Ferdinand I Book of Hours

The so-called Book of Hours of Ferdinand I of Castile and his wife Sancha is considered to be a primary work of 11th century Visigothic illumination. The masterpiece of Castilian illumination impresses with its purple backgrounds and gold, lavishly artistic décor of the highest quality, and its marvelously historical aura. Mozarabic influences, in addition to examples from Insular illumination, are discernable in the grandiose and exceptional initials that adorn every page of the manuscript. A testimonial to an exciting epoch in Spanish history and the great skill of Castilian artists in the mid–11th century!

The First King of Castile-León

Ferdinand I (1015–1065), King of Castile, was the owner or at least the patron of this magnificent prayer book. In the year 1037, Ferdinand finally became King of León, the ancestral homeland of his father. As a result the first unification of the kingdoms of Castile and León occurred during his reign, which would finally be sealed two centuries later. As the son of Sancho III of Navarra and Munia Mayor of Castile, Ferdinand inherited the united Kingdom of Castile. León came to him through military maneuvers and marriage politics, which had already been initiated by his father. In addition, he is famous for his struggle against the Moors and for the territorial expansion his dominion experienced as a result.

A Castilian Masterpiece

The co-called Book of Hours of Francis I is stored in the library of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. This manuscript is not exactly a book of hours in the sense of a private prayer book, but rather a psalter, a Liber canticorum et Ordo notrunalis. It originates from the year 1055 and comprises 488 pages, each of which is adorned with an impressive initial or even a large miniature. The names Pedro and Fructuoso are mentioned in the book as the copyist and miniaturist.

The Alphabet as a Fascinating Work of Art

The manuscript from the collection of Ferdinand I is undoubtedly a primary work of 11th century Visigothic illumination. The marvelously creative initials are especially amazing. In them one finds, inter alia, human and animal figures, also in connection with one another, as well as artfully ornamented elements. The rich ornamentation makes both the Mozarabic and Insular influences apparent. There are also a few full-page miniatures in the manuscript. For example, a miniature with the presentation of the manuscript to the King in the company of his wife Sancha under an artfully draped curtain and amidst a splendid decorative frame. The marvelous variety of forms competes with curious visual inventions with the initials, e.g. a man dangling from a crossbeam. All of this, with the addition of precious gold and purple backgrounds, is an indication of its royal owner, making it a grandiose masterpiece!