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• Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

• Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  GracefulShinjo > 12-07-2026, 09:41 PM

  So I have mentioned this a few times on Voynich Talk in the comments section but I have speculated a connection between the Voynich Manuscript and the Duchy of Milan.
  
   One of the pieces of evidence I have hinged this theory on is the presence of dovetail walls on the structure in the Voynich Manuscript. Now as Voynich Talk has pointed out that doesn’t exactly narrow down the zone where the manuscript was crafted as it was a common architectural motif in parts of Europe at the time but then there is the presence of German words in the margins. For those unfamiliar with the House of Visconti they arranged many marriages between daughters of their house with the male members of German ruling houses including the House of Wittelsbach, House of Württemberg and the House of Habsburg. Not only that but at one point in time the Duchy of Milan did control the Canton of Ticino which is the only Italian-speaking Canton in Switzerland. Meanwhile for the French connection there was a marriage between a scion of the House of Visconti, a daughter of the House of Wittelsbach but also a marriage between a member of the House of Valois-Órleans and a daughter of the House of Visconti as well as a marriage between a Princess of the House of Valois and a Lord of the House of Visconti hence why the art used in the manuscript is reminiscent of the International Gothic movement. For those bringing up a connection to the Most Serene Republic of Venice parts of what now forms the Veneto were controlled by the Duchy of Milan before coming under the control of the Most Serene Republic of Venice including Vicenza and Verona. 
  
   Now that it has been determined that at least one writer was likely of German descent this would strengthen the potential connection for the Voynich Manuscript with the Duchy of Milan. The creator could have been one of the citizens of the Duchy of Milan that had Germanic roots, possibly between Württemberg or Bavaria or else the Canton of Ticino, who trained in one of the Central German/Southern German-based states that had a long-standing relationship with the Duchy of Milan before, perhaps, receiving appointment for a position in the Ducal Court itself.
  
  Sources used for support
  
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• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Mark Knowles > 13-07-2026, 05:55 AM

  Nick Pelling connected Milan to the Voynich manuscript in his book "The Curse of the Voynich".
  
  I also suggested this connection about 10 years ago after having learnt of Nick Pelling's ideas.
  
  You can read more of Nick's thoughts on his Cipher Mysteries blog.
  
  I have posted links to my writings on the subject in various places here on the Ninja forum.

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  JustAnotherTheory > 13-07-2026, 07:24 PM

  Personally I don't think the VMS has anything to do with any noble house of any country. I find it far more probable that it was written by a layman (laymen), scribal apprentices or a local charlatan. But that's just my two cents.

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Oscroft > 16-07-2026, 11:49 AM

  (12-07-2026, 09:41 PM)GracefulShinjo Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.So I have mentioned this a few times on Voynich Talk in the comments section but I have speculated a connection between the Voynich Manuscript and the Duchy of Milan.
  
   One of the pieces of evidence I have hinged this theory on is the presence of dovetail walls on the structure in the Voynich Manuscript. Now as Voynich Talk has pointed out that doesn’t exactly narrow down the zone where the manuscript was crafted as it was a common architectural motif in parts of Europe at the time but then there is the presence of German words in the margins. For those unfamiliar with the House of Visconti they arranged many marriages between daughters of their house with the male members of German ruling houses including the House of Wittelsbach, House of Württemberg and the House of Habsburg. Not only that but at one point in time the Duchy of Milan did control the Canton of Ticino which is the only Italian-speaking Canton in Switzerland. Meanwhile for the French connection there was a marriage between a scion of the House of Visconti, a daughter of the House of Wittelsbach but also a marriage between a member of the House of Valois-Órleans and a daughter of the House of Visconti as well as a marriage between a Princess of the House of Valois and a Lord of the House of Visconti hence why the art used in the manuscript is reminiscent of the International Gothic movement. For those bringing up a connection to the Most Serene Republic of Venice parts of what now forms the Veneto were controlled by the Duchy of Milan before coming under the control of the Most Serene Republic of Venice including Vicenza and Verona. 
  
