Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, established a royal library the Bibliotheca Corviniana between 1458 and 1490.
Bibliotheca Corviniana was one of the most renowned libraries of the Renaissance world , established by Matthias Corvinus , King of Hungary between 1458 and 1490 . Matthias Corvinus , also called Matthias I ( Hunyadi Mátyás , Matija Korvin , Matia Corvin , Matej Korvín , Matyáš Korvín 23 February 1443 -- 6 April 1490 ) , was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490 . Matthias patronized art and science ; his royal library , the Bibliotheca Corviniana , was one of the largest collections of books in Europe .