Royal decree from notorious ‘Spider King’rediscovered in very unexpected location

A rare 15th-century letter from the court of Louis XI was recently identified in a Canadian library collection after going unnoticed for years.(adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images;Andrews Project for Book Science)

The missive wasidentified by researchersJessica Lockhart and Chana Algarvio during a closer examination of the fragment using advanced imaging.

They brought it to Sebastian Sobecki, a professor of medieval English literature at the University of Toronto, for identification.

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Images show the artifact yellowed and frayed with age, covered in small text written in dark ink.

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The fragment was likely recovered during a 20th-century book restoration after passing through a family of collectors, said Chana Algarvio, assistant librarian at Massey College and a Ph.D.student at the University of Toronto.

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The letter, linked to King Louis XI of France, was found embedded in the binding of a later printed book.(Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images;Andrews Project for Book Science)

“According to Will, Georgfrequented bookstores his whole lifeand particularly favored the bookseller stalls at the University of Amsterdam,” she said.

“Identifying these fragments relies on a combination of tools, including language, handwriting and document format.”

“Finding parts ofmedieval manuscriptsin book bindings is common, but finding royal letters or charters in such places is very rare,�

“Identifying these fragments relies on a combination of tools, including language, handwriting and document format.”

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Advanced imaging technology helped researchers recover details from the faded parchment and ink.(University of Toronto Libraries)

And for those wondering why Louis XI was called the “Spider King,” it’s because he wove a vast network of political intrigue and royal control — like a web.

“Louis was exceptionally adept at political intrigue and [at] using the royal administration effectively to this effect,” Sobecki noted.

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“He also professionalized the government by appointing bureaucrats rather than hereditary aristocrats, laying the foundations of the political and legalunification of France.”