Visualizing Justice in Burgundian Prose Romance: Text and Image in Manuscripts of the Wavrin Master (1450s-1460s)

392 Pages·2020·6.798 MB·English

by  Brown-Grant, Rosalind

Visualizing Justice in Burgundian Prose Romance
Burgundica
XXIX
Publié sous la direction de
Jean-Marie Cauchies
Centre européen d’études bourguignonnes (XIVe-XVIe s.)
Visualizing Justice in Burgundian
Prose Romance
Text and Image in Manuscripts of the Wavrin Master
(1450s–1460s)
by
Rosalind Brown-Grant
F
Collection
BURGUNDICA
Peu de périodes, de tranches d’histoire ont suscité et
continuent à susciter auprès d’un large public autant d’intérêt
voire d’engouement que le « siècle de Bourgogne ». Il est vrai
qu’ à la charnière de ce que l’on dénomme aussi vaguement
que commodément « bas moyen âge » et « Renaissance »,
les douze décennies qui séparent l’avènement de Phillipe le
Hardi en Flandre (1384) de la mort de Philippe le Beau (1506)
forment un réceptacle d’idées et de pratiques contrastées. Et ce
constat s’applique à toutes les facettes de la société.
La collection Burgundica se donne pour objectif de présenter
toutes ces facettes, de les reconstruire – nous n’oserions écrire,
ce serait utopique, de les ressusciter – à travers un choix
d’études de haut niveau scientifique mais dont tout « honnête
homme » pourra faire son miel. Elle mettra mieux ainsi en
lumière les jalons que le temps des ducs Valois de Bourgogne
et de leurs successeurs immédiats, Maximilien et Philippe
de Habsbourg, fournit à l’historien dans la découverte d’une
Europe moderne alors en pleine croissance.
Illustration de couverture : Othovien/Florence de Rome, Chantilly,
Bibliothèque du château, MS 652, fols 8rb, 202va, 217vb, 249rb. Cliché
CNRS-IRHT, © Bibliothèque et archives du château de Chantilly.
© 2020, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without
the prior permission of the publisher.
D/2020/0095/114
ISBN 978-2-503-58633-5
e-ISBN 978-2-503-58634-2
DOI: 10.1484/M.BURG-EB.5.118439
ISSN 1780-3209
eISSN 2295-0354
Printed in the EU on acid-free paper.
Table of Contents
List of Figures 7
Foreword and Acknowledgements 17
Introduction 19
Chapter 1
Artist, Corpus, Patrons, Court 33
1.1 The Artist: An Unusual Modus Operandi 33
1.2 The Corpus: Authorship, Presentation, Sources, and Owners 43
1.3 The Patrons: Book Collectors and Collections, Readership, and Gender 48
1.4 The Court: Polity and Ideology of the Burgundian Dukes 67
Chapter 2
Justice, Warfare, and Rulership in Florimont, the Seigneurs
de Gavre, and Saladin 79
2.1 Florimont: Justice, Rulership, and War 84
2.2 The Seigneurs de Gavre: Just War and the Exemplary Hero 105
2.3 Saladin: Just Warrior or Conqueror? 118
2.4 Conclusion 135
Chapter 3
Poor Judgements: Righting Wrongs against Women in Gérard de Nevers, the
Fille du comte de Ponthieu, and Florence de Rome 139
3.1 Gérard de Nevers: Wager, Murder, and Trial by Combat 145
3.2 The Fille du comte de Ponthieu: Rape and Reparation 167
3.3 Florence de Rome: The Heroine as Dispenser of Justice 186
3.4 Conclusion 229
Chapter 4
Domestic Betrayals: Adultery and the Problem of Lawful Response in the
Chastellain de Coucy and the Comte d’Artois 231
4.1 Adultery, Revenge, and Private War in the Chastellain de Coucy 239
4.2 Abandonment, Adultery, and Wifely Discretion in the Comte d’Artois 278
4.3 Conclusion 307
Conclusion: Text, Image, Ideology, Justice 309
Appendix: Manuscript Corpus 315
Bibliography 327
Index 377

List of Figures
Introduction
Fig. 0.1 Taken by his mother into his wife’s bedchamber, the emperor Othovien
finds a valet in bed with her and slays him with his sword. Othovien,
Chantilly, Bibliothèque du château, MS 652, fol. 8rb (= image no. 6).1
Cliché CNRS-IRHT, © Bibliothèque et archives du château de Chantilly. 29
Chapter 1: Artist, Corpus, Patrons, Court
Fig. 1.1 The author arrives by boat in Salonica along with other travellers (left);
the author stands at a window in a library in Salonica holding a book that
he will translate to fill his time as he overwinters in the city (right).
Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 1r. Photo BnF. 37
Fig. 1.2 Olivier de Castille converses with his stepmother. Olivier de Castille,
Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek, MS 470, fol. 15v. Photo Ghent,
Universiteitsbibliotheek. 38
Fig. 1.3 Olivier de Castille is shocked to hear his stepmother make sexual
overtures to him. Olivier de Castille, Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek,
MS 470, fol. 20v. Photo Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek. 38
Fig. 1.4 Valets outside Olivier de Castille’s empty bedchamber wonder at
their master’s failure to emerge from his room, unaware that he
has fled in the night. Olivier de Castille, Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek,
MS 470, fol. 28v. Photo Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek. 40
Fig. 1.5 The court’s shock at finding Olivier de Castille missing from
his bedchamber; his father lies prostrate on the floor and his
stepbrother Artus d’Algarbe lies on his bed. Olivier de Castille,
Ghent, Universiteitsbibliotheek, MS 470, fol. 31v. Photo Ghent,
Universiteitsbibliotheek. 40
Fig. 1.6 Paris and Odoardo in a garden outside Vienne’s father’s palace serenade
Paris’s beloved. Paris et Vienne, Brussels, KBR, MS 9632/3, fol. 1r. Photo KBR. 41
Fig. 1.7 Four courtiers stand outside the bedchamber of King Antiochus’s daughter,
one of whom looks anxiously behind him (left); Antiochus approaches
his daughter who lies naked in bed but for a head-covering (right).
Apollonius de Tyr, Brussels, KBR, MS 9632/3, fol. 138r. Photo KBR. 41
1 On the complicated image numbering system in this manuscript, see below, Appendix. Folio numbers have been
given here with the corresponding image number.
8 list of figures
Fig. 1.8 A nobleman greets a man and his wife as they visit a scriptorium
where a copyist is hard at work. Blancandin et l’Orgueilleuse d’amour,
Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 3438, fol. 5r. Photo
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. 61
Chapter 2: Justice, Warfare, and Rulership in Florimont, the
Seigneurs de Gavre, and Saladin
Fig. 2.1 Madian offers advice on good government to his sons Seloc and Philip.
Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 3v. Photo BnF. 89
Fig. 2.2 Florimont offers advice on good government to his son Philip
(future father of Alexander the Great). Florimont, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12566, fol. 248r. Photo BnF. 90
Fig. 2.3 Florimont confronts Garganeus while their respective armies look on.
Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 63r. Photo BnF. 92
Fig. 2.4 The victorious Florimont parades Garganeus’s head on the end of his lance.
Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 65v. Photo BnF. 93
Fig. 2.5 Messengers tell the emir of Carthage about the fall of Clavegris into
Florimont’s hands. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 211v. Photo BnF. 93
Fig. 2.6 Candiobras’s messengers ask Philip for his daughter’s hand in marriage,
making threats in the event of his non-compliance. Florimont,
Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 20r. Photo BnF. 94
Fig. 2.7 Florimont rallies his troops to confront the emir of Carthage. Florimont,
Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 216r. Photo BnF. 96
Fig. 2.8 Battle between Greeks and Hungarians, with the Greeks dominating
the field. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 163v. Photo BnF. 97
Fig. 2.9 Florimont’s troops force Candiobras’s army to retreat into the fortress
of Calocastro. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 115v. Photo BnF. 98
Fig. 2.10 Carrying out Florimont’s sentence, Medon forces the defeated Amadas
to do homage to him. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 55r. Photo BnF. 99
Fig. 2.11 Florimont pardons the emir of Carthage. Florimont, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12566, fol. 224r. Photo BnF. 100
Fig. 2.12 Florimont makes peace with Candiobras, who becomes one of his main
allies. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 180r. Photo BnF. 100
Fig. 2.13 Florimont rewards his faithful ally Candiobras with marriage and wealth.
Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 230r. Photo BnF. 102
Fig. 2.14 Florimont sails back to Salonica, with a gibbet and wheel visible to
one side of the harbour. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 240r. Photo BnF. 103
Fig. 2.15 Florimont passes through a peaceful landscape as he heads back to
Philippopolis to rejoin his wife and court. Florimont, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12566, fol. 242r. Photo BnF. 103
list of figures 9
Fig. 2.16 Florimont as a proto-Burgundian prince in his collar of the Order
of the Golden Fleece. Florimont, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12566, fol. 242r, detail.
Photo BnF. 104
Fig. 2.17 Louis de Gavre’s distinctive coat of arms and crest. Seigneurs de
Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 53v. Photo KBR. 111
Fig. 2.18 The duke of Athens receives news of the war against Anternopoli from a
wounded messenger. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 83v.
