Cy apres sensuit de costace epereys des romains et royne de sicile · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Cy apres sensuit de costace epereys des romains et royne de sicile
Subject: Emperor Henry VI; Important Women; Famous Women; Constance
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Sicily; Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: Constance, the empress of Rome and queen of Sicily, had spent her life in a convent until she was forced to marry Emperor Henry VI. She miraculously became pregnant with Emperor Henry’s child at the age of fifty-five. To avoid suspicion from his citizens, Henry ordered that all the women of Sicily be present for the birth of their child to validate Constance’s pregnancy and birth. This image depicts Constance on the right side of the image wearing a blue dress as her pregnancy shows through the dress. There are people on the left side of the image who are present to witness the birth.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:25663
Language: frm
Source Name: Livre que fist Jehan BOCACE de Certalde des cleres et nobles femmes, lequel il envoia à Audice de Accioroles de Florence, contesse de Haulteville [Book from Giovanni Boccaccio of Certaldo called the cleric and noble women, of which he sent to Audice Accioroles of Florence, Countess of Haulteville]
Parent Collection: 1401 Florence; 1401 Florence
Image: mta_25663_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Emperor Henry VI; Important Women; Famous Women; Constance