MAP91: Codex Gigas: The Devil's Bible

MAP91: Codex Gigas: The Devil's Bible

Author: The Archivist October 28, 2024 Duration: 25:17

 It's time for our 🎃Halloween🎃 episode! This year we are looking at...

The Devil's Bible

Codex Gigas "Giant book" lives up to it’s name measuring over 3 feet long, 2 feet wide, 9 inches thick, over 300 fully illuminated pages and weighing in at 170 pounds!

Legend has it the book was written in one night, by a single monk condemned to death, who sold his soul to the Devil to complete the work. As a gift to the devil the monk put a two foot illustration of the devil in the book.

The unknown origins and the picture of the devil give the book its more common name, The Devil’s Bible.

Did the devil have a hand in it? Did the monk really sell his soul? And why was the monk condemned to death?

Learn about Jan Hus and the Hussite Wars on episode 56

See the Devil's Bible at the National Library of Sweden 🇸🇪 website: https://www.kb.se/in-english/the-codex-gigas.html

Get all the links and see all the pictures in the show notes on Medieval Archives!


  • (00:00) - Welcome to the Medieval Archives Podcast
  • (00:16) - Codex Gigas
  • (01:20) - Send me your questions or comments
  • (01:39) - Executive Producers
  • (01:56) - Let's look at the Devil's Bible
  • (02:12) - Codex Gigas introduction
  • (02:45) - Vellum
  • (03:25) - Codex Gigas Illuminations
  • (03:39) - Kingdom of Heaven
  • (03:49) - The Devil
  • (04:10) - The Devil's Bible contents
  • (04:12) - Hebrew alphabet & Vulgate Bible
  • (04:22) - Josephus Flavius: History of the Jews
  • (04:31) - Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae
  • (04:38) - Medical Texts
  • (04:51) - Cosmas of Prague's Chronica Boemorum
  • (05:03) - Minor Sections
  • (05:09) - Sinful Confessions
  • (05:17) - Prayers
  • (05:19) - Image of Heaven and the Devil
  • (05:29) - Spells, Magic and Exorcism
  • (05:45) - Translated Spell
  • (05:58) - Dark Arts?
  • (06:02) - One Picture gives it the name
  • (06:18) - Who wrote the book?
  • (06:22) - Broken Vows
  • (06:27) - Rules of St. Benedict
  • (06:42) - Immurement
  • (07:01) - Roman Immurment
  • (07:11) - Vestal Virgin Immurement
  • (08:07) - Duke Otto III
  • (08:24) - Kuressaare Castle Immurment
  • (08:40) - The Blood Countess
  • (09:20) - Thornton Abbey
  • (09:44) - Herman the Recluse
  • (10:41) - Summon the Devil
  • (11:02) - Deal with the Devil
  • (12:09) - Handwriting Analysis
  • (12:17) - It would take 30 years to complete
  • (12:38) - Completed by one person
  • (12:53) - Completed in a short time period
  • (13:22) - Who could it be?
  • (13:27) - No writing fatigue or errors
  • (14:07) - Why honor the Devil?
  • (14:28) - The Devil's image
  • (15:19) - Sedlec Monastary
  • (15:52) - Hussite Wars
  • (16:04) - Kutna Hora (Sedlec) Silver Mine
  • (16:23) - Sedlec 2018
  • (16:35) - Sedlec Entrance
  • (16:49) - Bone Chandelier
  • (17:01) - Sedlec Bone Mounds
  • (17:04) - Bone Coat of Arms
  • (17:15) - Podcasting 2,0 apps
  • (17:28) - Sedlec burial site
  • (17:42) - Mysterious Blind Monk
  • (17:56) - Visit Sedlec if you can
  • (18:05) - Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II
  • (18:32) - Thirty Years War
  • (19:00) - LIbrary Fire and Book of Death
  • (19:41) - Flying books and insane librarian
  • (20:04) - Voices from the Devil's Bible
  • (20:18) - Missing Pages
  • (21:15) - End Times
  • (21:24) - Satan's Prayer
  • (21:30) - Did the Benedictines remove the pages
  • (21:51) - Rudolf II and the Occult
  • (22:04) - The Mystery remains
  • (22:24) - Hermann Inclusus
  • (22:54) - Look for yourself
  • (23:23) - Share your thoughts on the Devil's Bible
  • (23:36) - Send me your comments
  • (23:57) - Independent Owned and Operated
  • (24:10) - Support the show for FREE!
  • (24:19) - Executive Producers Wanted!
  • (24:38) - THANK YOU for your support!
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Intro music provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com


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Step into the world of Medieval Archives, where host The Archivist guides you through the sprawling, complex landscape of a thousand-year era. This isn't just a parade of dates and famous names. Instead, each episode is a deep exploration, peeling back the layers of popular legend to examine the tangible realities of medieval life. You'll hear about the strategic calculations behind what we call epic battles, the fragile alliances within courtly intrigue, and the quiet rhythms of survival in villages far from castle walls. The podcast is built on a foundation of historical evidence, carefully separating enduring fact from compelling fiction. By focusing on the people-from monarchs and saints to merchants and peasants-and the beliefs that guided them, the narrative connects these distant events to our understanding of today. Whether discussing the rise of a kingdom, the fall of a dynasty, or the evolution of a simple tool, the aim is to provide context and clarity. Tune in for a thoughtful, accessible journey that treats history not as a static record but as a continuous, human story. The medieval world was one of profound transformation, and this series seeks to illuminate how it was truly lived, felt, and shaped by those who were there.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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