The Codex Gigas: Secrets of the Devil’s Bible

This is a book of biblical proportions. The Codex Gigas, literally ‘giant book’, is the largest extant medieval manuscript in existence and is, in every way, exceptional. Some say it was created in one night by a monk sentenced to immurement – being walled up alive – as a way to bargain for his release. Others suggest it was inspired by the Devil himself, or perhaps it was a book designed to warn against Satan’s evil purposes.

So what’s the story behind this literary enigma? Do the Codex Gigas illustrations tell us more than we can see? The Codex Gigas remains a text so mysterious, it’s bound to keep you enthralled. Have your library card handy because we’re about to check out the Codex Gigas history, the story of one of the world’s most bizarre books. Remember, the devil’s in the detail…

The Codex Gigas – or Devil’s Bible, as it has become known – was created in the early thirteenth century in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia, modern-day Czechia. Scholars are broadly in agreement that a single monk, known as Herman the Recluse, was probably responsible for its compilation, though much about his motives remains steeped in legend and folklore.

One version of the story goes that he faced being walled up alive for breaking his monastic vows, and promised to create a book containing all human knowledge in a single night as penance for his sins and to escape his fate. When he realised he couldn’t complete the task alone, he allegedly prayed to Lucifer for assistance, resulting in the book’s completion and its infamous full-page illustration of the devil. While scholars dismiss this legend, they agree that the manuscript was most probably the work of a single scribe over as many as thirty years.

As to his motivation, perhaps it was simply intended to be a showpiece of extraordinary devotion and scholarship? It’s impossible to know, but one thing’s for certain, the Codex Gigas illustrations – one in particular – have set this book apart for almost eight hundred years.

The manuscript is a veritable compendium of medieval knowledge and has been described as a medieval library bound into one volume. The so-called Devil’s Bible contains –

• The Latin Vulgate Bible, which forms the core of the manuscript with both the Old and New Testaments included. However, the books of Acts and Revelation are from an earlier pre-Vulgate version.
• Two works by first century AD Roman historian Flavius Josephus called The Jewish War, and Antiquities of the Jews.
• A history of the Czech lands called Chronica Boemorum written in the early twelfth century by Cosmas of Prague.
• A medieval encyclopaedia known as Etymologiae by seventh century Christian bishop Isidore of Seville.
• An early version – possibly twelfth or thirteenth century – of Ars medicinae, ‘The Art of Medicine’.
• Two books by an eleventh century physician called Constantine the African.

The Codex Gigas also included several incantations and magical formulas, including spells to cure diseases and rituals for capturing thieves, information about exorcisms, a grammar guide, a calendar listing saints’ feast days and death anniversaries, a necrology (list of deceased brothers from the Podlažice monastery), as well as confessions of sins and general scribblings, including notes added by later readers.

Yet despite this wealth of written knowledge, the real reason the Codex Gigas is so well-known isn’t the words, but the pictures.

This medieval wonder-book contains several notable illustrations that contribute to its mystique and historical significance. The manuscript features five main pictures, including three in the margins and two full-page illustrations, along with seventy-seven colourful initials throughout the text.

Other illustrations in the manuscript include an author portrait of Josephus Flavius and two orbs representing heaven and earth during the Creation, found in the margins of Antiquities of the Jews. The Codex Gigas also features elaborate illuminations throughout, with capital letters at the start of biblical books and the chronicle being intricately decorated in multiple colours.

There are fifty-seven surviving elaborate capital letters, some occupying most of the page, and twenty initials with blue letters and red vine decorations. The manuscript’s artistic elements, combined with its massive size and legendary origin, contribute to its enduring fascination and historical importance.

But there’s one illustration that stands out from all the rest.

The most famous of all the Codex Gigas illustrations is the full-page portrait of the Devil. This striking image depicts Satan as a large, crouching figure with his arms up, measuring about 50 centimetres tall.

