Mirrors for princes ormirrors of princes (Latin:specula principum) was a literarygenre of didacticpolitical writings throughout theMiddle Ages and theRenaissance. It was part of the broaderspeculum or mirror literature genre.

The Latin termspeculum regum appears as early as the 12th century and may have been used even earlier. It may have developed from the popular speculum literature popular from the 12th to 16th century, focusing on knowledge of a particular subject matter.

These texts most frequently take the form of textbooks for the instruction of kings, princes, or lesser rulers on successfulgovernance andbehaviour. The term is also used for histories or literary works presenting model images of good and bad kings. Authors often composed such "mirrors" at the accession of a new king, when a young and inexperienced ruler was about to come topower. One could view them as a species of prototypicalself-help book or study ofleadership before the concept of a "leader" became more generalised than the concept of amonarchicalhead-of-state.^[1]

One of the earliest works was written bySedulius Scottus (fl. 840–860), the Irish poet associated with thePangur Bán gloss poem (c. 9th century). Possibly the best known European "mirror" isThe Prince (c. 1513) byNiccolò Machiavelli, although this was not the most typical example.

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(January 2009)

• Instructions of Shuruppak (Early 3rd millennium BC)

• Ptahhotep,The Maxims of Ptahhotep (2375–2350 BC)
• Kheti III,Teaching for King Merykara (c. 2000 BC)
• Kheti the Scribe, "Instructions of Amenemhat" (c. 1971 BC), a guide-poem on kingship forSenusret I, the son of the former PharaohAmenemhat I.
• Amenemope, Son of Kanakht,Instruction of Amenemope (c. 1100 BC)

• Vishnu Sharma,Panchatantra (Between 200 BC and 300 AD)
• Chanakya,Arthashastra (Between 200 BC and 300 AD)
• Narayan Pandit,Hitopdesha (c. 770 – 860 AD)
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, "Budhbhushan" (c. 1670 – 1680 AD)

• Plato,Republic (375 BC)
• Xenophon,The Education of Cyrus (c. 370 BC)
• Aristotle,Politics (c. mid-4th century BC)
• Isocrates,To Nicocles andEvagoras
• Philodemus,The Good King According to Homer
• Dio Chrysostom,The First Discourse on Kingship andThe Second Discourse on Kingship andThe Third Discourse on Kingship andThe Fourth Discourse on Kingship
• Cicero,De Officiis (44 BC)
• Seneca,De Clementia (55–56 AD)
• Plutarch,Moralia (c. 100 AD)
• Pliny the Younger,Panegyric of Trajan (100 AD)
• Eusebius of Caesarea'sLife of Constantine may be a mirror for princes. This text's precise genre, audience, and aims has been a subject of scholarly controversy. (c. 339 AD)
• Ambrose,De officiis ministrorum (c. 391 AD) although the book is for clergy, many of its lessons can be applied to secular lords due to its inspiration and criticism of Cicero's original.
• Augustine of Hippo,The City of God, Book V, chapter 24, "The true felicity of Christian Emperors." (c. 413–426 AD)
• Salvian,De gubernatione Dei (439–451 AD)

• Pope Gregory the Great,The Book of Pastoral Rule (590 AD) Although dedicated to clergy, lessons may also apply to nobles.
• Gregory of Tours'History of the Franks (late 6th century) which warns against internal strife.
• Isidore of Seville,The Sentenciae (620s AD), particularly book III.
• De duodecim abusivis saeculi, 'On the twelve abuses of the world' (7th century), aHiberno-Latin treatise by an anonymous Irish author sometimes referred to as Pseudo-Cyprian. This work, though not a 'mirror for princes' per se, was to be of great influence on the development of the 'genre' as it took place on the Continent.

Carolingian texts. Notable examples of Carolingian textbooks for kings, counts and other laymen include:

