New Heaven and Earth from BL Royal 15 D II, f. 198v

Detail of a miniature of John standing in witness before the revelation of the New Heaven and the New Earth, in illustration of Revelation 21:1. Image taken from f. 198v of La lumiere as lais; Apocalypse (the 'Welles Apocalypse'). Written in French.

The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consists of over 2,000 manuscripts that were once owned by the British monarchs, including English and later British kings and queens from the late 12th to the 19th centuries. These manuscripts are notable for their historical and artistic value.

The collection was initially stored in various royal libraries and palaces, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Palace. During the English Civil War in the 17th century and the subsequent Interregnum, many royal treasures, including manuscripts, were dispersed and sold. Some manuscripts were lost, destroyed, or ended up in private hands.

In 1757, King George II donated the Old Royal Library to the British Museum (which later became the British Library), where the manuscripts were integrated into the museum's collections. This marked the formal establishment of the Royal Manuscript Collection within the British Museum.

peter of peckham new heaven new heaven earth bl royal d ii manuscripts medieval welles apocalypse welles apocalypse medieval miniatures french manuscripts images of heaven revelation france british library

1310

British Library

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Public Domain