King Edward III from BL Harley 5233, f. 11

Historiated initial with king Edward III (r. 1327-1377) combined with a full foliate bar border at the beginning of his statutes. Image taken from f. 11 of Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v). Written in French and Latin.

The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in London. The Harley Manuscripts are part of the larger collection known as the Harley Collection, which was assembled by Robert Harley (1661–1724) and his son Edward Harley (1689–1741). Robert Harley was a prominent English statesman and bibliophile, and he began amassing a vast collection of books and manuscripts in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

The Harley Manuscripts are known for their diversity and include a wide range of texts, including historical chronicles, illuminated manuscripts, legal documents, literary works, and scientific treatises. The collection contains over 7,000 manuscripts, and it is considered one of the most important manuscript collections in the British Library.

The Harley Manuscripts are numbered with the prefix "Harley," followed by a specific manuscript number. Each manuscript in the collection has its own unique content and history, and they cover a broad spectrum of topics and time periods. Some of the manuscripts in the collection are beautifully illuminated, with intricate illustrations and decorations.

edward edward iii bl harley medieval manuscripts initials historiated initials french manuscripts henry vi manuscript decoration illuminated initials medieval manuscript illustrated books medieval miniatures england king of england edward iii king of england france british library

1300 - 1500

British Library

http://europeana.eu/

Public Domain