• Cathwulf,Epistolae (775) written forCharlemagne.
• Paulinus of Aquileia,Liber exhortationis (795), for Count Heiric of Friuli.
• Alcuin,De virtutibus et vitiis (c. 799–800), written for Count Wido of Brittany.
• Smaragdus of Saint-Mihiel,Via regia (813), arguably the first true European mirror for princes, dedicated toLouis the Pious, when king of Aquitania.
• Einhard'sVita Karoli Magni (c. 814) which promotesCharlemagne's reign as something for other rulers to aspire to.
• Jonas of Orléans,De Institutione Laicali (818–828), (originally) written for CountMatfrid of Orléans.
• Jonas of Orléans,De Institutione Regia (c. 831), written forPepin I of Aquitaine, apparently on the basis of a council at Orléans.^[2]
• Agobard of Lyons, his letters,A Comparison of Ecclesiastical and Political Government and Wherein the Dignity of the Church Outshines the Majesty of Empires and theLiber Apologeticus. (833 AD)
• Dhuoda, (841–843)Liber manualis, written for her son William.
• Sedulius Scottus,De rectoribus christianis 'On Christian rulers' (c. 855–9), addressed to KingLothar II of Lotharingia.
• Hincmar of Reims,De regis persona 'The Person of the King'
• Hincmar of Reims,De ordine palatii 'On the management of the palace' (882), which sets out the moral duties of a king and includes an account of the organisation of the palace.

Irish texts

• seeDe duodecim abusivis saeculi above. The vernacular mirrors differ from most texts mentioned here in that the ones who are described as giving and receiving advice are commonly legendary figures.
• Audacht Morainn ('The Testament of Morann'), writtenc. 700, an Old Irish text which has been called a forerunner of the 'mirrors for princes'.[3] The legendary wise judge Morann Mac Máin is said to have sent advice toFeradach Finnfechtnach when the latter was about to be made King of Tara.^[4]
• Tecosca Cormaic, 'The Instructions of Cormac', in which the speakerCormac mac Airt is made to instruct his sonCairbre Lifechair about a variety of matters.
• Bríatharthecosc Con Culainn 'The precept-instruction ofCúchulainn' (interpolated inSerglige Con Culainn), addressed toLugaid Réoderg.
• Tecosc Cuscraid 'The instruction of Cuscraid'
• Senbríathra Fithail 'The ancient precepts of Fíthal'
• Briathra Flainn Fína 'The Sayings ofFlann Fína'^[5]

• Stephen I of Hungary,Admonitions (1010s), written for his son andheir presumptiveSaint Emeric.
• John of Salisbury,Policraticus = 'The Statesman's Book' (1159).
• Godfrey of Viterbo,Speculum regum (c. 1183), dedicated to hisStaufian imperial patrons, fatherFrederick Barbarossa and sonHenry VI.
• Pseudo-Plutarch,Institutio Traiani (first quoted in John of Salisbury'sPolicraticus).
• Gerald of Wales,De instructione principis (c. 1193)
• Jean de Limoges,Somnium morale Pharaonis (c. 1234–60), written forThibaut IV orThibaut V
• Juan de Soria,Chronica latina regum Castellae (1239 AD) for use as a mirror for princes and to defend the rights of Castile against Leon.
• Konungs skuggsjá orSpeculum regale, (c. 1250) Norwegian treatise originally written for KingMagnús lagabœtir.
• Vincent of Beauvais,De eruditione filiorum nobilium = 'On the Education of Noble Children' (c. 1250).
• Guibert of Tournai,Eruditio regum et principum = 'The Education of Kings and Princes' (1259), written forLouis IX.^[6]
• Guibert of Tournai,De modo addiscendi = 'On the Method of Learning' (c. 1260) written for John de Dampierre, provost of Bruges, son ofGuy of Flanders.
• Thomas Aquinas,De regno (c. 1260), often conflated with theDe regimine principum ofPtolemy of Lucca
• Vincent de Beauvais,De morali principis institutione = 'On the Moral Instruction of the Prince' (c. 1262), probably written forLouis IX.^[7][8]
• William Peraldus,De eruditione principum = 'On the Education of Princes' (c. 1265), formerly attributed toThomas Aquinas.
• Brunetto Latini,Li livres dou trésor (1266), written forCharles of Anjou.
• Giles of Rome,De regimine principum = 'On the Rule of Princes' (c. 1278), written forPhilip the Fair.

