England In The Reign Of Edward III

Cambridge Medieval Textbooks

by Scott L. Waugh

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.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Medieval

315 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 1991

Reviews

[Bill38silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from my personal fascination with the Black Death and the Peasants Revolt, I have largely ignored the fourteenth century in my study of history so I was not too optimistic that this book would impact on my lukewarm interest in most medieval matters. However, Waugh's well-written account has challenged such indifference.

From a blistering start, this book sets to one side the concentration on Edward's military exploits of other historians (Crecy, Poitier et al) and drills down to the domestic domain. Waugh shows that England under the Edwards was a highly organised and inter-linking society from the peasants at the bottom, through local town government, the church, the mercantile class, the nobility and the magnates. Quite surprising, the book charts the increasing influence and key position of the emerging House of Commons in parliament.

This book is not an academic study. It is easy to follow( mostly) and for those considering learning more about the fourteenth century in more detail, there is a useful glossary and an exhaustive bibliography stretching over 40 pages. The latter has examples of local history articles that sound interesting enough to investigate further.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent survey of the reign of Edward III. I found it easy to navigate and understand while collecting information for my dissertation.