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The Life and Times of King Edward III
Edward III ruled England for fifty years. This overview covers his seizure of power, his claim to France, the growth of Parliament and his court.
Power and Work
Late Medieval Monarchs
English and French kings of the later Middle Ages.
The Life and Times of King Henry IV
How Henry Bolingbroke took the English crown in 1399, why rebellions followed, and why a king without an undisputed claim struggled to rule.
The Life and Times of King Henry V
Henry V's French campaigns, the victory at Agincourt in 1415 and the Treaty of Troyes, with careful notes on what historians can and cannot say about numbers.
The Life and Times of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII stood at the edge of the medieval world. This article covers his early reign, the break with Rome and what stayed medieval in Tudor England.
The Life and Times of King Philip IV
Philip IV of France, called Philip the Fair, clashed with the pope, raised money by harsh means and moved against the Knights Templar. A careful overview.
The Life and Times of King Richard II
Richard II became king at ten, faced the 1381 Peasants Revolt at fourteen and was deposed in 1399. A plain account of a boy king and his fall.
The Life and Times of King Richard III
An accurate look at Richard III's short reign from 1483 to 1485, the Wars of the Roses background and the unsolved mystery of the princes in the Tower.
The Life of Edward I of England
Edward I conquered Wales, fought to dominate Scotland, built great castles and reshaped English law in the late thirteenth century. A concise overview.
The Life of John of Gaunt: A Medieval King and Founder of the Lancastrian Dynasty
John of Gaunt was never king of England, but as duke of Lancaster he shaped a reign and his son founded the Lancastrian royal line. His real story.
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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. 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. Ireland, Scotland and Wales Medieval life and politics on the Celtic fringe of Britain and Ireland. Crafts and Workshops The trades that made cloth, metal, bread and books in medieval towns.