St. Margaret's Gospel-Book: The Favourite Book of a Queen of Scotland (Treasures from the Bodleian Library, Oxford) - Hardcover

Rushforth, Rebecca

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1851243704 ISBN 13: 9781851243709

Publisher: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, 2007

Synopsis

Margaret was both a saint and a celebrated queen who, with her husband, led Scotland to great acclaim and power in eleventh-century Europe. Her favorite book was an illuminated manuscript of extracts from the gospels, and her personal copy, currently held in the Bodleian Library, is reproduced here for the pleasure of modern readers.

Margaret’s piety, dignity, and compassion made her a beloved figure long after her death. Her illuminated manuscript reveals the depths of her sanctity, opening with a Latin poem relating the one miracle attributed to her, where she preserved this book from damage. Exquisite illustrations transform the script into an arresting treasure, and Rebecca Rushforth uses incisive and comprehensive commentary to explain the story behind the manuscript and set it within Margaret’s historical context. She explores both the creation of the manuscript and its special meaning for Margaret, along with Margaret’s role as a significant figure in British and world history.

A fascinating piece of historical art, St Margaret’s Gospel-Book will be treasured by historians, religious scholars, and classicists alike.

About this title

About the Author:

Rebecca Rushforth is research associate on the Revised Catalogue of Anglo-Saxon Charters Project at the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic at Cambridge University and research fellow in medieval manuscripts at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University.

Review:

"In this slim, beautifully illustrated volume, Rebecca Rushforth presents the biography of a very precious historical witness to a defining era for the medieval kingdom of Scotland. . . . A rare glimpse into the private thoughts and personal beliefs of a woman who had an immediate and profound influence on the shaping and directing of the spiritual, cultural, and political life of her husband's kingdom." (Richard D. Oram Catholic Historical Review)

About this edition

• Publisher: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1851243704
• ISBN 13: 9781851243709
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 112