Aspects of War in the Late Middle Ages

The Variorum collection of articles explores the role of conflict in the late Middle Ages, highlighting that it was not just about soldiers and fighting but also attracted writers who glorified or criticized war. The collection examines the standing of those who fought in society's wars and how war was viewed on the moral scale of the time. The final irony lies in the difficulty Frenchmen faced in unraveling the legal and practical consequences of a war that had caused significant upheaval in Norman society over a single generation.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 27 May 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This Variorum collection of articles aims to demonstrate that conflict in the late Middle Ages was not solely about soldiers and fighting, but also involved the makers and the making of war. While soldiers and fighting were undoubtedly important, writers, including commentators, moralists, and social critics, also played a significant role in understanding war. Some writers glorified war, while others did not. The written word provides valuable evidence of how war and those involved in it were perceived by wider society. One crucial question was the standing of those who fought societies' wars among their contemporaries. How was war viewed on the moral scale of the time? The last two sections focus on a specific war, the occupation of northern France by the English between 1420 and 1450. The men who conquered the duchy and then served to keep it under English control were rewarded with lands, titles, administrative and military responsibilities, and even ecclesiastical benefices. For them, war represented an opportunity that they would be reluctant to surrender. However, the final irony lies in the fact that Frenchmen, returning to claim their ancestral rights once the English had been driven out, often found it difficult to unravel the legal and practical consequences of a war that had caused a considerable upheaval in Norman society over a single generation. (CS 1106)

Weight: 388g
Dimension: 234 x 155 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032227092