Military Society and the Court of Chivalry in the Age of the Hundred Years War

The Court of Chivalry was England's senior military court during the Hundred Years War, and this book explores three of the best-preserved cases tried under it. These cases provide insights into the military, social, and cultural history of late medieval England, and ask questions about how witnesses were chosen, what motives and constraints shaped their choices, and how lordly influence impacted the composition of each witness list. The testimony itself reveals about the chivalric culture of the age.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 238 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The Court of Chivalry, a prestigious military court during the Hundred Years War, played a significant role in the lives of the late medieval English gentry. Richard, Lord Scrope of Bolton, emphasized the importance of a knight's troth and arms in defending his estate. However, the medieval registers of the Court are now lost, leaving only a few cases preserved. This book explores three of these cases: Scrope v. Grosvenor (1385-91), Lovel v. Morley (1386-7), and Grey v. Hastings (1407-10). These cases involved competing knightly families claiming rightful possession of the same coat-of-arms. Hundreds of witnesses testified in these cases, providing valuable insights into the military, social, and cultural history of late medieval England.

This study raises several important questions. How did the plaintiffs and defendants select their witnesses? What motives and constraints influenced their choices? How did they gain access to the various gentry networks that spoke in their defense? To what extent did lordly influence shape the composition of each witness list? How well did the witnesses know each other? What role did bonds of regional solidarity play before the Court? Perhaps most significantly, what does the testimony itself reveal about the chivalric culture of the age?

By answering these questions, historians can delve deep into the character of gentry military society and its chivalric ethos during a pivotal period in English history. The victories of Edward II. played a significant role in shaping this culture, and the Court of Chivalry provided a platform for knights to assert their honor and defend their rights. This investigation sheds light on the complex dynamics of medieval society and the role of the gentry in shaping it.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783276950