Poem of Praise for Robert of Anjou

The Poem of Praise for Robert of Anjou, King of Naples (1278–1343) is in the safe keeping of the Austrian National Library and is one of the most important documentations concerning the medieval conception of good government and at the same time also one of the most outstanding examples of illumination from the 14th century.

Decor Worthy of a King

This extraordinary codex was illustrated by 43 large-format miniatures, richly endowed with engraved gold and silver, on 72 pages altogether. The partially full-page miniatures make an impression with their monumental format of handwriting (48.5 x 34.4 cm); 29 Florentine initials and 8 opaque initials on a gold background complement this fantastic layout. A kaleidoscope of almost the entire medieval/early-modern educational canon is covered. Thus, the manuscript is a testimony to the extravagant intellectual and artistic effort which was expended for the sake of depicting the Kingdom of Robert of Anjou. Some of the handwriting also indicates that Robert himself commissioned production of the manuscript.

The Content – Manifesto and Legacy

The Poem of Praise for King Robert of Anjou portrays the King as the ideal ruler, who is alone able to keep Italy under rule. This was a period of time during which Italy is torn apart: Robert shall, as the future ruler, bring the affairs of Italy in order. The author laments that Italy does not have a king like other states; likewise he denounces the absence of the Popes of Rome during their “Babylonian” exile in Avignon (1309–1376).

A Splendiferous Kaleidoscope of the 14th Century

The codex contains two richly illustrated parts. The more extensive first section covers the Poem of Praise (regia carmina) for King Robert of Anjou, which is a praise of the ruler and in usual fashion it represents an effusive poem, which celebrates the addressee as the rescuer of the church and the ideal king of all Italy.

43 Glimmering Miniatures

The miniatures represent the “ideal” government state of Robert: allegories of Italy and the Italian city-states as well as virtues, which praise the King as an ideal ruler. The Italia (the female personification of Italy) or mythological characters from antiquity come before the throne of Robert praying for their country. The King sees himself as the chosen one, ordained by God to fulfill the task of uniting all of Italy. Accordingly, the holy court of God is compared to his own in several splendid miniatures.