Chronica Majora

The Chronica Majora is an important medieval illuminated manuscript chronicle by Matthew Paris, one of a number of redactions of his work on English history.

Elephant from Chronica maiora, Part II, Parker Library, MS 16, fol. 151v

It is currently in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It covers the period 1240-53. It is his major historical work, but is less heavily illustrated per page than others.^{[citation needed]}

The first two volumes are in Cambridge, whilst the third is bound with the Historia Anglorum in the British Library. There are 100 marginal drawings, some fragmentary maps and an itinerary, and full page drawings of William I, the Elephant with Keeper. MS 16 has very recently had all prefatory matter removed in a rebinding. Most of the text of the Chronica in MS 26 is not in Paris's hand.^{[citation needed]}