Saturday, February 8, 2020

Alexander in Schedel's World Chronicle

In the World Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel (in German: Schedel, Hartmann / Alt, Georg / Wolgemut, Michael: Das buch der Cronicken vnd gedechtnus wirdigern geschichte[n], vo[n] anbegyn[n] d[er] werlt bis auf dise vnßere zeit, Nürmberg, 1493, digitised by the Bavarian State Library), reports on Alexander the Great as part of the Fifth Age of the World, beginning on sheet number LXXIV with his birth as the son of Philip Perdice.

Schedel reports that Alexander the Great brought 32k foot and 5.5k horse with him (LXXV c1), which Dareios opposed with 300,000 foot and 100,000 horse (LXXV c2). When Darius flees toward Babylon, 62,000 foot have been killed, ten thousand horse, and 40,000 captured. Of the Macedonians, 130 foot and 150 horse were killed. Alexander not only captured the camp with much gold, but also the mother, wife, sister [= which should be the same as the wife, RCK], and two daughters.

Schedel reports that Bersanem and Alexander had a child named Hercules (LXXV c2).

After Darius' flight toward Babylon, then prepares another 400k foot and another 100k horse for the final battle, which Alexander also wins (LXXV c2). Darius first is persuaded to flee, then killed by his own people, and Alexander eventually settles down in Babylon, where he is poisoned.

Schedel makes a mess of the chronology, however, having Alexander in Jerusalem and Sidon before battling Darius, even building Alexandria first (LXXV c1).

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