I am a historian of Medieval England who has previously published in urban and political fields, but is presently researching Anglo-Iberian diplomacy (both cultural and traditional-political) in the fifteenth century.
The York House Books rank among the most important documents found in English urban archives. As ... more The York House Books rank among the most important documents found in English urban archives. As a record of the city of York's officials and their duties, these volumes are invaluable for understanding a town's constitutional growth during the Later Middle Ages.
Based on more than a quarter century of travel and study of Romanesque ecclesiastical and secular... more Based on more than a quarter century of travel and study of Romanesque ecclesiastical and secular sites, the authors examine depictions of military themes in sculpture, fresco painting and mosaics. The current essay focuses on depictions of women in military and combat scenes, from that of interveners between combatants to instances of rape. The interpretations reject identifications of Peace and Truce of God iconography, and argue for meanings focusing on the Church’s direct actions in secular society.
Issues of gender, international diplomacy, and architectural style conjoin in Margaret of Austria... more Issues of gender, international diplomacy, and architectural style conjoin in Margaret of Austria's design of Brou church in Savoy. Raised by several of the most powerful women in Europe, Margaret honed her diplomatic skills during negotiations with England's Henry VII, gaining personal authority and dynastic power expressed within Brou's décor.
Despite his reputation in popular culture as a skinflint, Henry VII should be remembered as inves... more Despite his reputation in popular culture as a skinflint, Henry VII should be remembered as investing in Atlantic explorations and balancing the support of voyages of discovery with the development of diplomatic relations intended to promote his dynasty. His competitive interest in Atlantic fisheries and routes to Asia distressed the Iberian monarchs of the period, who took his intervention very seriously. Henry lavished particular attention on an Anglo-Azorean syndicate working out of the western mercantile port of Bristol. In addition to the efforts of John, and later Sebastian, Cabot, this syndicate involved the English king in complex negotiations with the Portuguese and Spanish, and influenced the nature of diplomatic ties throughout the Continent.
Relations between England and Portugal, particularly during the early decades of the Hundred Year... more Relations between England and Portugal, particularly during the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, have been profitably studied for decades, most notably in the important works of Edgar Prestage and Peter Russell. What is less explored is how the old friendship and alliance also provided strategies of survival for the monarchies of the two realms. This paper explores some of the dynastic marriages and ceremonial alliances proposed between the English and the Portuguese royal lines in the fifteenth century. The marriages in particular offered legitimacy to houses that had newly gained the throne and whose claim to power encouraged dynastic rivalries.
Portraits of Medieval Living: Essays in Memory of David Herlihy , 1996
The early fifteenth century was the age in which English town complaints about poverty became com... more The early fifteenth century was the age in which English town complaints about poverty became commonplace and when kings offered financial relief by waiving payments and remitting portions of subsidies. A delicate balancing act ensued, as towns sought financial relief while the royal government depended upon payments from its urban subjects, both regular receipts and extraordinary loans. Towns sought the assistance of urban patrons, investing heavily in gifts and annuities, in the hope that they would use their social and political positions to leverage financial relief.
Despite the stress of the arrangements and the strain of the expenditure, English towns regarded ... more Despite the stress of the arrangements and the strain of the expenditure, English towns regarded visits of royalty and nobility as valuable investments, helping to create and maintain good relations and profitable patronage. The ceremonies of welcome also influenced the way citizens and officers understood themselves and communicated their identity to the outside world. Case studies of the city of York’s ceremonies of welcome to Kings Richard III and Henry VII illuminate the complex purposes of these events.
The start of the Tudor regime under Henry VII witnessed a radical re-interpretation of the past a... more The start of the Tudor regime under Henry VII witnessed a radical re-interpretation of the past and its relationship to a glorious and secure future. With the aid of court poets and artists, Henry promoted himself as England’s savior and fostered elements of British history including his connection to King Arthur. Historians and antiquaries of the period, however, struggled to present the past more objectively, and while their methods survived them, Henry’s sanguine view of his dynasty had longer influence.
A newly discovered letter from Henry VII to Edward Courtenay earl of Devon reveals the deep conce... more A newly discovered letter from Henry VII to Edward Courtenay earl of Devon reveals the deep concern over the threat caused by pretender Perkin Warbeck. It describes the strategy Henry wished Courtenay to use to defeat the rebel forces, lately landed in Cornwall and believed to be planning an attack on the city of Exeter. Courtenay called upon a long-standing relationship with Exeter to preserve the city for the king, but the planned trap was nearly foiled by the surprising strength of Warbeck’s army.
