The works exhibited in this display case open up perspectives on cultures outside Europe. They bear witness to the great interest that people in Europe took in supposedly "foreign" societies by having their art, culture and history documented or acquiring important cultural treasures for their collections. At the same time, they also reflect Europe's colonial view of the world.

The 'Codex Mendoza' [01] documents Aztec culture and society before the Spanish conquest and at the same time refers to the upheavals that colonization brought with it. Here, the founding of the capital of the Aztec empire (Tenochtitlan), which was later destroyed and built over by the Spanish, bears witness to a vanished way of life. The 'Codex Borgia' [03] gives an impression of the religious and astrological world view of the Aztecs, which was fundamentally challenged by the arrival of the Europeans.

The 'Book of Kings' (Shahnama) [02] had a lasting impact on Persia's cultural identity and passes on the history and legends of the pre-Islamic era. The manuscript reached Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, was later destroyed and is now spread across various collections worldwide.

The focus here is on political, spiritual and artistic developments. The 'Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry' [5] reflects the personal piety and artistic sense of its owner, as well as its importance for the representation of power. The Duke had this magnificently depicted in a number of miniatures, such as the beginning of his pilgrimage, which symbolises the start of his spiritual journey.

In contrast, the ‘Brussels Book of Hours of the Duke’ [6] marks a new artistic direction. By adopting a new technique from the art of painting (demi-grisaille technique), the form, light and shadow of the subjects were emphasised and new standards were set in French illumination art.

The 'Evangeliary of Henry the Lion' [7] is an outstanding example of Romanesque book art. The exquisite illuminations also emphasise the duke's claim to power. The coronation scene marks the beginning of Henry's reign and thus his personal beginning and rise to become an influential player in the empire.

The 'Golden Bull of Emperor Charles IV' [4] regulated the election of Roman-German kings and emperors and redefined the medieval power structures. It remained valid in part until modern times and was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2013.

This display case is dedicated to important social, legal and historical changes. Chronicles and law books reflect social developments and set new impulses. The use of the German language in these text genres was new and contributed to their success.

As one of the oldest codified works of medieval law, the 'Sachsenspiegel' [10] recorded Saxon customary law and became the model for numerous medieval law books. The codex dealt with land and feudal law and remained an important legal basis in Saxony and northern Germany until modern times.

The 'World Chronicle of Rudolf von Ems' [09] was commissioned by the Hohenstaufen King Conrad IV and is dedicated to the biblical history of the world. As the first world chronicle to be written in German, it had a lasting influence on subsequent late medieval world chronicles.

In contrast, the 'Chronicle of the Council of Constance' [08] was written at a time of religious upheaval and reorientation. The unification of the Church through the end of the Western Schism was countered by new reformatory efforts, which could not be successfully combated in the long term.
In his 'Great Burgundian Chronicle' [11], the Bernese chronicler Diebold Schilling recorded the events and everyday life of the Burgundian Wars. Schilling himself was a participant in the bloody conflict between the Duchy of Burgundy and the Swiss Confederation and its allies. The conflict heralded the downfall of Burgundy, while the Confederation asserted its independence in the long term.