Book of Hours of Mary Stuart - St. Petersburg Codex

Book of Hours of Mary Stuart - St. Petersburg Codex

Mary Stuart (1542–1587) is undoubtedly one of the most famous female figures in English history. The precious book of hours belonging to the tragic claimant to the English throne is one of the most fascinating treasures of Western book art preserved in the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg. It is the largest of the three surviving books of hours associated with Mary and the only one that contains handwritten notes by the devout Catholic, indicating that it was used intensively over a long period of time.

A Pious Gift

Crowned Queen of Scotland at the age of just five, Mary came into possession of the large-format book of hours when she was about 12 years old and living at the French royal court. This is evidenced by a note of ownership from 1554: “Ce livre est à moi. Marie Reyne. 1554” ( "This book is mine. Mary Queen. 1554). In the same year, her mother Mary of Guise (1515–1560) assumed the regency of Scotland for her still underage daughter, which may have been the occasion for this pious gift of a book.

The Tragic Contender for the English Throne

At that time, Mary was already betrothed to the future French king Francis II, with whom she ruled France only from 1559 to 1560. After his early death, she returned to Scotland in 1561, where her next two marriages and various political intrigues ultimately led to a rebellion against her by many Scottish nobles, as a result of which she fled to her cousin Elizabeth I (1533–1603), Queen of England. However, Elizabeth saw Mary as a rival to her own throne and royal status, so she imprisoned the Scottish queen. This imprisonment lasted 19 years and ended with Mary's spectacular execution by decapitation on February 8, 1587, at Fotheringhay Castle.

Insights Into the Emotional World of Mary Stuart

Throughout this time, the Book of Hours of Mary Stuart - St. Petersburg Codex was in the possession of the unfortunate Queen of Scotland. It was in daily, intensive use and perhaps even a spiritual refuge for the educated Renaissance woman. Various handwritten notes by Mary provide insights into her inner life, which was marked by tragic circumstances and many losses. She confided the following desperate thoughts to the manuscript:
“Qui jamais davantage eust contraire le sort, Si la vie m'est moins utile que la mort” (“To whom has the fate ever been more hostile, if my life is less useful for me than death”)
“Je ne suis plus ce que je fus” (“I am not any longer the one that I was”) Comparisons with Mary’s autograph letters prove that these personal notes were written by her hand. All of her glosses are located at the bottom of the pages, where there was the most space for such written additions.

From the Possession of a Mysterious Unknown Woman

It is unclear for whom the book of hours, which Mary clearly held in high esteem, was originally created. The miniature on fol. 145v shows a kneeling noblewoman wearing a black veil in front of a enthroned Madonna with child - she was probably the first owner of the precious manuscript, which was produced in 15th-century France. However, the dozens of coats of arms that appear on many pages in the magnificent foliate borders, which once left no doubt as to who commissioned and owned the codex, have all been erased.

French Book Art in the Style of the Bedford Master

The style of the wonderful late Gothic illumination in this beautiful manuscript suggests that it was produced in the mid-15th century, as it is based on the art of the famous Bedford Master and his workshop. Twenty-two gold-decorated miniatures in bright colors show typical book of hours iconographies in subtle, arched frames. Every single page - whether text or picture page - is enclosed by wonderful, filigree foliate borders, none of which are alike. A prime example of 15th-century French book art!