Blue Blood, Black Ink

The 16^th century was an era of development for libraries all over Europe. Apart from church and school libraries, also private collections grew at unusual speed, especially in the towns. From the next century onwards, reading became an integral part of everyday life and it is reflected by the history and growth of aristocratic family libraries in the Carpathian Basin. Palatines, military leaders, princes and other outstanding members of the Hungarian aristocracy fought against the Ottoman invaders and then contributed to the revival of their nation also by the creation of a flourishing book culture.

The libraries of aristocratic families like the Bánffy, the Batthyány, the Nádasdy, the Esterházy, the Zrínyi, the Frangepán and the Valvasor bear testimony of a high-level culture and a good knowledge of books also by European standards. Family members used to add items to their collections from all Europe even in hard times like the Ottoman expansion, the political battles and insurrections and the religious controversies of Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Historical aristocratic families did not only have political power, they functioned also as socio-economic pillars of their epoch and fundamental participants of cultural life. Consequently, their libraries were more than decorations of the mansions. They reflected the cultural maturity of the owners for whom books were the sources of infinite wisdom, and who were more than book lovers: learned people of vast culture and knowledge.

This volume presents the material of the 2005– 2007 travelling exhibition, a joint project of four countries. The participating research workshops and public collections – the National Library of Slovakia, the University and National Library of Croatia, the Burgenland Province Library, the Esterházy Private Foundation and National Széchényi Library – all work for the proper exploration of the cultural legacy in their custody, its documentation and presentation to readers and visitors.