A 1555 German Gift Book for Queen Mary I.

This article focuses on a 1555 Latin manuscript gift from German humanist and diplomat Hermann Cruser to Queen Mary I of England, a translation of Plutarch's *De virtute mulierum* (The Virtues of Women). Cruser, who had multiple diplomatic missions to England representing Duke William of Cleves, dedicated this manuscript personally to Mary during his final visit, emphasizing her role as a powerful female monarch and mother within a broad imperial context. The dedication highlights Mary's lineage of strong ruling women, including her mother Catherine of Aragon and grandmother Isabella of Spain, and encourages her to model her queenship on virtuous women from antiquity, thereby affirming her authority and agency. Unlike contemporary printed dedications aimed at public audiences and religious restoration, Cruser's manuscript served as an intimate political and dynastic reminder of the alliance between England and Cleves, underscoring Mary's significance as a regnant queen navigating complex European power dynamics.