Llibre dels Feyts

The first autobiography of a medieval king. As Philip II said at the grave of James I, he was "... one of the greatest kings and captains the world has ever had...".

At that point, Jaime I, King of Aragon, Majorca and Valencia, Count of Barcelona and Urgell, and lord of Montpellier had ceased to exist for more than three centuries.

However, his reign was not an ordinary one, but it stood out due to its important military campaigns, since he managed to conquer two kingdoms from the Muslims and incorporate them to his states (Valencia and Majorca), an impossible dream that gave him international fame.

Furthermore, at the cultural level, he left us a great literary treasure: his own autobiography, El Llibre del Feyts (The Book of the Facts), where he narrates his life from childhood to his death, including his major military exploits and political successes as well as everyday anecdotes and daily details, which makes its reading very easy.

The transcription of the book was finished at the monastery of Poblet, by the hand of Celestí Destorrents, from a master copy which is lost today.

We have 1 facsimile edition of the manuscript "Llibre dels Feyts": Llibre dels Feyts facsimile edition, published by Vicent Garcia Editores, 1989

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Alternative Titles: Llibre dels Fets -- Crónica de Jaime I
Physical Features: Manuscript book on parchment − 29.3 × 20.5 cm − 418 pp.
Origin: 1343 − Monastery of Poblet, Tarragona (Spain)
Genre(s): Chronicles / History / Laws
Style: Gothic
Language(s): Valencian
Provenance: Joaquim Llàtzer Bolet (1619, Barcelona) @ Josep Jeroni Besora (1654, Barcelona) @ Universidad de Barcelona (1835)
Artist(s) / School(s): Celestí Destorrents (copyst)
Content: Autobiography of King Jaime I of Aragón
Illumination: Capital letters painted in gold, rims with animal and plant decoration

Manuscript book description compiled by the publisher.

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Llibre dels Feyts

Commentary (Spanish, Valencian)

Limited Edition: 3080 copies

Full-size color reproduction of the entire original document, Llibre dels Feyts: the facsimile attempts to replicate the look-and-feel and physical features of the original document; pages are trimmed according to the original format; the binding might not be consistent with the current document binding.

The facsimile is printed on specially made paper with the same characteristics of the original; the edition includes 2 commentary volumes.

Binding

Parchment on wooden board with metallic shield.

Llibre dels Feyts Facsimile Edition