From Creation to the Middle Ages: the first German-language world chronicle in prose, adorned with 500 wonderful miniatures
Book of The World – The Saxon World Chronicle
Germany — 13th century

Book of The World – The Saxon World Chronicle
Germany — 13th century
The earliest world chronicle in the German speaking world to be written in prose instead of verse
It spans world history from creation to antiquity and up to the Investiture Controversy of the 11th century
500 gorgeous, colorful illustrations with gold leaf are depicted next to the corresponding texts
Book of The World – The Saxon World Chronicle
- Buch der Welt: Die sächsische Weltchronik
Short Description
The Saxon World Chronicle is the earliest world chronicle in the German speaking world to be written in prose, not the verse form that was previously common. It is recorded in numerous manuscripts. The most magnificent and expensive transmission is the Gothaer Codex. Accompanied by brightly colored and realistic illumination, the chronicle relates the history of the world from its creation, through the events of antiquity, up to the Investiture Controversy of the 11th century.
Book of the World: The Saxon World Chronicle
The Saxon World Chronicle depicts the most important historical events of the Christian world in an admirable symbiosis of text and illustration. Initiated with the story of Cain and Abel, the creation of the world, and the sequential stories of the Old and New Testaments, the Saxon World Chronicle relates history from antiquity to the barbarian migrations and the Investiture Controvery between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope. No harrowing detail of Christian history was left out.
Scholarship that is open to the Laity
World chronicles that were created in the early Christian period were completely Bible-oriented. Great early-medieval writers such as St. Jerome and Eusebius created a new variety that interpreted events in world history. These great thinkers nevertheless penned their writings in Latin, the universal language of the educated. In order to make the works of the learned accessible to general population, it was decided in the 13th century to create a German-language chronicle of world history.
A Book as Rich in History as its Content
The Saxon World Chronicle was first created in the magnificent Gothaer Codex. Brilliant writer and illuminators worked on this codex together, which was stored in Wittenberg until the 17th century, before it was brought to Gotha. The codex was thought to have been lost after the Soviet occupation, taken as a spoil of war back to St. Petersburg. However it was returned to Gotha a short time thereafter.
A Perfect Interaction of Text and Illustration
The miniatures of this codex, which is counted as being among the most excellent illuminated manuscripts in all of European art, depicts in astounding exactness and detail the events which are related in the text. For example, the seven days of the week were assigned seven Roman gods and for the embellishment of this association, the following pages told of the seven fabled kings of Rome. The splendidly designed color illustrations are ordered so that they are found directly next to the corresponding text. Consequently, the most important moments of the narrative enter the imagination of the reader with the aid of the magnificently colored illustrations.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Buch der Welt: Die sächsische Weltchronik
- Size / Format
- 330 pages / 31.0 x 22.5 cm
- Origin
- Germany
- Date
- 13th century
- Epochs
- Style
- Illustrations
- 500 pictures
2 available facsimile edition(s) of „Book of The World – The Saxon World Chronicle“
Buch der Welt - Die sächsische Weltchronik
- Publisher
- Faksimile Verlag – Lucerne, 1996
- Limited Edition
- 980 copies
- Binding
- The book is bound in a fine cowhide cover and ornate with brass clasps.
- Commentary
-
1 volume by Hubert Herkommer, Renate Kroos, Rudolf Große, Karin Schneide and Maria Mitscherling
Language: German - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Buch der Welt: Die sächsische Weltchronik (Deluxe Edition)
- Publisher
- Coron Verlag – Zurich, 2000
- Limited Edition
- 333 copies (Deluxe Edition)
- Binding
- The book is bound in a fine cowhide cover and ornate with a brass clasp and metal fittings.
- Commentary
-
1 volume by Prof. Dr. Hubert Herkommer, Dr. Renate Kroos, Prof. Dr. Rudolf Große, Dr. Karin Schneide and Dr. Maria Mitscherling
Language: German - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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