I was just reading the great thread on Nazi looting of and resistance efforts to save cultural artifacts/artwork. It left me wondering if we have examples of the same types of efforts in medieval times or antiquity? The first period of interest that came to mind was the fall of Constantinople.
Was there a concerted effort to copy works held at the library in Constantinople before the city fell in 1453? Do we have any sense of how much of the library’s works survived? Was the library already destroyed after the crusade occupation in 1204 or did this Latin occupation help spread the works into Europe? Did medieval kingdoms or catholic monastic orders have interest in preserving the library or its works. Was the library’s loss seen as a blow to contemporaneous scholars?
Any other examples would be interesting as well. Thanks
Addendum. I searched “library” in the subreddit and read a great post explaining how little work was lost in the sacking of the library at Alexandria given the existence of other large libraries in antiquity. With further explanation that more works were lost through a lack of copying over time.
Still interested in examples in middles ages or antiquity where there were concerted efforts to save cultural objects, art, books, etc from a calamity, war, natural disaster, etc. But I realize the original example of Constantinople’s library may not be the most apt. Ty.