Prince and his council from BL Royal 16 F II, f. 210v

Miniature of a prince and his council, and a prince hearing mass, with a full border with two red and white roses, one supported by a white greyhound and a red dragon, with an ostrich feather with a motto 'Ic dene', and a decorated initial 'E'(n). Image taken from f. 210v of Poems; Art d'amour; Les demands d'amour; Le liver dot grace entire sure le fait du government d'un prince. 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.

charles duke of orléans pseudo heloise prince council bl royal f ii manuscripts medieval medieval miniatures decorated initials french manuscripts poetry poem literature illuminated initials medieval manuscript illustrated books france british library

1300 - 1500

British Library

http://europeana.eu/

Public Domain