Literaturnetzwerke des Damenstifts Essen

Abstract The books of Essen Abbey bear witness not only to the various phases in the history of the monastery, but also to the changing social networks of the canonesses and canons. The library initially comprised a collection of precious codices, mostly from West Francia. The 10 th and 11 th centuries were marked by book exchanges with the neighboring Benedictine monastery in Werden. At this time, Essen had its own scriptorium and the noble abbesses of Ottonian descent gave books as gifts to cultivate their relationships. In the 12 th century, a canonry was founded and the library was transferred there. The new acquisitions from the 14 th and 15 th centuries all originate from regional production.