192v);
Primat of St Denis, Chronique in the unique translation of Jean de Vignay (ff. 192v-251v);
extracts from the Bible Historiale entitled in the colophon: 'Pluseurs bataiies des roys disrael encontre les Philistiens et Assyriens' (ff. 252v-267v).
According to Rouse 2000, written by 5 scribes (Hand I: quires i-viii; Hand II: quires ix-xii, xvii-xix, xxxvi-xxvii; Hand III to be identified with Jean de Senlis: quires xiii-xvi, xxxi-xxxv; Hand IV: quires xx-xxii, xxiii except f. 165v, xxvi-xxx; Hand V: quires xxiii, f. 165v, xxiv-xxv), and illuminated by two artists: Jeanne de Montbaston, widow of the Parisian libraire Richard de Montbaston (d. 1353), illuminator and libraire, from 1353 'Illuminatrix libri jurata universitatis' (quires i-iv, ix-xviii, xx-xxi, xxiii-xxix, xxxi-xxxvii) and another illuminator (quires v-viii).
Catchwords and bifolium signatures; instructions for rubrics (e.g., f. 168); a note informing about a number of quires 'xxxvii pestoi' (f. 167v).
The manuscript was probably used as a model for the text and illustrations of Marco Polo, Travels, in Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 264, ff. 218-271, added in England c. 1410, which in 1466 belonged to Richard Wydevill, lord Rivers, father-in-law of Edward IV (see Dutschke, 1998). |
| Select bibliography |
P. Meyer, Documents manuscrits de l’ancienne litte´rature de la France conserve´s dans les Bibliothe`ques de la Grande-Bretagne. Rapports a` M. le Ministre de l’Instruction Publique, (Extrait des Archives des Missions Scientifiques et Litte´raires, deuxie`me se´rie, tome 3-5) (Paris, 1871), pp. 16-30, 69-80.
Samuel Berger, La bible française au moyen âge (Paris: Champion, 1884), p. 391.
H. Omont, 'Les manuscrits français des rois d'Angleterre au château de Richmond', in Etudes romanes dédiés à Gaston Paris (Paris: É. Bouillon, 1891), pp. 1-13 (p. 11).
Campbell Dodgson, 'Alexander's Journey to the Sky: A Woodcut by Schäufelein', Burlington Magazine, 6 (1904-5), pp. 395-401 (p. 396, Pl. 1).
H. L. D. Ward and J. A. Herbert, Catalogue of Romances in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum, 3 vols (London: British Museum, 1883-1910), I, pp. 123, 143.
George F. Warner and Julius P. Gilson, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts in the Old Royal and King’s Collections, 4 vols (London: British Museum, 1921), II, pp. 339-41.
D. J. A. Ross, 'Methods of Book-Production in a XIVth Century French Miscellany (London, B. L., ms Royal 19. D. I.)', Scriptorium: Revue internationale des études relatives aux manuscrits 6 (1952), 63-75 (pp. 63-71).
D. J. A. Ross, 'Nectanebus in his Palace: A Problem of Alexander Iconography', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 15 (1952) 67-87 (pp. 68-72, fig. 16b).
D. J. A. Ross, Alexander Historiatus: A Guide to medieval illustrated Alexander Literature (London: Warburg Institute, 1963), pp. 13, 30, 41, 55, 88 n. 63, 90 n. 124, 97 n. 263, 98 nn. 276 and 279.
D. J. A. Ross, 'Olympias and the Serpent: The Interpretation of a Baalbek Mosaic and the Date of the Illustrated Pseudo-Callisthenes', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 26 (1963) 1-21 (pp. 6, 7, 8, n. 35, figs 1d, e).
Loren MacKinney, Medical Illustrations in Medieval Manuscripts, Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 5, 2 parts bound together (London: Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 1965), with Thomas Herndon, Part II, Medical Miniatures in Extant Manuscripts: A Checklist, no. 64.
D. J. A. Ross, Alexander and the Faithless Lady: A Submarine Adventure, An Inaugural lecture delivered at Birkbeck College, London, 7th November 1967 (London: Ruddock and Sons, 1967), p. 8, fig. 4.
Millard Meiss and Sharon Off, 'The Bookkeeping of Robinet d'Estampes and the Chronology of Jean de Berry's Manuscripts', The Art Bulletin, 53 (1971), 225-35 (p. 233).
David J. A. Ross, Studies in the Alexander Romance (London: Pindar, 1985), pp. 173, 175, 181, 259, 317-19, 344, 353, 364.
Jonathan J. G. Alexander, 'Preliminary Marginal Drawings in Medieval Manuscripts', in Artistes, artisans et production artistique au Moyen Age: Colloque international, ed. by. Xavier Barral i Altet, 3 vols (Paris: Picard, 1986-90), III: Fabrication et consommation de l'oeuvre, pp. 307-19 (pp. 312, 318).
Jonathan J. G. Alexander, Medieval Illuminators and their Methods of Work (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992), pp. 60, 68, 185, figs 87, 111.
