Olgerd from BL YT 51, f. 22 - Public domain medieval manuscript

Miniature of Olgerd, having collected an army of Lithuanians, Varangians, and 'Zhamoti,' hastening to the aid of Tsar Mamai. Image taken from f. 22 of Skazanie o Mamaevom Poboishche (the Tale of the Rout of Mamai). Written in Russian Church Slavonic.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.