Old books

I visited the archives of Navarra this evening and saw a fascinating exhibition on Carlos III who did many things including forming Pamplona as a unified city.

Two things really grabbed my attention.

First was the family tree. Navarra, other parts of what’s now Spain, France, England – all separate kingdoms, but all ruled by the same family. The history of that time is as much about sibling rivalry as geopolitics.

The second was the books on display. Not only are the books over 600 years old – just think about that. They are also incredibly quotidian books of accounts. 600-year-old accounts detailing things like Carlos’ trip to Paris – I just find that amazing and charming.