V. M. Schmidt, A Legend and its Image: The Aerial Flight of Alexander the Great in Medieval Art (Grotingen, 1995), cat. no. 44, pp. 184-85 [exhibition catalogue].
C. W. Dutschke, 'The Truth in the Book: The Marco Polo Texts in Royal 19.D.I and Bodley 264', Scriptorium: Revue internationale des études relatives aux manuscrits, 52 (1998) 278-99.
Richard H. Rouse and Mary A. Rouse, Manuscripts and Their Makers: Commercial Book Producers in Medieval Paris 1200-1500, 2 vols (Turnhout: Harvey Miller, 2000), I, pp. 212, 244-47, 250, 254, 380 n. 86, 390 n. 86, 391 n. 105; II, App. 9A.
The Libraries of King Henry VIII, ed. by J. P. Carley, Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalogues, 7 (London: The British Library, 2000), H1.91.
Pamela Porter, Medieval Warfare in Manuscripts (London: British Library, 2000), p. 52.
Tine Melis, ‘An Alexander Manuscript for a Powerful Patron (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 264)?’, in ’Als Ich Can’: Liber Amicorum in Memory of Professor Dr. Maurits Smeyers, ed. by Bert Cardon and others, 2 vols (Paris: Uitgeverij Peeters, 2002), pp. 961-81 (p. 972).
D. J. A. Ross and M. A. Stones, 'The Roman d'Alexandre in French Prose: Another Illustrated Manuscript from Champagne or Flanders c.1300', Scriptorium: Revue internationale des études relatives aux manuscrits, 56 (2002), 345-56 (p. 346).
Martine Meuwese, 'Inaccurate Instructions and Incorrect Interpretations: Errors and Deliberate Discrepancies in Illustrated prose Lancelot Manuscripts', Bibliographical Bulletin of the International Arthurian Society, 54 (2002), 319-44 (p. 332, n. 29).
Sophie Page, Magic in Medieval Manuscripts (London: British Library, 2004), pp. 10-11, 14, 19, pl. 7, 10, 18.
Mary and Richard Rouse, ‘Context and Reception: A Crusading Collection for Charles IV of France’, in Courtly Arts and the Art of Courtliness, Selected papers from the Eleventh Triennial Congress of the International Courtly Literature Society University of Wisconsin-Madison 2004, ed by Keith Busby and Christopher Kleinhenz (Cambridge: Brewer, 2006), pp. 105-78 (p. 106).
Maureen Quigley, 'Romantic Geography and the Crusades: British Library Royal ms. 19 D I', Peregrinations, 2.3 (2009), 53-76 [http://peregrinations.kenyon.edu/vol2_3/current/fa3.pdf] [accessed 17 July 2009].
Lieselotte E. Saurma-Jeltsch, 'Saracens: Opponents to the Body of Christianity', The Medieval History Journal, 13 (2010), 55-95 (pp. 60-62, 65, n., 85, 90).
Maud Pérez-Simon, Mise en roman, mise en image: Les manuscrits du Roman d'Alexandre en prose (Paris: Champion, 2011), pp. 438-40.
Scot McKendrick, John Lowden, and Kathleen Doyle, Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination (London: British Library, 2011), no. 91 [exhibition catalogue]. |
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f. 1
Locations |
ff. 1v-2
Nectanebus |
f. 4v
Nectanebus and Olympias |
| |
f. 5
Philip and Alexander |
f. 5v
Death of Nectanebus |
f. 5v
Death of Nectanebus |
| |
f. 6
Bucephalus |
f. 7
Coronation of Alexander |
ff. 7v-8
Philip and Alexander |
| |
ff. 8v-9
Philip and Alexander |
ff. 9v-10
Alexander's army |
ff. 10v-11
Alexandria and Tyre |
| |
f. 11v
Alexander in Jerusalem |
f. 12
Darius |
f. 12
Darius |
| |
ff. 12v-13
Alexander and Darius |
ff. 13v-14
Darius, Alexander and Olympias |
ff. 14v-15
Darius and Alexander |
| |
f. 15v
Alexander and the Persians |
f. 16v
Darius |
ff. 17v-18
Alexander, the Persians, and Darius |
| |
ff. 18v-19
Darius |
f. 19v
Alexander attacking |
ff. 20v-21
Burial of Darius |
| |
ff. 22v-23
Alexander and Porrus |
ff. 23v-24
Queen of the Amazons |
f. 25
Alexander and the Queen of the Amazons |
| |
f. 26
Alexander battling the beasts |
f. 26
Alexander and crabs |
ff. 26v-27
Alexander and Porrus |
| |
ff. 27v-28
Alexander |
f. 28
Alexander and the cave dwellers |
ff. 28v-29
Alexander in India |
| |
