A fresh assessment of seaborne activity around England in the later middle ages, offering a fresh perspective on its rich maritime heritage. England's relationship with the sea in the later Middle Ages has been unjustly neglected, a gap which this volume seeks to fill. The physical fact of the kingdom's insularity made the seas around England fundamentally important toits development within the British Isles and in relation to mainland Europe. At times they acted as barriers; but they also, and more often, served as highways of exchange, transport and communication, and it is this aspect whichthe essays collected here emphasise. Mindful that the exploitation of the sea required specialist technology and personnel, and that England's maritime frontiers raised serious issues of jurisdiction, security, and internationaldiplomacy, the chapters explore several key roles performed by the sea during the period c.1200-c.1500. Foremost among them is war: the infrastructure, logistics, politics, and personnel of English seaborne expeditions are assessed, most notably for the period of the Hundred Years War. What emerges from this is a demonstration of the sophisticated, but not infallible, methods of raising and using ships, men and material for war in a period before England possessed a permanent navy. The second major facet of England's relationship with the sea was the generation of wealth: this is addressed in its own right and as an intrinsic aspect of warfare and piracy. RICHARD GORSKIis Philip Nicholas Memorial Lecturer in Maritime History at the University of Hull. Contributors: Richard Gorski, Richard W. Unger, Susan Rose, Craig Lambert, David Simpkin, Tony K. Moore, Marcus Pitcaithly, Tim Bowly,Ian Friel
Reviews
A most welcome publication [and] a pleasure to read. It is well structured and the chapters are thought provoking and stimulating. * HISTORY, July 2013 *
A superb group of studies. * JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES *
A fascinating volume which will be of great use to a wide range of scholars. * SOUTHERN HISTORY *
Deserves to be on the shelves of anyone with an interest in early naval history, the origins of European trade, the building of empires and exploration, the histories of navigation and cartography, and the origins of seaborne and oceanic migration. * NORTHERN MARINER *
A wide-ranging volume, packed with interest for the general reader as well as the specialist. * THE RICARDIAN *
A sophisticated portrayal of a complex and very dynamic time. [...] The book offers something to all students of maritime history. * INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARITIME HISTORY *
A wide-ranging assessment of England's increasing reliance on ships and shipping throughout the period. * MEDIEVAL WARFARE *
An important resource. * PIRATES & PRIVATEERS *



Book Information
ISBN 9781843837015
Author Richard Gorski
Format Hardback
Page Count 204
Imprint The Boydell Press
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd