Medieval manuscripts

Illuminated manuscripts
Liturgical manuscripts
Middle Dutch manuscripts

Ever since the foundation of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in 1798, the collection of medieval manuscripts has been growing steadily. The collection now comprises approximately 1,500 shelf-marks, ranging from a fragment of a Middle Dutch epic to an extensive, richly illuminated folio in several parts. The oldest manuscripts date from the ninth century. The line between medieval and post-medieval manuscripts is drawn at 1550. The collection comprises all fields of study, and its principal subjects are illuminated manuscripts, liturgical manuscripts, and Middle Dutch manuscripts.

The foundations of the collection were laid in 1798, with the manuscripts from the library of the former stadtholders, the princes of Orange-Nassau. In the first decades of the nineteenth century important collections were acquired, for example those of J. Romswinckel, J. Visser, J.D. Lupus and G.-J. Gérard. With the last two collections many manuscripts from the Southern Netherlands entered the library. The collection of manuscripts from the Northern Netherlands was considerably expanded - with well over a hundred volumes - during the librarianship of W.G.C. Byvanck (1895-1921). A significant acquisition constituted the permanent loan in 1937 of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). The collection of medieval manuscripts is expanded occasionally with new acquisitions.

Accessibility
The entire collection has been indexed by means of a card catalogue, with alphabetical and systematical entries. In addition there are printed catalogues of parts of the collection, cf. of the illuminated manuscripts, the theological manuscripts and of the liturgical manuscripts. From 1890 onwards all acquisitions have been recorded in the annual reports of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. After 1987 these acquisitions have been published in five year cumulative indexes: Zeldzaam en Kostbaar: vijf jaren aanwinsten Bijzondere Collecties 1987-1991. At the moment, an inventory of the entire collection of manuscripts (including post-medieval manuscripts) is in preparation. By now, two volumes of it have been published. This inventory, too, will be made available on-line. The manuscripts can only be consulted in the Reading Room of Special Collections and are available for scholarly research only.

 

Literature

Inventaris van de handschriften van de Koninklijke Bibliotheek. Deel 1: kastnummers 66-71. 's-Gravenhage 1988.
Inventaris van de handschriften van de Koninklijke Bibliotheek. Deel 2: kastnummers 72-73. 's-Gravenhage 1993.
Catalogus codicum manuscriptorum Bibliothecae Regiae. Vol. I. Libri Theologici. Hagae Comitum 1922.
Zeldzaam & Kostbaar: vijf jaar aanwinsten Bijzondere Collecties 1987-1991. Den Haag 1992.
A.S. Korteweg. Boeken van Oranje-Nassau. De bibliotheek van de graven van Nassau en prinsen van Oranje in de vijftiende en zestiende eeuw. Den Haag 1998.
A.S. Korteweg. 'G.J. Gérard'. In: Verzamelaars en verzamelingen. Koninklijke Bibliotheek 1798-1998. Zwolle 1998, p. 43-47.
A.S. Korteweg. 'J.D. Lupus'. In: Verzamelaars en verzamelingen. Koninklijke Bibliotheek 1798-1998. Zwolle 1998, p. 47-51.