Photo KBR. 112
Fig. 2.19 Unfavourable representation of the duke of Anternopoli. Seigneurs
de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 96r. Photo KBR. 112
Fig. 2.20 Unfavourable representation of Cassidorus in the accusation and counter-
accusation scene. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 48v.
Photo KBR. 114
Fig. 2.21 Unfavourable representation of Cassidorus in the punishment scene.
Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 60v. Photo KBR. 114
Fig. 2.22 Louis watches his troops, commanded by Eminidus, the duke of
Athens’s seneschal, march past. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR,
MS 10238, fol. 153v. Photo KBR. 115
Fig. 2.23 The duke of Anternopoli rides alongside his troops. Seigneurs de Gavre,
Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 158v. Photo KBR. 115
Fig. 2.24 Louis de Gavre and his companions fight to rescue Eminidus, the duke
of Athens’s seneschal, even though they are outnumbered by the enemy.
Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 89r. Photo KBR. 116
Fig. 2.25 The armies led by Louis (left) and the duke of Anternopoli (right)
prepare to do battle. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 168r.
Photo KBR. 117
Fig. 2.26 The army led by Louis de Gavre starts to win out over that of the duke of
Anternopoli. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 171v. Photo
KBR. 117
Fig. 2.27 The duke of Anternopoli surrenders to Louis de Gavre; the hero’s army
wins the battle. Seigneurs de Gavre, Brussels, KBR, MS 10238, fol. 173r.
Photo KBR. 118
Fig. 2.28 Saladin fights a judicial duel in defence of Jean de Ponthieu’s sister.
Saladin, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12572, fol. 207v. Photo BnF. 128
Fig. 2.29 Saladin subjugates the king of Persia. Saladin, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12572,
fol. 171r. Photo BnF. 128
Fig. 2.30 Saladin takes Jean de Ponthieu prisoner. Saladin, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12572, fol. 186v. Photo BnF. 129
Fig. 2.31 Baudouin de Sebourc is killed in battle. Saladin, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12572, fol. 179r. Photo BnF. 129
Fig. 2.32 Battle outside Jerusalem. Saladin, Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal,
MS 5208, fol. 132r. Photo Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal. 130
10 list of figures
Fig. 2.33 Saladin sets sail for France with Huon Dodequin and Jean de Ponthieu.
Saladin, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12572, fol. 203v. Photo BnF. 131
Fig. 2.34 Combat of the four champions in England. Saladin, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12572, fol. 241v. Photo BnF. 132
Fig. 2.35 Saladin challenges the Christian knights to a joust outside the city of
Acre. Saladin, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12572, fol. 247v. Photo BnF. 133
Fig. 2.36 André de Chauvigny fights the Saracens outside the city of Damas.
Saladin, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 12572, fol. 256r. Photo BnF. 133
Fig. 2.37 Saladin is struck down by Girart le Bel Armé. Saladin, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12572, fol. 259r. Photo BnF. 134
Fig. 2.38 Baudouin de Sebourc is captured in battle. Saladin, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 12572, fol. 173v. Photo BnF. 134
Chapter 3: Poor Judgements: Righting Wrongs against Women in
Gérard de Nevers, the Fille du comte de Ponthieu, and Florence de
Rome
Fig. 3.1 Scene of the “wager”. Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 5r.
Photo KBR. 149
Fig. 3.2 Euryant’s appearance at court. Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR,
MS 9631, fol. 16v. Photo KBR. 151
Fig. 3.3 Gerart threatens to kill Euryant. Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR,
MS 9631, fol. 20r. Photo KBR. 152
Fig. 3.4 Gerart takes up the cause of the damsel besieged by Galerant.
Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 33r. Photo KBR. 153
Fig. 3.5 Euryant is approached by the duke of Metz and his men in the forest.
Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 22v. Photo KBR. 154
Fig. 3.6 Melyatir plunges a knife into the stomach of Ismaine, thinking that he
is killing Euryant, who is asleep and unaware of the event. Gérard de Nevers,
Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 72r. Photo KBR. 155
Fig. 3.7 Gerart challenges Melyatir in order to defend Euryant against the
accusation of murder. Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 102v.
Photo KBR. 159
Fig. 3.8 Outcome of the duel between Gerart and Melyatir: confession
of the crime. Gérard de Nevers, Brussels, KBR, MS 9631, fol. 104v.
Photo KBR. 161
Fig. 3.9 The tribune as well as the multiple officers involved in the correct
running of a trial by combat. Gages de bataille, Paris, BnF, MS fr. 2258,
fol. 22r. Photo BnF. 161
Fig. 3.10 The victor’s pose in a trial by combat. Gages de bataille, Paris, BnF,
MS fr. 2258, fol. 23v. Photo BnF. 162