Walters Ms. W.142, William of Tyre, Estoire d'Eracles (to 1261)

W.142

William of Tyre, Estoire d'Eracles (to 1261)

William of Tyre, Estoire d'Eracles (to 1261)

Authority name: William, of Tyre, Archbishop of Tyre, approximately 1130-approximately 1190

Known as: William of Tyre

William II, Archbishop of Tyre (ca. 1130-1190) began this monumental historical account of the First Crusade and its subsequent Western rulers ca. 1167. Titled "History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea," this chronicle was continued by the author until his death ca. 1190. Shortly thereafter, the manuscript was translated from the original Latin into French. The French edition, Estoire d'Eracles, was completed in two stages, ca. 1300-40, not only preserving the history of the Crusades as recorded until 1190 by William of Tyre (fols. 1-236), but also including two continuations that were added to the volume ca. 1340, some forty years later than the original portion of the text. Featuring twenty-seven panel miniatures and twenty-two historiated initials, this stunning chronicle is one of few that survives to this day.

Ca. 1275-1325 CE

Paris

Book

Historical

The primary language in this manuscript is French, Old (842-ca.1400). The secondary language of this manuscript is French.

Parchment

Medium-weight parchment, carefully selected; early mends visible, especially at lower right-hand corner rectos; fol. 334 considerably trimmed, measuring 34.3 x 24 cm

Foliation: 334

Formula: Quires 1-19: 12 (fols. 1-228); Quire 20: 8 (fols. 229-236); Quires 21-27: 12 (fols. 237-320); Quire 28: 14 (fols. 321-334)

Catchwords: Catchwords located at lower right of last versos of each quire

Signatures: Signatures often partially visible, in brown ink; lower-case letters followed by Roman numeral

Comments:

25.8 cm wide by 36.7 cm high

18.5 cm wide by 25.6 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 42
3. Ruled in lead

fols. 1r - 334v:

1. Title: William of Tyre, Estoire d'Eracles (to 1261)
2. Hand note: Written in round textura
3. Decoration note: Twenty-seven miniatures; twenty-two historiated initials (7-13 lines); borders; decorated illuminated initials at beginnings of most major text divisions that are marked by panel miniatures (2-3 lines); flourished initials at beginnings of secondary text divisions (2 lines); text in dark brown ink

fols. 1r - 236v:

1. Title: Untitled; 22 Books
2. Author: William, of Tyre, Archbishop of Tyre, approximately 1130-approximately 1190
3. Incipit: Les anciennes Estoires dient que Eracles.
4. Decoration note: Illuminations on fols. 1r, 13r, 21r, 28r, 36r, 44r, 52v, 61v, 69v, 78r, 88v, 102r, 112r, 122r, 132v, 144v, 157r, 170v, 186r, 198r, 210v and 222r

fols. 237r - 293r:

1. Title: Untitled, 22 Books and 98 Chapters
2. Incipit: Liquens de Triple respondi
3. Hand note: Written by different hand some forty years later
4. Decoration note: Illuminations on fols. 242r, 243v, 244v, 246r, 247r, 249r, 251v, 253v, 255r, 257r, 259r, 261v, 264r, 266v, 270r, 272r, 274v, 276r, 279v, 282v, 285v, and 289v

fols. 293r - 334r:

1. Title: Untitled, 5 Books and 67 Chapters
2. Incipit: En grant peril
3. Hand note: Written by different hand some forty years later
4. Decoration note: Illuminations on fols. 293r, 302v, 315v, 320v, and 326r

fol. 1r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "L" with Peter the hermit praying at Holy Sepulchre, vision of angel (Christ?) issuing from cloud at upper left/ Peter the hermit leading male pilgrim by hand on first Crusade, vision of angel issuing from cloud at upper right
3. Form: Historiated initial "L," 13 lines

fol. 13r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "V" with Godefroy de Bouillon and followers en route to Holy Land
3. Form: Historiated initial "V," 9 lines

fol. 21r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "D" with Crusaders conquering Nicaea / Crusaders capturing wife and two sons of Qilij Arslan
3. Form: Historiated initial "D," 11 lines

