A series which is a model of its kind EDMUND KING, HISTORY

A series which is a model of its kind EDMUND KING, HISTORY

Æthelwine, Pre-Conquest Sheriff; Alliances of Ælfgar of Mercia; Castle Studies since 1850; Charles the Bald's Fortified Bridges; Clares and the Crown; Coastal Salt Production; Hydrographic and Ship Hydrodynamic Aspects of the Invasion; Leland and Historians; Monks in the World: Gundulf of Rochester; Obtaining Benefices in 12c E. Anglia; St Pancras Priory, Lewes; Slavery; Wace and Warfare.

Norman history is covered by chapters on the detailed account of Pope Alexander III's deeds as abbot of Mont Saint-Michel that Robert of Torigni added to the monastic cartulary, on religious life in Rouen in the late 11th century, and on ducal involvement in dispute settlement.

This book examines Latin narratives produced in the aftermath of the First Crusade and challenges the narrative of supposed brutality and amorality of warfare in this period--instead focusing on the moral and didactic concerns surrounding warfare and violence with which medieval authors wrestled. The battle oration, a rousing harangue exhorting warriors to deeds of valour, has been regarded as a significant aspect of warfare since the age of Xenophon, and has continued to influence conceptions of campaigning and combat to the present day. While its cultural and chronological pervasiveness attests to the power of this trope, scholarly engagement with the literary phenomenon of the pre-battle speech has been limited. Moreover, previous work on medieval battle rhetoric has only served to reinforce the supposed brutality and amorality of warfare in this period, highlighting appeals to martial prowess, a hatred for ‘the enemy’ and promises of wealth and glory. This book, through an examination of Latin narratives produced in the aftermath of the First Crusade and the decades that followed, challenges this understanding and illuminates the moral and didactic concerns surrounding warfare and violence with which medieval authors wrestled. Furthermore, while battle orations form a clear mechanism by which the fledgling crusading movement could be explored ideologically, this comparative study reveals how non-crusading warfare in this period was also being reconceptualised in light of changing ideas about just war, authority and righteousness in Christian society. This volume is perfect for researchers, students and scholars alike interested in medieval history and military studies.

The latest research on aspects of the Anglo-Norman world. The contributions collected here demonstrate the full range and vitality of current work on the Anglo-Norman period, from a variety of different angles and disciplines. Topics include architecture and material remains in Winchester, Kent and Hampshire; the role of Duke Richard II and Abbot John of Fécamp in early Normandy; political and liturgical culture at the Anglo-Norman and Angevin courts; the lost (illustrated?) prototype of Dudo of Saint-Quentin's early Norman history and Geoffrey of Monmouth's motivation for his Historia Regum Britonum; twelfth-century legal scholarship and the archaic use of vernacular vocabulary in law texts; trade and travel; and a study of episcopal acta from the south-western Norman dioceses. Contributors: Richard Allen, Pierre Bauduin, Johanna Dale, Jennifer Farrell, Peter Fergusson, Sara Harris, Nicholas Karn, Edmund King, Lauren Mancia, Eljas Oksanen, Gesine Oppitz-Trotman, Benjamin Pohl, Katherine Weikert

As centers for defense and bases for attack since ancient times, fortifications are a crucial aspect of military history. Indeed, as Jeremy Black shows, the history of fortifications is a global history of humanity itself. Moreover, their remains offer a still potent, often dramatic testimony to the past, notably through the strength of the sites, the power of the works, and the vast resources they required. This compelling book explores not only the history of fortifications themselves, but also the real and potential threat to them posed by siegecraft. Tracing the interaction of attack and defense over time, Black situates the evolution of fortifications within the wider development of governments, societies, and cultures. Moreover, his examination of the future of these installations, as well as of potential methods of destroying them, only reaffirms their omnipresence in human history—and their continued importance. Fortifications are not simply relics of the past, but rather elements fundamental to military and social interaction across the world today.

The works of Titus Flavius Josephus ben Matthias on biblical history and the Jewish war were read and studied throughout the Latin west during the Middle Ages. Each generation of Christian scholars had to contend with the Jewish writer’s text, reputation, and content. This volume demonstrates the complex relationship between Josephus’ legacy and his readers who sought to make use of that legacy across the period of 500 to 1300. Contributors include: Carson Bay, Susan Edgington, Anthony Ellis, Paul C. Hilliard, Karen M. Kletter, Justin Lake, Richard M. Pollard, Graeme Ward, and Julian Yolles.

A study of the prophetic tradition in medieval England brings out its influence on contemporary politics and the contemporary elite.