SOURCE: “Text and Iconography for Joinville's Credo,” in Text and Iconography for Joinville's “Credo,” The Mediaeval Academy of America, 1958, pp. 1–27.

In the following essay, Friedman analyzes the relationship between the extant versions of the text of the Credo and the extant versions of the work's iconography.

1. The account in the Vie de saint Louis of his life at Acre makes no mention of an activity which has assumed importance in Joinville's literary biography: the composition of the Credo between the months of August 1250 and April 1251. The lessons of Saint Louis reported in sections 43-45 of the Vie are generally believed to be the initial inspiration for this pious project to aid the moribund in their struggle with the devil.¹ The ancient enemy of mankind, no longer able to take away good works already performed, would seek to bring the dying to damnation by temptation in matters of faith...