ABSTRACT

King Solomon, the famously wise ruler of the Old Testament and successor to King David, was a popular model for kings from the early centuries of Europe’s Middle Ages. He was the presumed author of four biblical books, the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs and the Book of Wisdom, which served as ethical and political guides for kings as well as lay people. An ambivalence surrounded his character that derived partly from the fact that he was influenced by his wives and lovers, and became idolatrous and turned away from God at the end of his life. Moreover, an ancient tradition held that Solomon acquired his knowledge thanks to magical practices. 1 David, alongside Solomon, was one of the most favoured biblical exemplars for rulers, especially in the early Middle Ages. 2 Yet, Solomon became increasingly viewed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as the example to emulate. Varied associations, some negative, meant it was impossible, however, for medieval authors to create a fixed image of him.