fol. 28r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "O" with Crusaders besieging Antioch
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 7 lines

fol. 36r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "V" with Firuz preparing to kill his brother as crusaders return / Crusaders enter Antioch, gates opened from within by compatriots
3. Form: Historiated initial "V," 10 lines

fol. 44r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "B" with Crusaders attacking Antioch / Crusaders besieged inside Antioch
3. Form: Historiated initial "B," 13 lines

fol. 52v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "L" with Crusader envoys requesting assistance from emperor of Byzantium / Crusaders besiege Maara
3. Form: Historiated initial "L," 11 lines

fol. 61v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "V" with Crusaders preparing to besiege Jerusalem / Crusaders in camp before Jerusalem
3. Form: Historiated initial "V," 11 lines

fol. 69v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "S" with The Holy Sepulchre / Godefroy de Bouillon enthroned, holding green trefoil topped septre, acclaimed by subjects as new ruler of Jerusalem
3. Form: Historiated initial "S," 11 lines

fol. 78r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "R" with mourning the death of Godefroy de Bouillon / Coronation of Baldwin I by Patriarch Daimbert in Bethlehem
3. Form: Historiated initial "R," 10 lines

fol. 88v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "A" with Bohemond entrusting Tancred with rule of West / King Philip I of France bestowing daughters Constance and Cecilia as brides for Bohemond and Tancred
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 11 lines

fol. 102r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "P" with Baldwin I returning to Jerusalem for burial on Palm Sunday, 118 AD / Coronation of Baldwin II at Bethlehem, messenger at left bringing news of Eustace of Boulogne's support of Baldwin II
3. Form: Historiated initial "P," 12 lines

fol. 112r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "P" with Siege of Tyre by Crusaders
3. Form: Historiated initial "P," 13 lines

fol. 122r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "R" with King Baldwin II on deathbed, death mourned by newly crowned King Fulk and four men / Coronation of King Fulk by two bishops; Melisinda at far right beside man, another man at far left
3. Form: Historiated initial "R," 13 lines

fol. 132v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "A" with Siege and attack of Shayzar by emperor of Byzantium / Return of attackers to Antioch
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 11 lines

fol. 144v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "N" with King Fulk hunting on horseback with followers / King Fulk thrown from horse and fatally injured
3. Form: Historiated initial "N," 12 lines

fol. 157r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "A" with Emperor Conrad of Germany and followers on horseback, departing for Second Crusade / King Louis VII of France and followers on horseback, departing for Second Crusade
3. Form: Historiated initial "A," 12 lines

fol. 170v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "O" with Abuse of Patriarch of Antioch through exposure on tower / Raynaud of Chatillon on horseback, orders men to seize Patriarch
3. Form: Historiated initial "O," 12 lines

fol. 186r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "R" with King Baldwin III on deathbed, death mourned by newly crowned King Amaury and two men / Coronation of Amaury I by two bishops at left
3. Form: Historiated initial "R," 13 lines

fol. 198r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "U" with Marriage at Tyre of King Amaury I and Princess Maria by Patriarch Amalrich
3. Form: Historiated initial "U," 12 lines

fol. 210v:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "M" with King Amaury on deathbed, four grieving men / Coronation of Baldwin IV by Patriarch Amalrich
3. Form: Historiated initial "M," 11 lines

fol. 222r:

1. 
2. Title: Historiated initial "B" with Bohemond of Antioch and followers ride to Jerusalem / Marriage of Sybille, daughter of Amaury I, and Guy of Lusignan
3. Form: Historiated initial "B," 12 lines

fol. 242r:

1. 
2. Title: Master of the Temple orders men to cross land of count Raymond II of Tripoli and attack Saracens, delegate of count seated at left
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 243v:

1. 
2. Title: King Henry II of England sending two horsemen to Holy Land with annual contribution to expiate murder of Thomas Becket / Master of the Temple and assistant open gold-filled coffer sent by Henry II; King Guy of Jerusalem and two followers prepare to use funds for defense against Saladin
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 244v:

1. 
2. Title: Crusaders capture Syrian sorceress accused of putting spell on them / Sorceress survives ordeal by fire, is decapitated
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 246r:

