Beyeren Armorial

The Beyeren Armorial is a medieval manuscript containing 1096 hand-colored coats of arms, with annotations in Middle Dutch. It is held by in the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague (KB), signature 79 K 21.

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History

The manuscript was compiled at the court of Holland and was completed on 23 June 1405 by Claes Heynenzoon. He was also known as the Gelre Herald, lived from circa 1345−1414, and was Ruwieren King of Arms, the chief herald of the Netherlands around 1400. He is also the creator of the Gelre (Guelders) Armorial.

Chapters

The manuscripts is divided into 5 series or chapters

• I (fol. 1r-8v, 18r-28v): 337 coats of arms from participants in a tournament in Compiègne; February 1238
• II (fol. 28v-35v, 49r-52v): 191 coats of arms from participants in a tournament in Mons; 1310
• III (fol. 52v-57v, 36r-48v, 9r-13r): 404 coats of arms from participants in a raid against the Frisians in Kuinre; 1396
• IV (fol. 13r-17v, 58r-60r): 122 coats of arms from participants in the siege of Gorinchem; 1402
• V (fol. 60r-62v): 14 series of The Three Best

Sources

• Template:Nl (1933) Beyeren quondam Gelre armorum rex de Ruyris. Eene historisch-heraldische studie, (The Hague)
• Template:Nl (1990) Spiegel van ridderschap. Heraut Gelre en zijn ereredes. (Amsterdam, Prometheus)
• Template:Nl (1995) Beeldvorming in Holland. Heraut Beyeren en de historiografie omstreeks 1400 (Amsterdam, Prometheus)
• Template:Nl (1999) Het Haagsche handschrift van heraut Beyeren. Hs. Den Haag, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, 131 G 37 (Hilversum, Verloren)
• Digitized version of the Beyeren Armorial on the website of the KB (consulted 6 September 2016)
• Description of the Beyeren Armorial on the World Digital Library (consulted 6 September 2016)