England in the Reign of Edward III

Waugh examines the strains on English life in the remarkable era of Edward III.

Scott L. Waugh (Author)

9780521310390, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 22 February 1991

316 pages, 3 b/w illus. 5 tables
21.6 x 13.7 x 2.3 cm, 0.47 kg

The reign of Edward III is usually remembered for his stirring victories over the French and Scots. Yet these triumphs occurred against a domestic backdrop of economic upheaval, crime, high taxation and the Black Death. Edward's ability to pursue his ambitions amid such challenges shows the effectiveness of his leadership and the resilience of English institutions. This book examines the strains on English life in this remarkable era, and shows how an interlocking network of hierarchies at each level enabled Edward to reach into local communities to get what he needed. Compliance, however, required hard bargaining as subjects chafed under incessant taxes and royal demands and, during Edward's reign, parliament became the primary arena for negotiations between the king and the community. Professor Waugh's incisive account of these tumultuous events also contains an extensive guide to further reading, in addition to a glossary of the more abstruse medieval terms.

List of figures and tables
Acknowledgements
Maps
Part I. Overview: 1. Introduction
2. Survey of events 1307–1377
Part II. Economic Challenges: 3. The peasant family and village society
4. Markets and towns
5. Overseas trade: wool and taxes
6. Economic change
7. The landlords' response
Part III. Government and Communities: 8. Nobility and gentry
9. The church and clergy
10. Law and order in local communities
11. Administration and finance
Part IV. Politics: 12. Negotiating consent: council and parliament
13. Political conflict
14. Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], British & Irish history [HBJD1]