• Engelbert of Admont,Speculum virtutum moralium (c. 1310), written forOtto, Duke of Austria andAlbert II, Duke of Austria
• Paolino Veneto,Trattato de regimine rectoris (1313×1315), written for the Marino Badoer,duke of Crete
• William of Pagula,Speculum regis, written forEdward III of England (c. 1331).
• Don Juan Manuel,Tales of Count Lucanor (1335).
• Don Juan Manuel,Libro Infinido o Libro de Castigos et de Consejos (1336–37)
• Alvarus Pelagius,Speculum regum (1340s), written forAlfonso XI of Castile.^[9]
• Um styrilsi kununga ok höfþinga (1350s), Old Swedish treatise
• The III Consideracions Right Necesserye to the Good Governaunce of a Prince (c. 1350), a translation of a French treatise from 1347, intended for KingJohn II of France.^[10]
• Philip of Leyden,De cura reipublicae et sorte principantis ("On the care of the state and the role of the ruler") (c. 1355), dedicated toWilliam V of Holland
• Evrart de Trémaugon,Le songe du verger (1376).
• Der Fürsten reget, (c. 1370–1380) dedicated toWilliam, Duke of Austria
• Christine de Pizan,Epistre Othea a Hector (c. 1400),Livre du corps de policie (1407),Livre de la paix (between 1412 and 1414).
• Pierre Salmon,Dialogues (1409, rev. 1412/15), dedicated toCharles VI of France
• Thomas Hoccleve,De regimine principum (early 1410s) written forHenry V of England.
• Duarte of Portugal,Leal Conselheiro (1438), a practical manual of ethical guidance for the nobility of Portugal.
• John Ireland,The Meroure of Wysedome, (1490) written forJames IV of Scotland.
• Phillipus de Bergamo,Spiegel der regyrunge (15th century) translated into middle German
• Eyn kurz ordenunge in gemeyne allen den die da regieren huß, dorffere oder stede, (15th century) short text written on how to rule a household, village or city
• Von der regeronge der stede, (15th century) text written on how to govern a city

• John Skelton,Speculum principis (1501), written for the then futureHenry VIII. A copy of this treatise, which may not be entirely the same as that presented to Henry, resides with the British Museum.^[11]
• Erasmus,Institutio principis Christiani 'Education of a Christian Prince' (1516), written as advice to King Charles of Spain (the laterCharles V).
• Martin Luther.On Secular Authority (1523), a letter dedicated toJohn, Elector of Saxony
• Baldassare Castiglione'sThe Book of the Courtier (1528), based on experiences of the courts of Urbino.
• Antonio de Guevara,Relox de príncipes (1529), inspired by and dedicated toCharles V, a bestseller of its times, translated during the 16th century to English, Latin, Italian, German, French and Dutch.
• Justus Menius,Oeconomia christiana (1529), dedicated toSibylle of Cleves for a right ordering of a ChristianLutheran household
• Machiavelli,Il Principe (c. 1513, published in 1532).
• George Buchanan,De iure regni apud Scotos (1579), a work in the form of a Socratic dialogue on ideal kingship dedicated to the youngJames VI of Scotland
• Giovanni Botero,The Reason of State (1589), a criticism of Machiavelli's Prince.
• Johann Damgaard,Alithia (1597), written for the young Danish monarchKing Christian IV.^[12]
• Juan de Mariana,De rege et regis institutione (Toledo, 1598);The King and the Education of the King
• James VI of Scotland,Basilikon Doron (1599) written as a gift to his eldest son.
• Tomas Fernández de Medrano,República Mista (1602), dedicated to the1st Duke of Lerma.
• Francisco de Quevedo,La política de Dios, y gobierno de Cristo (1617–1626)The Politics of God and the Government of Christ
• Hugo Grotius,De jure belli ac pacis (1625) dedicated toLouis XIII of France
• John Gauden,Eikon Basilike (1649) published afterCharles I of England was beheaded.
• Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros,Mirror of Princes: Crucible of their Virtues, Astonishment of their Failings, Soul of their Government and Government of their Soul (1657–1661), dedicated toPhilip Prospero, Prince of Asturias.

• John Locke,Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693 AD)
• Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet,Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture (1709 AD) dedicated to the futureLouis XV of France.
• Johann Gottfried Gregorii,Curieuse Affecten-Spiegel (1715 AD), particularly the chapterOn the Christian Wisdom of Kings, Princes and Rulers
• Frederick II of Prussia,Anti-Machiavel (1740 AD) a critique of Machiavelli's Prince.
• Frederick II of Prussia,Letter addressed to his nephew,Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg (6 February 1744 AD)^[13]
• Montesquieu,The Spirit of Law (1748 AD)

• Walter Bagehot,The English Constitution (1867) studied by generations of British monarchs for its insight on their role in a constitutional monarchy.

