History and Culture of Western Europe in the Manuscripts of the  National Library of Russia (from 5th to 19th centuries)

From the Collections of Manuscripts Department
of the National Library of Russia

The Manuscripts Department of the National Library possesses handwritten books and documents, including letters of kings and the church hierarchy, legal documents, correspondence of the great figures of science and culture. These manuscripts reflect all sides of European life from the early medieval to modern times. The online exhibition of Western Manuscripts on the site of the National Library of Russia provides insight into the key aspects of the spiritual, cultural and political history of Western Europe.

The exhibition was prepared by
the researcher of the Manuscripts Department
M. Logutova

Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.3.
Aurelius Augustinus, ep. Hipponensis. De doctrina christiana (f. 106r-153r).
St. Augustine. On Christian Doctrine.
5th cent. North Africa.
Parchment. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.9
Hieronymus Stridonensis. Epistula 78 seu liber exegeticus ad Fabiolam (Num. 33-49).
St. Jerome. Commentary on the "Book of Numbers" (Num. 33-49).
6th cent. In Italy.
Parchment. Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.17
Aurelius Augustinus, ep. Hipponensis. Retractationes.
St. Augustine. Retractations.
Late 8th cent. France (Corbie).
Parchment. Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.21
Evangelia cum prologis, argumentis et capitulis.
Four Gospels.
10th cent. France (Tours).
Parchment. Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Evangelium secundum Matthaeum (XXVI, 43 – XXVII, 49).
Gospel of Matthew (XXVI, 43 – XXVII, 49).
8th cent. Germany.
Purple dyed parchment. Latin.
Written in gold ink, headers and notes in the fields are executed in silver ink.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.26
Evangelia.
Four Gospels.
9th cent. France (Autun).
Purple dyed parchment. Latin.
Written in silver ink, headers are executed in gold ink.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.О.v.I .174
Biblia sacra.
Bible.
13th cent. France (Paris).
Parchment, Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. F. 993 к. 8 No. 1.
Letter of Pope Alexander IV to Archbishop of Cologne.
23 March 1261.
Parchment. Latin. Pendant leaden bulla (seal).
From the Collection of P. Sukhtelen.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.I.78.
Missale Remense.
Reims Missal.
13th cent. France.
Parchment. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.v.II.11.
Lex salica emendata (cap. XVIII-LXIV, LXVIII-LXXIII).
Emended Salic Law.
9th cent. France.
Parchment. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.F.v.II.4.
Codex Iustinianus repetitae praelectionis. Lib. I-IX.
Justinian Code.
13th cent.
Parchment. Latin.
From the Collection of P. Sukhtelen.
Ms. Lat.F.v. II.8.
Gregorius IX papa. Decretalium cum glossa ordinaria. Lib. I-III.
Pope Gregory IX. Decretals.
13th cent.
Parchment. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Lat.Q.II.157.
Jus municipale Magdeburgensis et ius teutonicus.
Magdeburg Law.
1427 Germany.
Paper. In Latin.
14. Ms. Erm. fr. 88
Les Grandes Chroniques de France.
The Grand French Chronicles.
Netherlands. Mid 15th cent.
Parchment. In French.
The foreign part of the Hermitage Collection.
Ms. Lat.O.v.I.126
Horae.
Book of hours.
15th cent. France.
Parchment. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky
Ms. Lat.F.v.XV.1
Francesco Petrarca. De remediis utriusque fortunae.
Francesco Petrarch. Remedies for Fortune Fair and Foul.
1388. Italy (Milan).
Parchment. Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Ital.Q.v.XIV.I
Francesco Petrarca. Canzonieri. Trionfi.
Francesco Petrarch. Songbook. Triumphs.
15th century. Italy (Florence).
Parchment. Italian.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Ital. F.v.XIV.I
Giovanni Boccaccio. Il Filocolo.
