The Egmond Gospels

The Egmond Gospels is a 9th-century illuminated vellum manuscript famous for its depiction of Count Dirk II and Countess Hildegard of 'Holland'. The two had their likenesses added in 975 and, more than 1,000 years later, they are the oldest surviving images of Dutch people.

A Gospel Book is a volume containing the four gospels from the Bible, the four accounts written by Jesus' disciples Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of their teacher's life, death and resurrection. The four books are all written in Latin – the language of the Catholic Church for centuries – and are a core part of the New Testament and indeed of Christianity as a whole.

How did the Egmond Gospels end up at the KB?

A canon table in the Egmond Gospels

The Egmond Gospels originated in Reims, in northern France, and was a rather simple book featuring text and the occasional decorative initial letter. At the end of the 9th century, each gospel was expanded with a set of decorative, illuminated pages, including a portrait of the evangelist, and so-called canon tables at the front of the book. These tables are lists of references to texts that occur multiple times in the gospels.

At the end of the 10th century, Dirk and Hildegard donated the book to Egmond Abbey, where it would remain for six centuries and from where it derives its name.

During the Eighty Years' War, things went badly wrong for the abbey when it was sacked and largely destroyed in 1573. Fortunately, the manuscript was brought to safety, turning up in Cologne in 1583. Unfortunately, its wooden cover, richly adorned with gold and precious stones, was never recovered.

We know that the manuscript made its way to Utrecht's Geertekerk by 1688, where Utrecht archivist Petrus van Musschenbroek rediscovered it in 1805. Petrus immediately tipped off his patron Henrik van Wijn, who wrote about it in detail as early as 1812 in Huiszittend leeven. According to Van Wijn, the manuscript had a "brown leather, ribbed spine, with wooden boards (front and back)” featuring “some mouldings showing male figures, flowers, etc.” The year on the binding is 1574.

In 1830, King William I purchased the manuscript for 800 guilders and had it transferred to the National Library of the Netherlands. During its time here, it was rebound twice, first in 1949 and later in 1995.

Who were Dirk and Hildegard?

Dirk II (c. 932-988) was a Frisian count who ruled the area we now call North and South Holland from 965 until his death. Hildegard originally hailed from Flanders and married Dirk around 950.

We know that Dirk had a monastery with a stone abbey church built around 975 and that Dirk and Hildegard may have bestowed the manuscript on the church upon its consecration. In any case, it is clear that the count and his wife considered the donation a significant event, as they marked it by having two new illustrations included at the back of the manuscript, depicting themselves. These illustrations made Dirk and Hildegard famous: they are the oldest surviving images of Dutch individuals.

The Gospel Book on the altar

This illustration shows Dirk and Hildegard carefully placing the Egmond Gospels on an altar. In the background, you can see Egmond abbey church, the oldest remaining depiction of a building in the Netherlands. The illustration is accompanied by a caption in Latin: “This book was given by Dirk and his beloved wife Hildegard to the blessed father Adalbert, that he may remember them righteously for eternity.”

Dirk and Hildegard kneeling

This illustration from the Egmond Gospels shows Dirk and Hildegard kneeling before Saint Adalbert, Egmond's patron saint, asking him to intercede for them with Christ. Again, the caption is in Latin: “Most Exalted Lord, I beseech you to benevolently watch over the welfare of these people, who have made great effort to serve you in a worthy manner.”

How to access the Egmond Gospels

You can access the Egmond Gospels online. Images of this work can be viewed at Wikimedia Commons. To arrange a viewing of the work itself, please contact the curator (Ed van der Vlist). The signature of this masterpiece is KW 76 F 1.

Descendant of Dirk II of Holland sees the Egmond Gospels for the first time

Some time ago, Job van Tol, a descendant of Dirk II of Holland, responded to our call, following our study of the Egmond Gospels. Ed van der Vlist, curator of medieval manuscripts at the KB, invited him to view the work.

Would you like to know more?

Ed van der Vlist
Curator of medieval manuscripts