You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
This work considers how chivalry was interpreted in 15th century Scotland and how it compared with European ideas of chivalry; the resposibilities of knighthood in this period and the impact on political life; the chivalric literature and the relevance of Christian components of chivalric culture.
Offers a fresh perspective on the role of the court in late medieval Scotland, framing it within the wider field of court studies, highlighting its centrality to the effective government for which James IV is renowned. James IV is regarded by many historians as the most charismatic and politically successful of Scotland's rulers, with his royal court, and the institution of the royal household which underpinned it, at the heart of his reign. This book, the first comprehensive examination of the subject, takes the structures and personnel of the household - from councillors to stable-hands - as the foundation for its study of the court and its role. Beginning by looking at the distinction bet...
A fresh introductory study of late medieval Scotland. Includes: expert assessment of the period arranged in thematic chapters; fresh insights into the period that draw on a wide range of sources; extensive further reading lists.
First full-length assessment of the role of the herald in medieval Europe.
What use is it to be given authority over men and lands if others do not know about it? Furthermore, what use is that authority if those who know about it do not respect it or recognise its jurisdiction? And what strategies and 'language' -written and spoken, visual and auditory, material, cultural and political - did those in authority throughout the medieval and early modern era use to project and make known their power? These questions have been crucial since regulations for governance entered society and are found at the core of this volume. In order to address these issues from an historical perspective, this collection of essays considers representations of authority made by a cross-se...
One of the biggest attractions of George R.R. Martin's high fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, and by extension its HBO television adaptation, Game of Thrones, is its claim to historical realism. The author, thedirectors and producers of the adaptation, and indeed the fans of the books and show, all lay claim to Westeros, its setting, as representative of an authentic medieval world. But how true are these claims? Is it possible to faithfully represent a time so far removed from our own in time and culture? And what does an authentic medieval fantasy world look like? This book explores Martin's and HBO's approaches to and beliefs about the Middle Ages and how those beliefs fall into trad...
This study takes the sword beyond it functional role as a tool for killing, considering it as a cultural artifact and the broader meaning and significance it had to its bearer.
The Anglo-Scottish wars of the late Middle Ages have long attracted scholarly attention, but studies focussing on the military aspects of the conflict over the longue durée and from both sides of the border have been lacking. In this collection of essays covering the years between the battles of Dunbar (1296) and Flodden (1513), Andy King and David Simpkin bring together leading historians in the field to consider afresh the armies and soldiers engaged in the wars, while also reflecting on the conflict's impact either side of the border. At a time when military history is undergoing a renaissance, the Anglo-Scottish wars offer a case-study not only of military institutions but also of the contributions made by individuals and communities. Contributors are Amanda Beam, Steve Boardman, Michael Brown, Sean Cunningham, Claire Etty, Jonathan Gledhill, David Grummitt, Andy King, Alastair Macdonald, Iain MacInnes, Gordon Pentland, David Simpkin, Andrew Spencer, Katie Stevenson and Thea Summerfield.
First full study of the life and career of the Glaswegian minister Robert Baillie, establishing his significance and influence