Giovanni Boccaccio. The Filocolo.
15 cent. Italy.
Parchment. In Italian.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Аut. 140 No. 47
Erasmus Roterodamus.
Erasmus. Letter to Henri Botte.
December 22, 1527 Basel.
Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. F. 993 к. 16 No. 76
Martin Luther, Johannes Bugenhagen, Philipp Melanchton.
Decree on the appointment of the doctor of theology Theodor Fabricius (1501-1571) the superintendent (head) of the Evangelical Church in Zerbst.
Signatures of Luther, Melanchthon and Bugenhagen are autographs.
August 3, 1544.
In German.
From the collection of P. Sukhtelen.
Ms. Ф. 993 к. 4 No. 33
Charles IX roi de France.
Charles IX, King of France.
Order to the Paris Chamber of Accounts to allocate funds (100,000 francs) for sending the army against the rebels in La Rochelle.
Signature of Charles IX is an autograph. Authenticated by the Secretary. 3 December 1572.
In French.
Авт. 107/1 No. 56
Armand-Jean du Plessis duc de Richelieu.
Letter to the French Ambassador in Turkey, Philippe de Harlay, Count de Cézy.
9 May 9, 1629.
Signature de Richelieu is an autograph.
In French.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ф. 992 No. 143
Felipe II rey de España.
Philip II, King of Spain.
Charter to Andres de Arnedo Rosales.
22 November 1585.
Signature of Philip II is an autograph.
Parchment. In Latin.
Ms. Lat.F.IV.84
Guido de Columnis. Historia destructionis Troiae.
Guido delle Colonne. History of the Destruction of Troy.
15th cent. France.
Paper. In Latin.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. Ф. 993 к. 4 No. 75.
Louis XIV roi de France.
Louis XIV, King of France. Order to the commander of a cavalry corps de Gouvernet to enlist de la Coste and Richard de la Rousselier in a detachment of light cavalry . Signature of Louis XIV is an autograph. Witnessed by Le Tellier.
22 June 1657. La Fere.
From the Collection of P. Sukhtelen.
In French.
Ms. Ф. 588 No. 420
François Marie Arouet de Voltaire.
Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire.
Letter to A. Sumarokov.
Signature Voltaire is an autograph.
26 February 1769.
In French.
Ms. Ф. 991 No. 491
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Letter to the Herder family: Maria Karolina and Johann Gottfried Herder.
[21 September 1781, Weimar].
In German.
Ms. Aut. 120 No. 28.
Order to Commandant of the Bastille Bernard René Jourdan, Marquis de Launay, to put Mr. Marc-Simon Guyard de La Mairir in the prison.
4 June 1746. Antwerp.
Signature of War Minister d'Argenson is an autograph.
In French.
From the Collection of P. Dubrovsky.
Ms. F. 992 No. 268
Augustin Bon Joseph de Robespierre.
Augustin Robespierre.
A signature of endorsement on a receipt of the treasurer of the revolutionary French army in Italy.
30 October 1793. Nice.
Personal Seal of Augustin Robespierre.
In French.
Ms. F. 965 No. 1956
Napoléon I.
Napoleon I.
Letter to Marshal Marshal Berthier (Louis-Alexandre Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel et Valangin, prince de Wagram).
29 June 1808. Bayonne.
In French.
From the collection of P. Waxell.
Ms. Ф. 965 No. 1956
Postcard with a portrait of Napoleon I and his autograph.
From the collection of P. Waxell.
Ms. Ф. 991 No. 646
Immanuel Kant. Von innerem Sinn.
Immanuel Kant. On Inner Sense.
In German.
Ms. Ф. 991 No. 647
Immanuel Kant.
Notes with logical-mathematical arguments.
In German.
Ms. Ф. 991 No. 132
Richard Wagner.
Letter to Prince E. Wittgenstein, containing a music fragment from the opera The Rhinegold, the first performance of which took place in 1869.
30 May 1854. Zurich.
In German.
Ms. Ф. 970 No. 2
Victor-Marie Hugo. La légende des siècles". Première série. Histoire – Les petites épopées. T. 1-2. Paris, Michel Lévy fréres - Hetzel et Cie. 1859.
Victor Hugo.
First edition of the poetry collection "The Legend of Centuries" with pasted-in 35 letters from Hugo to the proofreader of the edition Noel Parfait (Noël Parfait).
1854-1859. Guernsey.
In French.