Concessions made to York during a visit to the City in 1483 by Richard III included allowances ma... more Concessions made to York during a visit to the City in 1483 by Richard III included allowances made against the annual payments made to the royal Exchequer. Throughout Richard’s reign and that of his successor, the version of events and concessions which reached the records of the Exchequer contradicted the expectations of the king and York’s citizens. The complex nature of the medieval bureaucratic machinery is revealed from surviving records of both the Crown and the city.
In the early 1960s, Philippe Ariès presented a negative view of childhood, characterized by abuse... more In the early 1960s, Philippe Ariès presented a negative view of childhood, characterized by abuse and neglect. The thesis was persuasive, but evidence from England from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries contradicts its tenets. The neglected material suggests that medieval society placed a high value on its children’s lives and safety, and condemned harshly those who ignored it. Neglect still existed, but honored as a cultural ideal was a caring commitment towards children. Sermons and medical treatises increasingly described childhood innocence and parental devotion. Narrative literature such as Pearl used the image of a grieving parent to underline philosophical themes. Richard III’s political career was irrevocably affected by his society’s beliefs about children, and by the sixteenth century Richard had become the prime example of the monster shunned by society because of his disregard for its most basic ideal.
In 1476, the widow of the fifth Lord Scrope of Masham and Upsall entered her adolescent son Thoma... more In 1476, the widow of the fifth Lord Scrope of Masham and Upsall entered her adolescent son Thomas in the service of the king’s brother, Richard duke of Gloucester, along with her servants and tenants. As an adult, Thomas concentrated on northern duties throughout the rule of the Yorkist kings and received few rewards from them. He accepted the advent of Henry Tudor, but in 1487 he joined an uprising against the new dynasty and attacked the city of York on behalf of pretender Lambert Simnel. The indenture reveals the roots of his loyalty to the Yorkist cause, when Richard had promised to take the young man wholly at his rule and guiding.
In sixteenth-century England, changes in church and society brought about by the Reformation chal... more In sixteenth-century England, changes in church and society brought about by the Reformation challenged preparation for death as recorded in wills. New church services, institutions and beliefs disrupted and replaced practices which had previously given meaning to the final rite of passage. Responsibility for rites and services were increasingly bestowed on surviving friends and family, best able to judge current conditions and legislation, while a view of death as a threat to life’s accomplishments and role in society prompted arrangements that emphasized family glory and the very preservation of their names.
The York House Books rank among the most important documents found in English urban archives. As ... more The York House Books rank among the most important documents found in English urban archives. As a record of the city of York's officials and their duties, these volumes are invaluable for understanding a town's constitutional growth during the Later Middle Ages.
Based on more than a quarter century of travel and study of Romanesque ecclesiastical and secular... more Based on more than a quarter century of travel and study of Romanesque ecclesiastical and secular sites, the authors examine depictions of military themes in sculpture, fresco painting and mosaics. The current essay focuses on depictions of women in military and combat scenes, from that of interveners between combatants to instances of rape. The interpretations reject identifications of Peace and Truce of God iconography, and argue for meanings focusing on the Church’s direct actions in secular society.
Issues of gender, international diplomacy, and architectural style conjoin in Margaret of Austria... more Issues of gender, international diplomacy, and architectural style conjoin in Margaret of Austria's design of Brou church in Savoy. Raised by several of the most powerful women in Europe, Margaret honed her diplomatic skills during negotiations with England's Henry VII, gaining personal authority and dynastic power expressed within Brou's décor.
Despite his reputation in popular culture as a skinflint, Henry VII should be remembered as inves... more Despite his reputation in popular culture as a skinflint, Henry VII should be remembered as investing in Atlantic explorations and balancing the support of voyages of discovery with the development of diplomatic relations intended to promote his dynasty. His competitive interest in Atlantic fisheries and routes to Asia distressed the Iberian monarchs of the period, who took his intervention very seriously. Henry lavished particular attention on an Anglo-Azorean syndicate working out of the western mercantile port of Bristol. In addition to the efforts of John, and later Sebastian, Cabot, this syndicate involved the English king in complex negotiations with the Portuguese and Spanish, and influenced the nature of diplomatic ties throughout the Continent.
Relations between England and Portugal, particularly during the early decades of the Hundred Year... more Relations between England and Portugal, particularly during the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, have been profitably studied for decades, most notably in the important works of Edgar Prestage and Peter Russell. What is less explored is how the old friendship and alliance also provided strategies of survival for the monarchies of the two realms. This paper explores some of the dynastic marriages and ceremonial alliances proposed between the English and the Portuguese royal lines in the fifteenth century. The marriages in particular offered legitimacy to houses that had newly gained the throne and whose claim to power encouraged dynastic rivalries.
