Description
In medieval Europe, falconry was perhaps the most popular form of hunting among the aristocracy. Owning a falcon, and the necessary falconer to go with it, was a status symbol throughout the middle ages. This book is the first broad history of English royal falconry in medieval times, a book that draws on forty years of research to provide a full description of the actual practice and conditions of the sport and of the role of falconers in the English royal household.
Robin S. Oggins begins with a description of the birds of prey, their training, and the sport of falconry. He provides a short history of early falconry in western Europe and England, then explores in unprecedented detail royal falconry from the reign of William I to the death of Edward I in 1307. The author concludes with an overview of the place and importance of falconry in medieval life.
About the Author
Robin S. Oggins is a retired medieval historian and fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He lives in Vestal, New York.
Reviews
"Professor Oggins makes an important contribution to the study of falconry and hawking in medieval England. His book will also be essential reading for those who wish to understand the households of the kings up to the early fourteenth century."-C. M. Woolgar, author of The Great Household in Late
