The Writing of the Queens Isabel and Maria of Portugal, Daughters of the Catholic Monarchs

Abstract

espanolAnalisis paleografico de la escritura de las esposas de Manuel I dePortugal Isabel y Maria (alfabeto, nexos y enlaces, abreviaturas, signos especiales, modo de corregir, y suscripcion) partiendo de sus diplomas autografos y firmas en originales de la cancilleria. Y su aprendizaje de las primeras letras, instrumentos escriptorios y libros de su biblioteca particular segun los datos recogidos en las cuentas del tesorero de la Reina Catolica Gonzalo de Baeza y en las, aun ineditas, de Ochoa de Isasaga, que lo era de la propia Maria. EnglishThis article undertakes the palaeographic study of documents written by the wives of Manuel I of Portugal, Isabel and Maria. It examines the alphabet, links, abbreviations, special symbols, forms of correction and validation used by the queens in their autographed documents, and their signatures on original chancery documents. Using the data contained in the accounts of Gonzalo de Baeza, treasurer to the Catholic Queen Isabel I of Castile, and those, as yet unpublished, of Ochoa de Isasaga, treasurer to Queen Maria, it studies their early education, the writing instruments they used and the books contained in their personal libraries.