[Camiola Paying Roland of Sicily’s Ransom] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Camiola Paying Roland of Sicily’s Ransom]
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Sienna; Sicily; Italy
Description: This image depicts Camiola, the daughter of Lawrence of Torringo, paying a ransom to release Roland of Sicily from prison. She felt sympathy for Roland of Sicily who was left to rot in a jail after a battle, so she paid for his ransom in exchange for his hand in marriage. Camiola is depicted wearing a brown dress and a white head piece standing in front of Roland who is chained in a prison cell on the right side of the image. There is a man on the left side of the image delivering the ransom money on behalf of Camiola to the man dressed in green. Roland had agreed to marry Camiola, but when he was freed, he pretended as though he did not agree to marry her. She is famous for having proved herself in front of a judge and spoke out against her husband’s vile behaviour in rejecting her and his promise to her.
Image Creator: Master of Boethius (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:25605
Language: frm
Source Name: Des cleres et nobles femmes, De claris mulieribus in an anonymous French translation
Parent Collection: 1410 Paris; 1410 Paris
Image: mta_25605_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Camiola; Important Women; Famous Women; Roland of Sicily