1. 
2. Title: Poisoning of Archbishop of Tyre at command of Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem / Patriarch Heraclius and his mistress seated at left, disapproval in Holy Land represented by two men seated in building at right
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 247r:

1. 
2. Title: Captured Crusaders brought before Saladin; Saladin beheading Raynauld of Chatillon / Countess of Tripoli hands key to city of Tiberius to Saladin
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 249r:

1. 
2. Title: Saladin and followers besiege Jerusalem / Saladin receiving delegation to discuss terms for surrender of Jerusalem
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 251v:

1. 
2. Title: Saracens guard Jerusalem / King Saladin of Jerusalem enthroned, assigning spoils
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 253v:

1. 
2. Title: Pope and two cardinals in Rome receive news of plight of Holy Land from Josias of Tyre
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 255r:

1. 
2. Title: Navy of King William II of Sicily arriving in Holy Land; Saladin and men besiege Tripoli / Encounter near Tripoli between the Green Knight and Saladin, both on horseback
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 257r:

1. 
2. Title: King Philip II Augustus of France and King Richard I of England meet near Medina
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 259r:

1. 
2. Title: Reconquest of Jaffa from Saladin by King Richard (arms of England on shield) and his men
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 261v:

1. 
2. Title: King Richard I of England embarking with Templars for Acre
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 264r:

1. 
2. Title: Al-Aziz, sultan of Egypt, lying on ground with broken neck after hunting accident / Al-Afdal, uncle of Al-Aziz, rides with followers on horseback
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 266v:

1. 
2. Title: Count Henry of Champagne and followers welcomed by Lord of Assassins and followers, all figures on horseback / Lord of Assassins demonstrates how subjects would execute Count Henry's commands, their obedience exemplified by two men jumping to their deaths from tower of castle of Al-Kahf
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 270r:

1. 
2. Title: Sultan of Cairo conferring with his religious leaders
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 272r:

1. 
2. Title: Egyptian admiral captures two ships from Cyprus, violating peace treaty between King Amaury II and the sultan
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 274v:

1. 
2. Title: Strangling of young Emperor Alexius IV in bed by Murzuphles (Alexis Ducas) / Murzuphles, newly crowned emperor Alexius V of Byzantium, acclaimed by followers
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 276r:

1. 
2. Title: Crusaders and Venetians dividing city of Constantinople after its conquest
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 279v:

1. 
2. Title: Theodore Comnenus captures Latin emperor of Constantinople and followers
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 282v:

1. 
2. Title: Pope receiving news of plight of Holy Land from messenger sent by newly crowned Latin emperor, John of Brienne
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 285v:

1. 
2. Title: Siege of Damietta by Crusaders
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 289v:

1. 
2. Title: Saracens in shops block supply lines to Crusaders in Damietta
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 293r:

1. 
2. Title: Saracens' raid on Jerusalem after Holy Roman emperor Frederick II's departure from Holy Land
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 302v:

1. 
2. Title: Emperor Frederick II enthroned
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 315v:

1. 
2. Title: Two ships bearing King Louis IX of France and army to Holy Land
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 320v:

1. 
2. Title: Forces of King Louis IX of France attack Mansourah from ship
3. Form: Miniature

fol. 326r:

1. 
2. Title: Capture of King Louis IX and followers by Egyptian forces during retreat from Mansourah / King Louis IX, two sons, and group of nobles taken off to prison
3. Form: Miniature

The binding is not original.

France, fifteenth century; reddish-brown calf over wooden boards; head and tail of spine repaired in the nineteenth century; twentieth-century additions include stout modern leather straps, attached at fore-edge of upper cover and leather fore-edge tabs

Completed in Paris, in two stages; ca. 1300 and ca. 1340

"Monsieur du Vassy(?)," citing Tours; two stamps stating price of ten sous; name added later

Count of Clermont-Gallerande family, seventeenth or eighteenth century; armorial shield pasted on top of deed

Ambriose Firmin-Didot, Paris bookseller, ca. 1870-80; written description of manuscript on slip pasted onto back pastedown possibly from this period

Made available to Gaston Paris for printed edition ca. 1879-80

Firmin-Didot sale, Paris, June 9-15, 1881, no.63; sold to member of Didot family for 3200 francs

Henry Yates Thompson, June 1896, Ms. 43; sold by him before 1907

Léon Gruel, Paris, acquired from Yates Thompson by 1907

Henry Walters, Baltimore, purchased from Gruel before 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

Paris, P. Guillaume de Tyr et ses continuators. 2. Histoire generale des croisades par les auteurs contemporains. 1880: 469.

