author
Richard Girard de Bury
A medieval bishop, diplomat, and passionate collector of books, he is remembered above all for Philobiblon, a lively defense of reading, learning, and the care of books. His love of libraries helped make him one of the best-known book lovers of the Middle Ages.
1 Audiobook
Histoire de St. Louis, Roi de France
by Richard Girard de Bury
About the author
Born in 1287 near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, Richard de Bury—also known as Richard Aungerville—became an English priest, scholar, and royal servant. He studied at Oxford and later served as tutor to the future Edward III, a role that helped launch a career in diplomacy and church politics.
He rose to become Bishop of Durham and also held major offices under Edward III, including work as a diplomat and royal administrator. Alongside his public life, he gained a lasting reputation as an eager collector of manuscripts and a generous patron of learning at a time when books were rare and precious.
He is best known for Philobiblon, written shortly before his death in 1345. In that work, he celebrates the pleasure and value of books, urges their careful preservation, and makes a heartfelt case for study and intellectual curiosity—one reason he is still remembered as one of the great bibliophiles of medieval England.