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This crash course on late medieval literature reveals what Richard III read and what his reading says about the society of his day
Richard III, the most notorious and most discussed of English kings, was also unusual among his contemporaries in regularly signing his books. This characteristic, among others, has enabled Anne Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs to reconstruct his library, and link it to the culture and reading habits of his generation. The books of Richard III are typical of what was available to and popular with the medieval reader – religion, chivalry, history, genealogy, advice on how to govern, romance and prophecy – and allow us to draw an interesting overview of fifteenth-century opinions. Each type of book is examined on its own terms and then related to the known preoccupations of Richard himself, his associates and to the political practices of his time. Containing valuable biographical material, insights into the history and politics of the later fifteenth century, and much detail on late medieval piety and other important aspects of contemporary culture, this fully illustrated survey has wide-ranging significance for all who study the history and literature of the medieval period.
First full-scale guide to the origins and development of the early printed book, and the issues associated with it.
This edition of the trading privileges granted to the merchants of England by the princes of the Low Countries reveals the increasing value of cross-Channel trade throughout the 14th and 15th centuries. French, Latin, and Dutch texts are accompanied by the 15th century English translations, forming a unique historical and linguistic tool.
Medieval London Widows, 1300-1500 shows that it is possible to expand the repertoire of examples of medieval women with personalities and individuality beyond the well-known triad of Margaret Paston, Margery Kempe and the Wife of Bath. The rich documentation of London records allows these women to speak for themselves. They do so largely through their wills, which themselves exemplify the ability of widows to make choices and to order their lives.
Although mercers have long been recognised as one of the most influential trades in medieval London, this is the first book to offer a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the trade from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. The variety of mercery goods (linen, silk, worsted and small manufactured items including what is now called haberdashery) gave the mercers of London an edge over all competitors. The sources and production of all these commodities is traced throughout the period covered. It was as the major importers and distributors of linen in England that London mercers were able to take control of the Merchant Adventurers and the export of English cloth to the Low Countries. The d...
Richard of Gloucester became King of England as Richard III in June 1483. His reign lasted a mere twenty-six months, and he was only thirty-three years of age when he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth. Despite this short career he is one of the best known of English monarchs, and one of the most vilified. He has been accused of a number of atrocious crimes, including the murder of his brother and his wife as well as political rivals, culminating in the murder of his nephews, the "Princes in the Tower". This book tells the story of his life in a way that has never been told before -- from the personal and official documents written during his lifetime. - Jacket flap.
"Richard III (2 October 1452? 22 August 1485) was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at Bosworth Field, the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England. He is the subject of the play Richard III by William Shakespeare."--Wikipedia.
New contributions to the most important critical debates of the period. The themes of 'image' and 'representation' play a major part in the essays collected in this volume; subjects explored include the religious sympathies of townsfolk and gentry and their physical manifestations, the cultural setting for the activities of leading families of the period and the interaction of Crown and community of the realm. As the fruit of original archival research on the later Middle Ages, overall the contributions offer the most up-to-date scholarship on the period, and a snapshot of the most crucial issues in current research. Contributors: CLIVE BURGESS, PAUL CAVILL, JON DENTON, THOMAS S. FREEMAN, ALASDAIR HAWKYARD, STEPHEN MILESON, JENNI NUTTALL, COLIN RICHMOND, ANNE F. SUTTON