Vienna Coronation Gospels

[1] It was used by the future emperor at his coronation on Christmas Day 800, when he placed three fingers of his right hand on the first page of the Gospel of Saint John and took his oath.

[3] The Coronation Evangeliar is the principal work among a small group of manuscripts produced at the court of Charlemagne at Aachen, some time between 794 and late 800.

[1] The incipit page of each Gospel shows the three writing styles common to valuable illustrated manuscripts from the late antique period—the capitalis rustica of the first line, followed by the monumental capitalis quadrata of the second line, which introduces the Latin text of the Gospel in gold ink, which is presented in continuous uncial script with no spaces between the words or punctuation.

[3] Designed in high relief, the gold cover shows God the Father seated in front of the canopy of his throne.

[3] God the Father is dressed in imperial vestments and wearing a mitre crown, similar to the one worn by Maximilian I, who was Holy Roman Emperor at the time the cover was produced.