The Wars of the Roses: Military activity and English society, 1452-97

by Anthony Goodman

This book presents an overall view of the campaigns, from the first skirmishes of 1452 to the last campaign in 1497, and examines the generalship of the commanders in both camps. Anthony Goodman discusses military organization and assesses the effects of wars on society in general. He shows that in a period of rapid change in European methods of warfare the English were not so old fashioned as had sometimes been supposed. The book makes extensive use of 15th century sources, both English and Continental, including chronicles, civic centres, and letters, and presents a picture of the wars as they were seen and described by contemporaries.

Genres: History, Medieval, British Literature, Military History, Medieval History

294 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1981

About the author

Anthony Goodman (1936-2016) was an English professor emeritus of medieval and renaissance history at the University of Edinburgh. His main field of interest was late medieval England, and he published books on subjects such as John of Gaunt and the Wars of the Roses.

See also Anthony A. Goodman for the author of The Shadow of God

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're interested in good coverage of the military aspects of the wars of the roses, this book gives pretty good coverage of battles, casualties, and results in its first two thirds and of the physical realities of the wars (equipment, supply, etc.) in the last third. It's a little dry, but it's well researched fills in the blanks left unexplored by Alison Weir's "The Wars of the Roses".