Reconstructing Erpenius’ LibraryThe First Collection of Oriental Manuscripts at Cambridge University Library

Majid Daneshgar
Brill, December 2024
285 pages
ISBN: 978-90-04-71259-1
E-Book ISBN: 978-90-04-71260-7

From the Author

This volume is the first comprehensive study of one of the most important collections of oriental manuscripts, in more than ten languages, in early modern Europe which belonged to Thomas Erpenius (d. 1624), the renowned Dutch Arabist, orientalist and the first Chair of Arabic Studies at Leiden University. My book reconstructs his personal library which was the center of scholarly debates for centuries, full of rare and sometimes unique materials. Widely known as a rich source of Muslim literature and Asian languages, the collection was purchased by George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham (d. 1628) and ultimately donated by his widow, Katherine Villiers, to Cambridge University Library in June 1632. This volume provides detail on Erpenius’ life and career, his manuscript collections and their reception and preservation in Cambridge. Thus, examining Erpenius’ collection demonstrates that he and most of his entourage wished to explore Eastern textual heritage not Eastern race, color, blood or Asian spices and mine of metals and golds! Early orientalists were keen to learn about oriental literature. (Majid Daneshgar)

Contents

Preliminary Materials
 Foreword by Dr. Jessica Gardner, Cambridge University Library ix
 Preface: Organic Orientalism xi
 An Essay on Acknowledgments xvii
 Tables xxviii
 Figures xxix

1 Introduction

1 Background and Journey 1
2 Scholar of Islamic Materials 7
3 Arabic Instructor 9
4 Mentor 13
5 Publisher and Seeker of Knowledge 14
6 Grieving the Loss of Erpenius: Husband, Father and Professor 15
7 Erpenius’ Library upon His Death 18

2 Erpenius’ Library in England

1 English Intellectual Context 28
2 Erpenius’ Library Becomes the Duke’s Library 32
3 Duke’s Library after an Assassination 35

3 The Significance of Erpenius’ Library: An Overview

1 Contents and Physical Features 40
2 Erpenius’ Southeast Asian Materials: Importance and Rarity 45

4 On “Reconstructing the Erpenius Collection”

1 Two Perspectives 64
2 On Cataloguing 65
3 Note on the Entries 67
4 Covers and Bindings 67
5 Format and Structure 69

5 Erpenius’ Library Preserved at CUL: A Catalogue

1 Items and Descriptions 72
2 Debated Manuscripts 214

Bibliography 225
Indexes 237