Chronicle of the Crusades

Mamerot, Sebastien. A Chronicle of the Crusades: From Charlemagne to Sultan Bayezid. Taschen, 2009.

Sebastien Mamerot’s A Chronicle of the Crusades: From Charlemagne to Sultan Bayezid is an exceptional two-volume set that offers an in-depth glimpse into the world of the Crusades as seen through the eyes of 15th-century chroniclers. The first volume is a meticulous facsimile of Les Passages d’Outremer, a manuscript completed in 1474 under the artistic direction of the renowned illuminator Jean Colombe. This facsimile faithfully reproduces the 277 parchment folios, capturing the vibrant colors and intricate details of the 66 miniatures that blend historical events with legendary narratives. The illuminations reflect the grandeur of the Crusades, showcasing battles, royal figures, and moments of mythic significance in vivid, gold-inked depictions. This manuscript is one of the few surviving contemporary documents to chronicle four centuries of French involvement in the Crusades, and its reproduction is based on the copy housed in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The first volume, Les Passages d’Outremer, serves as both an artistic masterpiece and a historical record, reflecting how successive French kings aimed to conquer and control the Holy Land from the time of Charlemagne through to Sultan Bayezid. The legendary aspects of the narrative mix seamlessly with factual accounts, providing a blend of myth and reality, characteristic of medieval historical documentation. Jean Colombe's illuminations were executed with exquisite skill, making the facsimile an invaluable resource for art historians, medievalists, and those interested in manuscript studies. The facsimile is printed with painstaking accuracy, replicating the medieval gold ink and other original details.

The second volume in this set offers an unabridged, annotated English translation of the Middle French text by Mary Lawson and Chris Miller. Edited and commented upon by scholars Thierry Delcourt, Danielle Quéruel, and Fabrice Masanès, this volume enriches the historical and artistic context of Mamerot's work. The translation is based on a modern French version, making the text accessible to a broader audience, while the commentary delves into the historical significance of the Crusades, the interplay of fact and legend in Mamerot’s narrative, and the artistic techniques used in the manuscript’s production. This scholarly edition is indispensable for those studying medieval European history and the Crusades, as it bridges the gap between the visual splendor of the facsimile and the complex historical realities it portrays.

The set is housed in a red cloth binding with gilt lettering and is tucked into a sturdy, paper-covered slipcase. The commentary volume also includes bibliographical references (pages 234-235), offering a wealth of additional sources for further study. The quality of Taschen’s reproduction ensures that this rare manuscript, which had previously only been available to scholars with access to the French National Library, can now be appreciated in all its historical and artistic grandeur. As one of the most comprehensive and lavishly illustrated records of the Crusades, A Chronicle of the Crusades is a vital resource for anyone interested in medieval history, art, and the intersection of fact and legend in historical chronicles.

My copy is still shrink-wrapped and I'm not willing to open the package, but I am including some photos below pulled from the internet. ISBN: 9783836505550. I'm asking $175 for the set.