The Order of Saint Michel was a French order of chivalry established by Louis XI in 1469. It was dedicated to the Archangel Michael and was abolished in 1790 during the French Revolution but revived in 1816 by Louis XVIII. It was finally abolished in 1830 following the July Revolution. This manuscript contains the statutes of the order during the reign of Henry II (1519-59).
It was one of the books selected by the Royal Librarian, Richard Rivington Holmes, in 1893 as a fine example of bookbinding in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

Binding information

Bound in brown goatskin by the Atelier de Fontainebleau, with the arms and initials of Henry II of France, and the crescent of Diane de Poitiers to centre inside an arabesque comprised of bow and arrow shapes. Triple fillet gilt frame, with bow shaped tooling to inner corners, and fleur-de-lis and quivers to the external corners. Single gilt fillet and double blind fillet line to outside of boards. Spine divided into six compartments, each with tooling of fleur-de-lis, the second with onlaid leather and title ORDRE DE DT MICHEL. All edges gilt.