ff. 29v-30
Alexander in India |
ff. 30v-31
Alexander in India |
f. 31
Alexander burning a wild man |
| |
ff. 31v-32
Alexander in India |
ff. 32v-33
Alexander in India |
f. 33v
Alexander and Candace |
| |
f. 35v
Alexander encountering strange beasts |
f. 36
Alexander |
f. 36v
Alexander |
| |
f. 37
Alexander and griffins |
f. 37
Alexander and griffins |
f. 37v
Alexander |
| |
f. 37v
Alexander |
f. 38
Alexander |
f. 38
Alexander |
| |
f. 38
Alexander |
f. 38
Alexander |
ff. 38v-39
Alexander |
| |
f. 38v
Alexander |
f. 39v
Alexander |
f. 40
Alexander |
| |
f. 40
Payment of tribute |
f. 40
Alexander |
f. 40v
Alexander |
| |
f. 41v
Jobas giving Alexander poison |
f. 43v
Death of Alexander |
f. 45
Burning of a city |
| |
f. 47
Alexander in battle |
f. 47
Alexander in battle |
f. 58
Nicholas and Maffeo Polo |
| |
f. 58
Nicholas and Maffeo Polo |
f. 59v
The Great Khan |
f. 59v
The Great Khan |
| |
f. 61
The Great Khan |
f. 61
The Great Khan |
f. 64
City of Baghdad |
| |
f. 65
Saracens and Christians |
f. 65v
Return of the Magi |
f. 66v
Return of the Magi |
| |
f. 68
Camadi |
f. 68
Camadi |
f. 70v
Old Man of the Mountain |
| |
f. 70v
Old Man of the Mountain |
f. 72v
River of Badashan |
f. 72v
River of Badashan |
| |
f. 76
People of Compision |
f. 76
People of Compision |
f. 77v
Battle of Genghis Khan and Prester John |
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f. 78v
Worship of the Tartar god |
f. 78v
Worship of the Tartar god |
f. 81v
Magicians |
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f. 81v
Magicians |
f. 83
Kubla Khan |
f. 83
Kubla Khan |
| |
f. 84
Kubla Khan |
f. 84
Kubla Khan |
f. 85
Death of Nayan |
| |
f. 85
Death of Nayan |
f. 86
The Khan and his wives |
f. 86
The Khan and his wives |
| |
f. 88
The Khan |
f. 90
The Khan |
f. 90
The Khan |
| |
f. 93
The Khan's barons |
f. 93
The Khan's barons |
f. 95
The Khan |
| |
f. 95
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f. 97
Coronation of Mangalai |
f. 98v
Tibetans |
| |
f. 101
Killing serpents |
f. 103
Battle of the Khan |
f. 105
Towers of Mien |
| |
f. 107
Traitors beheaded |
f. 107
Traitors beheaded |
f. 108v
Khan's army |
| |
f. 111
Mangonel |
f. 113
Kinsay |
f. 115
The Khan |
| |
f. 117
Boat with merchandise |
f. 118
Monstrous idols |
f. 120v
Two towers |
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f. 122
Java the Less |
f. 125
Armies of Maatar |
f. 127v
Shrine of Thomas |
| |
ff. 132v-133
Abyssinia |
f. 136
Jean de Vignay |
f. 136
Jean de Vignay |
| |
f. 136v
Text page |
f. 137
Text page |
f. 137v
Text page |
| |
f. 138
Text page |
f. 138v
Text page |
f. 139
Text page |
| |
f. 139v
Text page |
f. 140
Text page |
f. 140v
Text page |
| |
f. 141
Text page |
f. 141v
Text page |
f. 142
Text page |
| |
f. 142v
Text page |
f. 143
Text page |
f. 143v
Text page |
| |
f. 144
Text page |
f. 144v
Text page |
f. 145
Text page |
| |
f. 145v
Text page |
f. 146
Text page |
f. 146v
Text page |
| |
f. 147
Text page |
f. 147v
Text page |
f. 148
Text page |
| |
f. 148v
Pope Innocent IV |
f. 148v
Pope Innocent IV |
f. 165v
Jean de Vignay |
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f. 165v
Jean de Vignay |
f. 168
King of France |
f. 175
Two messengers |
| |
f. 175v
Text page |
f. 178
Eastern Emperor |
f. 185v
Emperor |
| |
f. 187v
Crusaders |
f. 187v
Crusaders |
f. 189v
Battle of Saracens and Christians |
| |
f. 194
Abbot of St Denis |
f. 202
Siege of St Germain L'Aiguillet |
f. 213
Attack on Carthage |
| |
f. 216
Funeral of the Comte de Nevers |
f. 222v
Homage to Philip III |
f. 227
Relics of Louis |
| |
f. 227
Relics of Louis |
f. 229v
Miracle at Bayeux |
f. 229v
Miracle at Bayeux |
| |
f. 233
Defeat of the Saracens |
f. 238v
Murder of Henry of Almaine |
f. 246
King of France |
| |
f. 252
David and Goliath |
f. 252
David and Goliath |
f. 263v
Death of Absalom |
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