Riant, P. "Inventaire sommaire des manuscrits de l'Eracles". I. Archives de l'Orient Latin. 1881: 251, no. 55.

Riant, P. "Inventaire sommaire des manuscrits relatifs a l'histoire et la geographie de l'Orient Latin". 2. Archives de l'Orient Latin. 1884: 201, no. 63.

James, M.R. and Cockerell, S.C. et. al. A Descriptive Catalogue of Fifty Manuscripts in the Collection of Henry Yates Thompson. 1898. cat. no. 43.

James, M.R. and Cockerell, S.C. et. al. A Descriptive Catalogue of Twenty Illuminated Manuscripts Nos. LXXV to XCIV. (Replacing Twenty Discarded from the Original Hundred) in the Collection of Henry Yates Thomspon. 1907. citation in forward by H.Y. Thompson.; v

Cockerell, S.C. and H.Y. Thompson, et. al. A Descriptive Catalogue of Fourteen Illustrated Manuscripts Nos. XCV to CVII and 79A Completing the Hundred in the Library of Henry Yates Thompson. 1912. citation in forward by H.Y. Thompson.; x

Foulet, A.L. Jean Sarrasin. Lettre a Nicholas Arrode (1249). 43. Les Classiques Francais du Moyen Age. 1924: ix.

De Ricci, S. "Les manuscripts de la collection de Henry Yates Thompson". 10. Societe Francaise de Reproductions de Manuscrits a Peintures. 1926: 55.

De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935. cat. no. 528; 850.

Woledge, B. and Clive, H.P. Repertoire des plus anciens textes en prose francaise depuis 842 jusqu'aux premiers annees du XIIIe siecle. 79. Societe de Publications Romanes et Francaises. 1964: 61.

Folda, J. "Manuscripts of the 'History of Outremer' by William of Tyre: A Handlist". 27/1. Scriptorium. 1973: 94.

Morgan, M.R. The Chronicle of Ernoul and the Continuations of William of Tyre. 1973: 38.

Folda, J. Crusader Manuscript Illumination at Saint-Jean d'Acre, 1275-1291. 1976: 32, 135, 155-158, 212-213.

Cockshaw, P. Review of Folda. Crusader Manuscript Illumination at Saint-Jean d'Acre, 1275-1291. 33/2. Scriptorium. 1979: 336.

Morgan, M.R. "The Rothelin Continuation of William of Tyre". Outremer: Studies in the History of the Crusading Kingdom Presented to Joshua Prawer edited by B.Z. Kedar, H.E. Mayer, and R.C. Smail. 1982:245-246.

Miquel, A. ed. Usama Ibn Munquidh. Des ensegnements de la vie Kitab al-l'tibar. Souvenirs. d'un gentilhomme syrien du temps des Croisades. 1983: 241, 313.

Noel, William and Daniel Weiss. The Book of Kings: Art, War, and the Morgan Library's Medieval Picture Bible. London: Third Millennium Publishing; Baltimore: Walters Art Museum. 2002. p. 180, cat. no. 26

Tyerman, Christopher, ed. The First Crusade 1096-1099. London: The Folio Society. 2004. fol. 21; before p. 111

Tyerman, Christopher, ed. The Second Crusade and the Rise and Fall of Frankish Syria, 1099-1187. London: The Folio Society. 2004. fol. 112; before p. 83

Eddé, Anne-Marie. Saladin. Paris: Flammarion, 2008.fol 233v (p. 3 (top) between pp. 384-85).

Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.

Cataloger: Herbold, Rebekah

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Conservator: Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Emery, Doug; Herbold, Rebekah; Tabritha, Ariel; Wiegand, Kimber

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.