The Shahnama (Book of Kings), the Iranian national epic, chronicles the history of Iran from the Creation to the Muslim conquest. It was written by the poet Firdawsi and completes early in the IIth century. Its central importance to Iranian culture is reflected in the thousands of manuscripts made since then, many superbly illustrated and produced  for royal and other powerful patrons. One of these copies, presented to Queen Victoria in 1839, is among the finest treasures in the collection of Islamic manuscripts now in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Its I48 colourful paintings, which are in superb condition, show heroes, myhtical beasts and bloody combats and are complemented by particularly sumptous marginal illuminations in gold.