The Fifteenth Century III: Authority and Subversion

The themes of authority and subversion explored in relation to royal power, orthodox religion, and violence and disorder.

The essays in this volume explore themes long seen as central to the history of late medieval England and Europe. They examine the strength of opposition to Henry IV’s usurpation, the nature and extent of the lollards’ resistanceto orthodox religion, and the contrasting causes of violence and disorder in the remote border regions at opposite ends of the country, in Cornwall and in the north-west. Subversion of its authority might be counteracted by a regime which recognized the importance of pageantry to bolster its public profile, while a complex weave of patronage, private interest and dedicated service enabled the Exchequer to function through periods of financial crisis. Relations between the Crown and urban centres, potentially a cause of tension, were eased by an emerging body of professional urban law-officers prepared to act as intermediaries.

Contributors: PETER BOOTH, CLIVE BURGESS, KEITH DOCKRAY, ALASTAIR DUNN, PETER W. FLEMING, IAN FORREST, DAVID GRUMMITT, HANNES KLEINEKE, J.L. LAYNSMITH, JAMES LEE, FRANK D. MILLARD, JAMES ROSS, SIMON WALKER.