Libro del Conoscimiento
Encyclopedia
The Libro del Conoscimiento (or Book of the Knowledge) is an anonymous 14th century Castilian
geographical & armorial manual, written in the form of imaginary autobiographical travelogue of a Castilian
mendicant friar
, as he travels through the entire world, known and fanciful, from the westernmost Atlantic islands, through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Arctic, identifying all the lands, kings, lords and their armorial devices
as he passes them.
Originally believed to have been written around 1350, it is now thought to have been composed somewhat later, probably around 1385.
Its full title is (or, in its English translation, "Book of the Knowledge of all the Kingdoms, Lands and Lordships that are in the World. and the arms and devices of each land and lordship, or of the kings and lords who possess them").
Three manuscripts of the Libro del Conoscimiento were discovered in 1874 and compiled and published in 1877 in Madrid
, by Marcos Jiménez de la Espada. In his introduction, the editor presented the book as an authentic travelogue of a Castilian Franciscan
mendicant friar written around 1350. However, immediately upon its appearance, contemporary scholars (not without a touch of mockery at the editor) noted the travelogue was largely fantastical and imaginary, and that there was no clear indication that the author was a friar, Franciscan or otherwise. The only explicit information is that the anonymous author claims to have born in Castile
in 1305.
The book's principal objective may have been as an armorial
roll. Its choice of presenting itself in the form of an imaginary travelogue may have been whimsical, to tap into the fashionable travel literature
of the era, popularized by Marco Polo
and John Mandeville
. Its geographical features suggest the Libros author might have been inspired by (or have himself inspired) the anonymous Genoese
author of the Medici Atlas
(notionally dated 1351, but probably c.1370).
, and subsequently held by the count of San Clemente in Zaragoza, was reported lost sometime around 1680. It is believed this was the manuscript that resurfaced in London in 1978, popularly known as "Manuscript Z", currently held by the Bavarian State Library
in Munich
, as "Cod.hisp. 150". This manuscript, written in the late 14th C., is replete with miniature illuminations
drawn by an Aragonese
illustrator. A fascimile was published in 1999. In the introduction to that edition, editor Lacarra doubts the original c.1350 dating, and proposes instead that the Libro was probably composed a bit later, probably around 1385.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
geographical & armorial manual, written in the form of imaginary autobiographical travelogue of a Castilian
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
mendicant friar
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
, as he travels through the entire world, known and fanciful, from the westernmost Atlantic islands, through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Arctic, identifying all the lands, kings, lords and their armorial devices
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
as he passes them.
Originally believed to have been written around 1350, it is now thought to have been composed somewhat later, probably around 1385.
Its full title is (or, in its English translation, "Book of the Knowledge of all the Kingdoms, Lands and Lordships that are in the World. and the arms and devices of each land and lordship, or of the kings and lords who possess them").
Three manuscripts of the Libro del Conoscimiento were discovered in 1874 and compiled and published in 1877 in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, by Marcos Jiménez de la Espada. In his introduction, the editor presented the book as an authentic travelogue of a Castilian Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
mendicant friar written around 1350. However, immediately upon its appearance, contemporary scholars (not without a touch of mockery at the editor) noted the travelogue was largely fantastical and imaginary, and that there was no clear indication that the author was a friar, Franciscan or otherwise. The only explicit information is that the anonymous author claims to have born in Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
in 1305.
The book's principal objective may have been as an armorial
Roll of arms
A roll of arms is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms...
roll. Its choice of presenting itself in the form of an imaginary travelogue may have been whimsical, to tap into the fashionable travel literature
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
of the era, popularized by Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
and John Mandeville
John Mandeville
"Jehan de Mandeville", translated as "Sir John Mandeville", is the name claimed by the compiler of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, a book account of his supposed travels, written in Anglo-Norman French, and first circulated between 1357 and 1371.By aid of translations into many other languages...
. Its geographical features suggest the Libros author might have been inspired by (or have himself inspired) the anonymous Genoese
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
author of the Medici Atlas
Medici Atlas
The Medici Atlas, also known as the Medici-Laurentian Atlas is an anonymous 14th century set of maps, probably composed by an Genoese cartographer and explicitly dated 1351, although most historians believe it was composed, or at least retouched, later...
(notionally dated 1351, but probably c.1370).
Editions
The existence of the Libro del Conoscimiento was already known before Jiménez de la Espada's discovery in 1874. A manuscript copy of the Libro, once owned by the 16th C. historian Jerónimo Zurita y CastroJeronimo Zurita y Castro
Jerónimo de Zurita y Castro was a Spanish historian of the sixteenth century who founded the modern tradition of historical scholarship in Spain....
, and subsequently held by the count of San Clemente in Zaragoza, was reported lost sometime around 1680. It is believed this was the manuscript that resurfaced in London in 1978, popularly known as "Manuscript Z", currently held by the Bavarian State Library
Bavarian State Library
The Bavarian State Library in Munich is the central "Landesbibliothek", i. e. the state library of the Free State of Bavaria and one of Europe's most important universal libraries. With its collections currently comprising around 9.39 million books, it ranks among the best research libraries...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, as "Cod.hisp. 150". This manuscript, written in the late 14th C., is replete with miniature illuminations
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
drawn by an Aragonese
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
illustrator. A fascimile was published in 1999. In the introduction to that edition, editor Lacarra doubts the original c.1350 dating, and proposes instead that the Libro was probably composed a bit later, probably around 1385.
- (1874 manuscripts) El Libro del Conosçimiento de todos los rregnos et tierras e señoríos que son por el mundo et de las señales et armas que han cada tierra y señorío por sy y de los reyes y señores que los proueen, escrito por un franciscano español á mediados del siglo XIV (Marcos Jiménez de la Espada ed., 1877, Madrid: Impr. de T. Fortanet online)
- (Manuscript Z) Libro del conosçimiento de todos los rregnos et tierras e señoríos que son por el mundo et de las señales et armas que han. (María Jesús Lacarra, María del Carmen Lacarra Ducay and Alberto Montaner, editors, 1999, Zaragoza: Institución "Fernando el Católico" (CSIC)-Excma. Diputación Provincial.
External links
- English summary of the Libro del Conoscimiento in National Geographic (1917) "Heroic Flags of the Middle Ages: the geography of the earth as known in Medieval times, symbolied in 96 historic standards", National Geographic Magazine, vol. 32, p.388-399
- Libro del conoscimiento de todos los reinos del mundo (digital edition from the «Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes»).
- Riquer, Martin de (1987) "La heráldica en el Libro del Conoscimiento y el problema de su datación", Dicenda: cuadernos de Filologia Hispanica, No. 6, p. 313-19. pdf