This manuscript contains an account praising Emma (d. 1052), the second consort of both �thelred II (d. 1016), king of England, and Cnut (d. 1035), king of England, Denmark and Norway. The work was composed by a Flemish monk at Emma's behest. This manuscript also contains an image of the author presenting his work to Emma while her sons Harthacnut (d. 1042) and Edward the Confessor (d. 1066) look on. This manuscript was previously thought to be the only surviving copy of the Encomium Emmae Reginae (Praise of Queen Emma) until another copy, containing the unique Edwardian recension of the text, was identified in Copenhagen, Royal Library, Acc. 2011/5 in 2008. The two copies are largely the same, except for their endings (see Bolton, 'A Newly Emergent Mediaeval Manuscript' (2009)). Contents: ff. 2r-67r: Encomium Emmae Reginae . [f. 67v is blank]. Decoration: 1 full-page miniature showing the Encomiast presenting his work to Emma (f. 1v). Coloured initials throughout.
Title
Encomium Emmae reginae
Date
11th century
Place
Saint-Omer, France