BL Royal 19 E V is a medieval manuscript that once belonged to Edward IV. It was compiled for him in Bruges in 1480. The content is the Romuleon, a translation of a history of Rome, and amongst the tales of Emperors and Empresses, it contains the symbols of its royal owner–the Arms of England, an image of the Garter, the motto ‘Honny soit qui mal y pense’ (note the unstandardised medieval spelling!), a lion crest, lots of murrey and blue colouring, the royal arms of Edward’s sons and of his father, the Duke of York, and a Yorkist badge bearing the words  ‘Dieu est mon droit.’

The book apparently was inherited by Edward’s grandson Henry VIII, who had it in his library.

One of the miniatures is the text is particularly interesting. It shows Hadrian being adopted by the Emperor Trajan, presented by Trajan’s wife, Plotina. However, it is commonly thought that the figures of Hadrian and Plotina are based on Edward IV and his sister, Margaret of York. It certainly looks like Margaret, and I was struck by how much Edward superficially resembles Richard here.

 


Subscribe to my newsletter

  1. Very interesting! Thank you very much 🙂
    I see in the picture (from left to right): George, Richard 😀 again in green, King Edward IV, future Edward V (possibly), sister Margaret

    Like

  2. it is curious, is it known who compiled this manuscript for Edward, and why? Margaret did make an extensive trip to England in summer 1480 (mostly to London) to basically beg Edward for help for Mary and Maximilian in Burgundy vs Louis XI, to not abandon them (ie his alleged allies cough cough) – she was in London some 2-3 months. Edward did provide a fine welcome, feasting and banqueting etc, mother Cecily and sister Elizabeth of Suffolk came, Coldharbour was made available for her to use, brother Richard came down from the north to visit (he had to cut that short after the earl of Angus decided to burn Bamburgh and raid the east March, technically Percy’s turf) – one of the few things we DO know about Richard that he was unequivocally allied to Burgundian interests and Margaret in particular (and Edward most definitely was NOT). She wrote a scathing letter to Edward, prob around 1477 (?) after Louis XI literally seized many of dower lands after the death of Charles the Bold (Jan 1477) and she had appealed to Edward THEN to do something to protect her. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you are right, and this is Richard, not Edward, especially if it can be established that Margaret commissioned this manuscript, and brought it with her to England in 1480.

    Like

    1. “Margaret commissioned this manuscript and brought it with her to England in 1480.”

      Great version. But Margaret could not attract anyone but Edward as king, it seems to me.
      Emperor Trajan has an amazing outfit – Latin armor and Monomakh’s hat :-))

      Like

Leave a reply to amma19542019 Cancel reply