• Synesius, Bishop of Cyrene,De regno, speech delivered to emperorArcadius.
• Agapetus the deacon, speech delivered to emperorJustinian I. (c. 530s)
• Basil I the Macedonian, Admonitory chapters I and II to his son emperorLeo VI the Wise
• Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos,De Administrando Imperio, a domestic and foreign policy manual for the use of Constantine's son and successor, the EmperorRomanos II. (948–952)
• Kekaumenos,Strategikon (1075/1078), chapters 77 – 91.
• ArchbishopTheophylact of Ohrid,Paideia Basilike (Lat.Institutio Regia) (c. 1088), addressed to his pupilConstantine Doukas, son of EmperorMichael VII Doukas.
• Spaneas orDidaskalia Parainetike, modelled on the IsocrateanAd Demonicum (12th century)
• Nikephoros Blemmydes,Andrias Basilikos (Lat.Regia statua, "Statue of a King"), written forTheodore II Laskaris, the futureNicaean emperor (c. 1250)
• Thomas Magistros,La regalita addressed toAndronikos II Palaiologos. (14th century)
• Manuel II Palaiologos,Paideia Regia dedicated to his son,John VIII Palaiologos. (15th century)

• Ewen-Nāmag ("Book of Rules"): On the Sasanian manners, customs, skills, and arts, sciences, etc.^[14] (Between 3rd and 7th century AD)
• Andarz literature.^[15] (Between 3rd and 7th century AD)

• Abd al-Hamid al-Katib, letter toAbdallah son of the Umayyad caliphMarwan II (c. 750)
• Ibn al-Muqaffa,Kalila wa Dimna (c. 750)
• Abu Yahya ibn al-Batriq (d. 815)Sirr al-Asrar (سر الأسرار)Secretum Secretorum
• Al-Farabi (c. 872–950),Fusul al-Madani 'Aphorisms of a Statesman'[16]
• Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Maghribi (981–1027),Kitab fi'l-si'yasa^[17]
• Al-Tha'alibi (d. 1038),Ādāb al-mulūk
• Al-Mubashshir ibn Fatik (fl.1053, Damascus),Mukhtār al-Hikam wa-Maḥāsin al-Kalim (مختار الحكم ومحاسن الكلم) 'Selected Maxims and Aphorisms'
• Qabus nama (1082) – a Persian example of the genre
• Nizam al-Mulk,Siyāset-nāmeh 'Book of Government' (c. 1090) (Persian)
• Al-Imam al-Hadrami (d. 1095) –Kitâb al-Ishâra
• Al-Ghazali (1058–1111),Nasihat al-muluk 'Counsel to Princes' (Persian)
• Al-Ghazali (1105 AD/499AH),Alchemy of Happiness, Book XXI, Part Three, 'Disciplining the Self'
• Yusuf Balasaghuni,Kutadgu Bilig (11th century)
• At-Turtushi,Siraj al-Muluk 'The Lamp of Kings' (c. 1121)
• Ibn Ẓafar al-Ṣiqillī's (12th century)Sulwan al-Muta' fi 'udwan al-atba 'Consolation for the Ruler during the Hostility of Subjects'; published in English (1852) as,Solwān; or Waters Of Comfort^[18][19]
• Bahr Al-Fava'id 'Sea of (Precious) Virtues', compiled in the 12th century.^[20]
• Ibn Arabi,Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom (At-Tadbidrat al-ilahiyyah fi islah al-mamlakat al-insaniyyah) (1194–1201 AD/590-598AH)
• Saadi'sGulistan, chapter I, "The Manners of Kings", (1258, Persian).
• Wasitat al-suluk fi siyasat al-muluk
• Hussain Vaiz Kashifi's Aklhaq i Muhsini (composed in Persian AH 900/ AD 1495), translated into English as "The Morals of the Beneficent" in the mid 19th century byHenry George Keene
• Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha'rani (1540s AD/946AH) "Advice for Callow Jurists and Gullible Mendicants on Befriending Emirs"
• Lütfi PashaAsafname (Mid-16th century)
• Muhammad al-Baqir Najm-I Sani,Mau‘izah-i Jahangiri 'Admonition of Jahāngír' or 'Advice on the art of governance' (1612–1613).^[21]

• PatriarchPhotios I of Constantinople, letter addressed toBoris I of Bulgaria (867 AD)
• Poucheniye (Instruction) ofVladmir Monomakh to his children (1120s).
• Izmaragd (c. 14th century) moral guide and education for children
• Patriarch Antony IV of Constantinople, letter toVasily I of Moscow (1393).
• Domostroy (c. 15th century)
• Neagoe Basarab (1512–1521),The teachings of Neagoe Basarab to his son Theodosie, one of the earliest literary works inWallachia
• Mikhail Lomonosov, (1760)Panegyric to the Sovereign Emperor, Peter the Great

