Epistola . . . ad Henricum Angliae regem (Letter to King Henry of England)

Epistola . . . ad Henricum Angliae regem (Letter to King Henry of England)

This is a manuscript copy of a famous ode to Guidobaldo of Montefeltro (1472–1508), Duke of Urbino, by Baldassare Castiglione (1478–1529). The text was dedicated to King Henry of England, named specifically as Henry VII, in the first edition of the text. The manuscript’s fine humanist script, decoration, and coats of arms on the first page, together with the early English ownership marks, suggest that it was the presentation copy brought to England and offered to the king. Federigo Veterani (ca. 1450–1530) acted as both scribe and illuminator of this copy and served as librarian and secretary to Guidobaldo’s father, the great condottiere, patron of the arts, and bibliophile, Federico da Montefeltro. The lofty position of the manuscript’s intended recipient demonstrates how European rulers could use the services of a talented poet not just for personal flattery, but also for cementing strategic alliances at the highest levels.

Author: Baldassare Castiglione; Scribe: Federigo Veterani

1508

Manuscript on parchment, 20 fols.

The Rosenbach Library and Museum, MS 239/25

Urbino (?), Italy