Liber Regalis

The Liber Regalis (Latin for "Royal Book") is an English medieval illuminated manuscript which was, most likely, compiled in 1382 to provide details for the coronation of England's new queen, Anne of Bohemia. Other sources suggest that it may have been compiled in 1308 for the coronation of Edward II.[1] The Liber Regalis contains the ordo (order) for the following events: the coronation of a king, a king and queen and a queen alone, and details regarding the funeral of a king; each liturgy opens with a full-page illustration depicting the event.[2]

Liber Regalis
Westminster Abbey Library, MS 38
Anne of Bohemia in the Liber Regalis
TypeCodex
Date14th century (1308 or 1382)
Language(s)Latin
MaterialVellum
Size34 folios
ContentsCoronation and funeral services

The manuscript provided the order of service for all subsequent coronations up to, and including, that of Elizabeth I. For the coronation of James I the liturgy was translated into English. Nevertheless, with occasional adaptations to suit the political and religious circumstances of the time, the Liber Regalis remained the basis for all later coronation liturgies. The manuscript belongs to Westminster Abbey (MS 38).[3]

Bibliography
  • Liber Regalis, seu, Ordo consecrandi regem solum. Ordo consecrandi reginam cum rege. Ordo consecrandi reginam solam. Rubrica de regis exequiis. E codice Westmonasteriensi editus. London: Roxburghe Club. 1870.
  • Ratcliff, Edward C. (1936). The English Coronation Service: Being the Coronation Service of King George V and Queen Mary, with Historical Introduction and Notes, together with Extracts from Liber Regalis, Accounts of Coronations, Etc. Skeffington: SPCK.

References
  1. Cross, F.L, ed. (January 2009). "Liber Regalis". Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. A. Livingston. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  2. Lacey, Helen. "A Comparison of the Illuminations of Liber Regalis with those of the Coronation Book of Charles V of France" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  3. "Guide to the Coronation Service" (PDF). Westminster Abbey. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
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