The Devil is portrayed with a dark, leathery face, a white loincloth adorned with small red comma-shaped marks (interpreted as ermine tails), and four-fingered hands and feet ending in large red claws. His head is dark green with dense curls, wide-open eyes with red pupils, and large red-tipped ears. The Devil’s mouth is open, revealing small white teeth and two long red tongues protruding from the corners, evoking the forked tongue of a serpent.

Directly opposite the Devil’s portrait is a full-page depiction of the Heavenly City, creating a stark contrast between good and evil. This illustration shows the city in tiers of buildings and towers behind red walls, symbolising hope and salvation.

The Codex Gigas is largely accepted to be the largest medieval manuscript in existence. It’s 92 centimetres long, 50 centimetres wide and 22 centimetres thick. It weighs almost 75 kilograms (roughly the weight of an adult kangaroo) and it has 310 double-sided leaves of vellum, believed to have come from 160 donkeys. Laid out flat, the Codex Gigas would cover an area of around 143 square metres, or roughly three-quarters of the size of a singles tennis court.

The Codex Gigas’ history is almost as fascinating as its contents. Initially housed at the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice, it was pawned off during financial struggles to the Cistercian monks of the Sedlec Abbey in Bohemia. From there, it returned to Benedictine hands towards the end of the thirteenth century and sat quietly in the library of a monastery in Břevnov, to the west of Prague, until 1594 when it became part of the private collection of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II.

During the Thirty Years’ War in 1648, Swedish forces looted Prague and brought the Codex Gigas to Stockholm, where it has remained in the Royal Library of Sweden ever since. Interestingly, ten leaves (twenty pages) are missing from the manuscript, fueling speculation about their contents. Some believe they may have included the Rules of St. Benedict, a guide to living a monastic life in the sixth century, or other sensitive information deliberately removed.

In May 1697, there was a catastrophic fire at the Three Crowns Castle (Tre Kronor) which devastated most of the Royal Library. The Codex Gigas was saved after someone threw it out of a window and according to vicar Johann Erichsons, it landed on an unfortunate bystander, injuring him!

The prevailing theories about the compilation of the Codex Gigas, also known as the Devil’s Bible, are as perplexing as the book itself.

The Single Scribe

Most experts believe that the Codex Gigas was created by a single scribe. The remarkable uniformity of the writing supports this theory. Analysis suggests that it was likely written by a thirteenth-century monk in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic but whether or not his name was Herman the Recluse, or Hermannus Heremitus, remains open to debate. There are small additions and corrections throughout that hint that other people may have contributed marginal notes or minor edits later. Even if Herman the Recluse was the main creator, the vast scope of the work implies he might have had some assistance or at least borrowed from existing sources and compilations.

Why Was It Written?

While the exact reason for its creation is unclear, there are several possibilities about the Codex Gigas’ history. The old medieval belief that copying holy texts could atone for sins might explain its creation. Alternatively, it may have been an ambitious project undertaken by a monastery to create a comprehensive compilation of knowledge to be consulted as and when required, or it could have been a showcase of the scribe’s extraordinary skill and dedication. Contrary to the legend of it being written in one night, researchers estimate it would have taken at least twenty-five to thirty years to create.

The Significance of the Devil

This unsettling image has fuelled legends about Satanic involvement in its creation, most notably the claim that the book was produced in a single night with the Devil’s help. While modern scholars view this as a fable, the depiction of Satan still holds symbolic importance. In medieval art, images of the Devil often served as reminders of sin, temptation, and spiritual battles fought by the faithful. Additionally, the presence of the Devil adds to the manuscript’s mystique. During the Middle Ages, such dramatic imagery would have heightened the book’s reputation as an extraordinary or even cursed object. This blend of religious content and sensational legend makes the Codex Gigas stand out from other illuminated medieval manuscripts, solidifying its status as one of the great medieval enigmas.

Whether viewed as a monument to medieval monastic diligence or as an eerie product of diabolical rumour, the Codex Gigas’ history still captivates amateur-sleuths and renowned experts alike. Today, the so-called Devil’s Bible continues to intrigue with its blend of historical significance, artistic beauty, and enduring mystique, ensuring its place as one of history’s most enigmatic and imposing manuscripts.