3-041-146 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Initial E: An Equestrian Duel Between a Creditor and a Debtor; Vidal Mayor, about 1290-1310. Additional Info:On the right side of the page, a large historiated initial E frames two scenes representing a problem of credit explained in the chapter. On the upper level of a castlelike structure, the enthroned king listens to a dispute between a creditor and debtor. Below, the same figures engage in combat on horseback, watched by the king and a companion. The cross on one combatant's shield, clothing, and horse blanket identifies him as a Christian, while the crescent shape on the other's tunic suggests he is Muslim or at the very least a foreigner. The repetition of the figure of the king on both levels suggests that the battle relates to the argument above. The battle may demonstrate what would happen if there were no legal system, implying that implementation of a legal system prevents bloodshed.