   Now that it has been determined that at least one writer was likely of German descent this would strengthen the potential connection for the Voynich Manuscript with the Duchy of Milan. The creator could have been one of the citizens of the Duchy of Milan that had Germanic roots, possibly between Württemberg or Bavaria or else the Canton of Ticino, who trained in one of the Central German/Southern German-based states that had a long-standing relationship with the Duchy of Milan before, perhaps, receiving appointment for a position in the Ducal Court itself.
  
  Sources used for support
  
  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

  
  Forgive me if this might seem a little dismissive, as that's not my intention. But you list a number of things about marriages etc, and provide links to various sources, and I'm having trouble seeing the extent of actual connections with VMS.
  
  So, we have an architectural feature shown in the document which was apparently common over a fairly wide area of Europe. And some German is written in the margins.
  
  And what you have found is a place where the same common architectural feature can be found, and where there were probably Germans who could write. Is that the crux of it?

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Oscroft > 16-07-2026, 12:20 PM

  Sorry, one other point I missed...
  
  

  (12-07-2026, 09:41 PM)GracefulShinjo Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Now that it has been determined that at least one writer was likely of German descent...

  
  Has that really been determined? If you refer to the German in the margins, all that surely means is that someone, at some time, wrote something in German in the margins, doesn't it? I'm not sure it determines anything about the Voynichese scribes... unless I'm missing something?

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Mark Knowles > 16-07-2026, 01:35 PM

  (16-07-2026, 11:49 AM)Oscroft Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Forgive me if this might seem a little dismissive, as that's not my intention. But you list a number of things about marriages etc, and provide links to various sources, and I'm having trouble seeing the extent of actual connections with VMS.
  
  So, we have an architectural feature shown in the document which was apparently common over a fairly wide area of Europe. And some German is written in the margins.
  
  And what you have found is a place where the same common architectural feature can be found, and where there were probably Germans who could write. Is that the crux of it?

  
  I can give you some other reasons:
  
  1) A place from which the most advanced cipher we know of comes, from the time to which the Voynich manuscript is carbon dated.
  
  2) A place with probably the highest concentration of swallow-tail battlements.

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Oscroft > 16-07-2026, 01:44 PM

  (16-07-2026, 01:35 PM)Mark Knowles Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

  (16-07-2026, 11:49 AM)Oscroft Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Forgive me if this might seem a little dismissive, as that's not my intention. But you list a number of things about marriages etc, and provide links to various sources, and I'm having trouble seeing the extent of actual connections with VMS.
  
  So, we have an architectural feature shown in the document which was apparently common over a fairly wide area of Europe. And some German is written in the margins.
  
  And what you have found is a place where the same common architectural feature can be found, and where there were probably Germans who could write. Is that the crux of it?

  
  I can give you some other reasons:
  
  1) A place from which the most advanced cipher we know of comes, from the time to which the Voynich manuscript is carbon dated.
  
  2) A place with probably the highest concentration of swallow-tail battlements.

  
  Those are interesting additions, thanks. But if swallow-tail battlements and a connection to Germany are key... why not Germany? I mean, Milan might have a high concentration of swallow-tail battlements... But Germany has by far the biggest connection to Germany!

• RE: Voynich Manuscript and Milan Connection?

  Mark Knowles > 16-07-2026, 03:36 PM

  (16-07-2026, 01:44 PM)Oscroft Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

  (16-07-2026, 01:35 PM)Mark Knowles Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I can give you some other reasons:
  
  1) A place from which the most advanced cipher we know of comes, from the time to which the Voynich manuscript is carbon dated.
  
  2) A place with probably the highest concentration of swallow-tail battlements.

  
  Those are interesting additions, thanks. But if swallow-tail battlements and a connection to Germany are key... why not Germany? I mean, Milan might have a high concentration of swallow-tail battlements... But Germany has by far the biggest connection to Germany!

  
  I have my own theory which you can find links to on this forum. I associate the Germanic manuscript connection to attendance at the Council of Basel.
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