• Tao Te Ching –Lao Tzu Chinese philosopher (Can be interpreted as a mystical text, philosophical text, or political treatise on rulership) (late 4th century BC)
• Mencius – moral advice for a ruler (late 4th century BC)
• Han Fei Zi –Legalist text advice for a ruler and the art of statecraft (mid-3rd century BC) dedicated toQin Shi Huang
• The Book of Lord Shang (Multiple authors spanning centuries, starting from c. 330 BC) text advice useful for a ruler and statecraft
• Shizi (c. 330 BC) particularly section 15,The Ruler's Governance

• Lu Jia (c. 200 BC)Xin Yu 新语 ("New Discourses"), treatise on why empires rise and fall.
• Ban Biao (c. 50 AD)Book of Han, Volume 23, Treatise on Punishment and Law
• Ban Biao (c. 50 AD)Treatise on the Mandate of Kings (王命論) covers the concept of sovereignty that would influence later Chinese texts.

• Ouyang Xun (624 AD)Yiwen leiju 藝文類聚 ("Classified collection based on the Classics and other literature")
• Kong Yingda (642 AD)Wujing Zhengyi 五經正義 ("Correct Meaning of the Five Classics")
• Liu Zhi (7th century AD)Zhengdian 政典 ("Manual of politics"), a political encyclopaedia useful for young boys taking theImperial Examination

• Ouyang Xiu (1060 AD)New Book of Tang, carries a treatise on how to select and appoint officials.
• Sima Guang (1084 AD)Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance)
• Zhu Xi (1172 AD)Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu
• Zheng Qiao (12th century)Tongzhi 通治 ("Comprehensive Treatise on Government")

• Zhu Yuanzhang (1373 AD)Huang-Ming Zuxun

• Huang Zongxi (1661–62 AD)Waiting for the Dawn

• Mirrors For Princes is the name of a 2010 cinematic work byLior Shamriz. Parts of the text were based on theInstructions of Shuruppak and other Sumerian literature.^[22]

• Anton, Hans Hubert (1968).Fürstenspiegel und Herrscherethos in der Karolingerzeit. Bonner Historische Forschungen (in German). Vol. 32. Bonn: L. Röhrscheid.OCLC 1979986.
• Anton, Hans Hubert (2003)."Fürstenspiegel (Königsspiegel) des frühen und hohen Mittelalters"(PDF).Forschungsberichte. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 2012-02-18.
• Finotti, Fabio, ed. (2018).I volti del principe (in Italian). Venezia: Marsilio.
• Handy, Amber (2011).The Specula principum in northwestern Europe, A.D. 650–900: the evolution of a new ethical rule (PhD thesis). University of Notre Dame.doi:10.7274/sf268338z83.
• Paidas, Konstantinos D. S. (2005).Η θεματική των βυζαντινών κατόπτρων ηγεμόνος της πρώιμης και μέσης περιόδου 398-1085 [The theme of the Byzantine mirrors ruler of the early and middle period 398-1085] (in Greek). Athens: Γρηγόρη (Grigori).ISBN 9603334375.
• Paidas, Konstantinos D. S. (2006).Τα βυζαντινά κάτοπτρα ηγεμόνος της ύστερης περιόδου 1254-1403 [The Byzantine mirrors of the ruler of the late period 1254-1403] (in Greek). Athens: Γρηγόρη (Grigori).ISBN 9789603334477.
• Lambton, Ann K.S. (1980). "Islamic Mirrors for Princes".Theory and Practice in Medieval Persian Government.VI. London:419–442.
• Lasine, Stuart (2020). "Samuel-Kings as a Mirror for Princes: Parental Education and Judean Royal Families".Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament.34 (1):74–88.doi:10.1080/09018328.2020.1801933.S2CID 221299605.
• Smith, Roland M. (1927). "TheSpeculum Principum in Early Irish Literature".Speculum.2:411–445.doi:10.2307/2847517.JSTOR 2847517.S2CID 163116214.

• Mirrors for princes
• Medieval literature
• Renaissance literature
• Wisdom literature

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Latin-language text
• Articles to be expanded from January 2009
• All articles to be expanded
• Articles containing Old Norse-language text
• Articles containing Italian-language text
• Articles containing Arabic-language text
• Articles containing Russian-language text
• CS1 German-language sources (de)
• CS1 Italian-language sources (it)
• CS1 uses Greek-language script (el)
• CS1 Greek-language sources (el)