Synopses & Reviews
Seizing the Hungarian throne at the age of fifteen, Matthias Corvinus, the "Raven King,and#8221; was an effervescent presence on the fifteenth-century stage. A successful warrior and munificent art patron, he sought to leave as symbols of his strategic and humanist ambitions a strong, unified country, splendid palaces, and the most magnificent library in Christendom. But Hungary, invaded by Turkey after Matthias's death in 1490, yielded its treasures, and the Raven Kingand#8217;s exquisite library of two thousand volumes, witness to a golden cultural age, was dispersed first across Europe and then the world.
The quest to recover this collection of sumptuously illuminated scripts provoked and tantalized generations of princes, cardinals, collectors, and scholars and imbued Hungarians with the mythical conviction that the restoration of the lost library would seal their country's rebirth. In this thrilling and absorbing account, drawing on a wealth of original sources in several languages, Marcus Tanner tracks the destiny of the Raven King and his magnificent bequest, uncovering the remarkable story of a life and library almost lost to history.
Synopsis
A gripping account of an extraordinary Renaissance monarch and the quest for his treasured library
Seizing the Hungarian throne at the age of fifteen, Matthias Corvinus, the "Raven King," was an effervescent presence on the fifteenth-century stage. A successful warrior and munificent art patron, he sought to leave as symbols of his strategic and humanist ambitions a strong, unified country, splendid palaces, and the most magnificent library in Christendom. But Hungary, invaded by Turkey after Matthias's death in 1490, yielded its treasures, and the Raven King's exquisite library of two thousand volumes, witness to a golden cultural age, was dispersed first across Europe and then the world.
The quest to recover this collection of sumptuously illuminated scripts provoked and tantalized generations of princes, cardinals, collectors, and scholars and imbued Hungarians with the mythical conviction that the restoration of the lost library would seal their country's rebirth. In this thrilling and absorbing account, drawing on a wealth of original sources in several languages, Marcus Tanner tracks the destiny of the Raven King and his magnificent bequest, uncovering the remarkable story of a life and library almost lost to history.
Synopsis
This book is the first in English to tell the gripping story of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary - known as the Raven King - and of his fabled two thousand-volume library. 'A fascinating book ... Tanner has a shrewd sense of character and a vivid eye for detail.' The Sunday Telegraph 'Tanner has written the juvenile 'Raven King' back into history.' The Times 'A fascinating yet little-known true-life tale that has all the hallmarks of gripping fiction.' The Independent on Sunday Marcus Tanner is a journalist and writer, editor of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, and a leader-writer for The Independent. He has also written widely on the history of Croatia, Ireland, and the Celts.
About the Author
Marcus Tanner is a journalist and writer, editor of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, and a leader-writer for the Independent. His previous books include Croatia, Ireland's Holy Wars, and The Last of the Celts, all published by Yale University Press.