Portraits of Medieval Living: Essays in Memory of David Herlihy , 1996
The early fifteenth century was the age in which English town complaints about poverty became com... more The early fifteenth century was the age in which English town complaints about poverty became commonplace and when kings offered financial relief by waiving payments and remitting portions of subsidies. A delicate balancing act ensued, as towns sought financial relief while the royal government depended upon payments from its urban subjects, both regular receipts and extraordinary loans. Towns sought the assistance of urban patrons, investing heavily in gifts and annuities, in the hope that they would use their social and political positions to leverage financial relief.
Despite the stress of the arrangements and the strain of the expenditure, English towns regarded ... more Despite the stress of the arrangements and the strain of the expenditure, English towns regarded visits of royalty and nobility as valuable investments, helping to create and maintain good relations and profitable patronage. The ceremonies of welcome also influenced the way citizens and officers understood themselves and communicated their identity to the outside world. Case studies of the city of York’s ceremonies of welcome to Kings Richard III and Henry VII illuminate the complex purposes of these events.
The start of the Tudor regime under Henry VII witnessed a radical re-interpretation of the past a... more The start of the Tudor regime under Henry VII witnessed a radical re-interpretation of the past and its relationship to a glorious and secure future. With the aid of court poets and artists, Henry promoted himself as England’s savior and fostered elements of British history including his connection to King Arthur. Historians and antiquaries of the period, however, struggled to present the past more objectively, and while their methods survived them, Henry’s sanguine view of his dynasty had longer influence.
A newly discovered letter from Henry VII to Edward Courtenay earl of Devon reveals the deep conce... more A newly discovered letter from Henry VII to Edward Courtenay earl of Devon reveals the deep concern over the threat caused by pretender Perkin Warbeck. It describes the strategy Henry wished Courtenay to use to defeat the rebel forces, lately landed in Cornwall and believed to be planning an attack on the city of Exeter. Courtenay called upon a long-standing relationship with Exeter to preserve the city for the king, but the planned trap was nearly foiled by the surprising strength of Warbeck’s army.
Concessions made to York during a visit to the City in 1483 by Richard III included allowances ma... more Concessions made to York during a visit to the City in 1483 by Richard III included allowances made against the annual payments made to the royal Exchequer. Throughout Richard’s reign and that of his successor, the version of events and concessions which reached the records of the Exchequer contradicted the expectations of the king and York’s citizens. The complex nature of the medieval bureaucratic machinery is revealed from surviving records of both the Crown and the city.
In the early 1960s, Philippe Ariès presented a negative view of childhood, characterized by abuse... more In the early 1960s, Philippe Ariès presented a negative view of childhood, characterized by abuse and neglect. The thesis was persuasive, but evidence from England from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries contradicts its tenets. The neglected material suggests that medieval society placed a high value on its children’s lives and safety, and condemned harshly those who ignored it. Neglect still existed, but honored as a cultural ideal was a caring commitment towards children. Sermons and medical treatises increasingly described childhood innocence and parental devotion. Narrative literature such as Pearl used the image of a grieving parent to underline philosophical themes. Richard III’s political career was irrevocably affected by his society’s beliefs about children, and by the sixteenth century Richard had become the prime example of the monster shunned by society because of his disregard for its most basic ideal.
In 1476, the widow of the fifth Lord Scrope of Masham and Upsall entered her adolescent son Thoma... more In 1476, the widow of the fifth Lord Scrope of Masham and Upsall entered her adolescent son Thomas in the service of the king’s brother, Richard duke of Gloucester, along with her servants and tenants. As an adult, Thomas concentrated on northern duties throughout the rule of the Yorkist kings and received few rewards from them. He accepted the advent of Henry Tudor, but in 1487 he joined an uprising against the new dynasty and attacked the city of York on behalf of pretender Lambert Simnel. The indenture reveals the roots of his loyalty to the Yorkist cause, when Richard had promised to take the young man wholly at his rule and guiding.
In sixteenth-century England, changes in church and society brought about by the Reformation chal... more In sixteenth-century England, changes in church and society brought about by the Reformation challenged preparation for death as recorded in wills. New church services, institutions and beliefs disrupted and replaced practices which had previously given meaning to the final rite of passage. Responsibility for rites and services were increasingly bestowed on surviving friends and family, best able to judge current conditions and legislation, while a view of death as a threat to life’s accomplishments and role in society prompted arrangements that emphasized family glory and the very preservation of their names.
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