Anselm Adornes

Travel, Trade, Cultural Exchange, and Intellectual Networks in Scotland, Bruges, and Jerusalem

Coombs, Briony (ed.)
Harrison, Jill (ed.)
Guidicini, Giovanna (ed.)

Anselm Adornes (1424–1483), merchant, diplomat, humanist patron of the arts, explorer, and pilgrim, is a pivotal figure in the cultural history of fifteenth-century Western Europe. His significance as a trusted advisor to James III of Scotland and Charles the Bold of Burgundy and his agency and influence within dynamic intellectual and artistic networks has not received the scholarly attention it deserves. Bridging the world of commerce and courtly diplomacy, Anselm Adornes is a charismatic individual who provides the perfect case study for this ambitious multidisciplinary book. Fresh perspectives on the account of his extraordinary pilgrimage across the Mediterranean to the Holy Land reveal perceptive observations not only of pious practices, places, peoples, and customs, but also of the importance of maps and navigation. As well as connecting Adornes to key works of art, architecture, manuscripts, and travel writing, this compelling volume uniquely sheds light on his deep relationship with Scotland and shows that country’s active engagement with the wider world. It will include transcriptions and translations of key documents, all previously unpublished, which makes it an important resource for those wishing to understand this exciting period of European history.