“Sic Fata Iubent” John Corvinus and the Brussels Missal

In the early 1480s, when it became clear that he could not expect a son from his wife, Beatrix of Aragon, King Matthias became determined to have his illegitimate son, John Corvinus, accepted as heir to the throne. The illumination of some of his luxurious manuscripts also served to propagate his dynastic plans. However, the question of the succession to the throne has not yet been considered with respect to the decoration of his missal now kept in Brussels (Royal Library of Belgium, ms. 9008), which dates to 1485–1487. In my study, by analysing the portraits of this codex and a hitherto unidentified emblem with the motto “sic fata iubent”, I show how the representation of power unfolding on the pages of the missal can also be interpreted in the context of Matthias’s dynastic plans.