The flower of stories is a vast compilation of universal history in prose composed by Jean Mansel, a civil servant at the court of Burgundy, in the 1440s. Long forgotten, it is now experiencing renewed interest from researchers. s, but his text, which remains in manuscript form, is difficult to access and still too little known. However, the Fleur enjoyed considerable success with noble readers of the late Middle Ages and is preserved by a relatively large number of copies, among which we find the richly illuminated copy that belonged to the library of the Dukes of Burgundy (Brussels, KBR , 9231-9232).
We intend to offer a first critical edition of this compilation, more precisely of its older version in three books which tell the story of the world from Creation to the coronation of Charles VI (1380). The very rich and varied text is not limited to a linear reading of historical events, but includes, among other things, lives of saints, exempla, miracles, didactic treatises and secular anecdotes.
Under the direction of Elena Koroleva, lecturer at the Université Littoral Côte d’Opale, and Prunelle Deleville, lecturer-assistant at the University of Geneva, the edition will be carried out by a team which currently consists of eight researchers. Each member of the team will be responsible for editing a specific section of the text and will publish a volume in their name, while contributing to the development of the common framework adopted for all the volumes envisaged. No precise order will be imposed as to the release of the volumes which will appear as they are completed. A schedule over four or five years, starting in the fall of 2023, will however be defined in order to ensure better completion of the work. A first team meeting will take place in hybrid mode at the Littoral Côte d’Opale University, UR 4030 HLLI (Boulogne-sur Mer), on October 19, 2023, the official start date of the project.
To complete our team, we are looking for contributors who would be able to edit the few unassigned sections devoted to the biblical history and/or the secular history of Rome and France. If you are interested in this project, we invite you to contact us before June 20, 2023 by writing jointly to the following addresses:
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