General introduction

A single, meticulously preserved codex from the Cistercian Monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça offers invaluable insights into the formative years of Portugal's sovereign kingdom. Compiled around 1250 in the monastery's scriptorium and housed in Lisbon's Biblioteca Nacional, this codex (Alc.415) is part of one of Europe's most significant monastic library collections, comprising over 460 medieval works—many illuminated or retaining original bindings. Founded by Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, under the influence of St Bernard of Clairvaux, Alcobaça's library reflects both local and external intellectual influences, providing a rare window into the cultural and political landscape of 12th- to 13th-century Portugal.

Wilson, J. (2021). General introduction. The Conquest of Santarém and Goswin’s Song of the Conquest of Alcácer Do Sal, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003162292-1