Since 1632, Cambridge University Library has been home to one of the oldest known collections of oriental manuscripts in the United Kingdom. The property of the Dutch orientalist and Arabist, Thomas Erpenius (d.1624), this collection was donated to the library by the Duke of Buckingham’s widow, Katherine , Duchess of Buckingham. This collection includes rare and sometimes unique sources whose full examination may shed new light on lesser known aspects of history.

Munby Fellow 2022-23, Dr Majid Daneshgar, will discuss the richness of the collection and its contribution to our historical and philological knowledge.