Barbavara Ciphers

[nickpelling]

Hi Mark,

For the f20 cipher key you sent me, the nomenclatura offers a few hints:

- It mentions “Antipapa” in the third column: the last antipope was Felix (aka Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy), who died in 1449.
- It also includes (I’m reasonably sure) Cardinal di Flisco, which I think means Cardinal Giorgio Fieschi, who was made a cardinal in 1439..
- If the reference on the last verso line of the nomenclator is to John IV, Count of Armagnac, I suspect that would probably date the key to 1444 at the latest. This was when Jean was captured at L’Isle-Jourdain in Gascony, and then imprisoned for three years in Carcassonne. I believe his international intrigue and dabbling happened prior to 1444 (he died in 1450), but I could be wrong.

So I'd say the dating from the nomenclature would seem to indicate a solid range of 1439-1449, but perhaps 1439-1444.

Hope this helps!, Nick