Wise man entering Arthur's banquet hall from BL Royal 14 E III, f. 90

Detail of a miniature of an ancient and holy wise man entering Arthur's banqueting hall. Image taken from f. 90 of Estoire del Saint Graal, La Queste del Saint Graal, Morte Artu. 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.

wise man wise man arthur banquet hall banquet hall bl royal e iii manuscripts medieval holy grail tournai estoire del saint graal saint omer la queste del saint graal morte artu medieval miniatures french manuscripts saint king arthur medieval manuscript france british library

1200 - 1450

British Library

http://europeana.eu/

Public Domain