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Charles V Establishes a Royal Library at the Louvre

1368

The courtyard of the Louvre, present day. (View Larger)

In 1368 King Charles V converted the fortress of the Louvre into a royal palace, and established a royal library there. This library was the origin of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

"Charles had received a collection of manuscripts from his predecessor, John II, and transferred them to the Louvre from the Palais de la Cité. The first librarian of record was Claude Mallet, the king's valet de chambre, who made a sort of catalogue, Inventoire des Livres du Roy nostre Seigneur estans au Chastel du Louvre. Jean Blanchet made another list in 1380 and Jean de Bégue one in 1411 and another in 1424. Charles V was a patron of learning and encouraged the making and collection of books. It is known that he employed Nicholas Oresme, Raoul de Presle and others to transcribe ancient texts. At the death of Charles VI, this first collection was unilaterally bought by the English regent of France, the Duke of Bedford, who transferred it to England in 1424. It was apparently dispersed at his death in 1435" (Wikipedia article on Bibliothèque nationale de France, accessed 02-22-2014).

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