Book XVII, Theodosius, establishing kingdoms in 381, addresses a group of men; men pointing to a building
Corpus Christi Coll. MS 14, f. 1v
Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum historiale Books XVII–XXIV
Paris, ca 1300

Image reproduced by kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi College

Many of the thirteenth and fourteenth-century manuscripts of the Speculum historiale have historiated initials for some of the books. The beginning of Book XVII here shown illustrates the Roman emperor Theodosius in 381 establishing the kingdoms in his empire. The previous Book XVI had given an account of the kingdoms of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 2:37–44). The style of the figure and border illumination with a dog chasing a stag is typically Parisian of ca 1300, and the Benedictine monks of St Augustine’s Canterbury must have obtained their three volume luxury copy from there.