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Medieval Ireland, Scotland and Wales: An Overview
How Ireland, Scotland and Wales were ruled in the Middle Ages, how their societies differed, and how each dealt with a larger, richer and more aggressive England.
Power and Work
Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Medieval life and politics on the Celtic fringe of Britain and Ireland.
Brian Boru and High Kingship in Ireland
Who Brian Boru was, how a Munster ruler rose to claim the high kingship of Ireland, what that title meant in practice, and what happened at Clontarf in 1014.
Gaelic Lordship and Clan Society
How kin, land and loyalty shaped Gaelic rule in medieval Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, from the tuath and the derbfine to chiefs, bards and galloglass.
Llywelyn the Great and Medieval Wales
How Llywelyn ap Iorwerth of Gwynedd built princely power in 13th-century Wales, dealt with King John and Henry III, and what happened to it before Edward I's conquest.
Robert the Bruce and Scottish Independence
How Robert the Bruce went from a contender in a succession dispute to crowned king, and how the wars with England ended in recognition of Scotland in 1328.
The Battle of Bannockburn
What happened at Bannockburn on 23-24 June 1314: why Edward II marched to relieve Stirling, how the Scots won, and why the battle matters in Scottish memory.
Welsh Castles of Edward I
Why Edward I built a ring of castles and walled towns in north Wales, how Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech and Beaumaris were designed, and what they were meant to do.
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Feudalism and Knighthood How feudal ties and the knightly code organized medieval rule. Farming and Trade Fields, guilds, markets and the hardship of famine. Heraldry and Coats of Arms Shields, symbols and the heralds who kept track of them. Knights and Warfare The knightly code, honor and how medieval battles were fought. Kingship and Law How kings ruled and how law and justice worked. Battles and Campaigns Famous battles and what they changed. Tournaments and Chivalry Mock battles, jousts, knightly orders and the ideals behind them. Sieges and Weapons How castles and towns were attacked and defended, and the arms used. Kings and Rulers Profiles of medieval monarchs and nobles and the politics around them. Norman and Angevin Kings Rulers from William the Conqueror to the Angevin kings. Late Medieval Monarchs English and French kings of the later Middle Ages. Magna Carta The charter of 1215, its clauses and its legacy. Chivalry and Honor The ideals of knightly conduct, honor and loyalty, and how they changed. Feudal Society and Estates Feudalism, the manor and the three estates of medieval society. Economy and Commerce Trade, guilds, money and the movement of news and goods. Justice, Trials and Punishments How medieval courts judged crimes, from ordeals and duels to fines and executions. Manor, Serfdom and Tithes The rural system of manors, unfree peasants and church dues. Peasants Revolts Rural risings and what they demanded, with the real dates and places. Crafts and Workshops The trades that made cloth, metal, bread and books in medieval towns.