A fascinating and highly original history of medieval magic told through twenty key illuminated
manuscripts Medieval Europe was preoccupied with magic. From the Carolingian Empire to
Renaissance Italy and Tudor England great rulers religious figures and scholars sought to
harness supernatural power. They tried to summon spirits predict the future and even prolong
life. Alongside science and religion magic lay at the very heart of culture. In this
beautifully illustrated account Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores the medieval fascination with
magic through twenty extraordinary illuminated manuscripts. These books were highly sought
after commissioned by kings and stored in great libraries. They include an astronomical
compendium made for Charlemagne’s son The Sworn Book of Honorius used by a secret society of
trained magicians and the highly influential Picatrix . This vivid new history shows how
attitudes to magic and science changed over the medieval period—and produced great works of art
as they did so.
