Publisher Description

Examines the role of Welsh soldiers in English armies, from the conquests under Edward I through to the Battle of Agincourt.Not only the leaders but the entire nation are trained in war. Sound the trumpet for battle and the peasant will rush from his plough to pick up his weapons as quickly as the courtier from the court. So wrote Gerald of Wales atthe end of the twelfth century; and war continued to define the experiences of Welshmen in the succeeding years.This book explores the role of the Welsh in England's armies and in England's wars between Edward I's conquest of Wales in the 1280s, through the wars in Scotland and France and the revolt led by Owain Glyndwr, concluding with Henry V's conquest of Normandy following his victory at Agincourt in 1415. It examines the structure and composition of armies and the social networks and hierarchies which underpinned them: what sort of Welshmen became soldiers? How was Welsh society organised for war? What impact did wider political considerations have upon Welshmen in England's armies? These questions are answered using both well-known sources, such as the financial records of the English crown, and others less familiar, including the records of local administration and the large surviving corpus ofWelsh-language poetry.Adam Chapman is Editor and Training Coordinator with the Victoria County History of the Counties of England at the Institute of Historical Research, London.

Author Biography

ADAM CHAPMAN, General Editor, Victoria County History, Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Table of Contents

IntroductionThe reign of Edward IEdward of CaernarfonThe Wars of Edward III: Scotland and France 1327-1360Before Glyndwr: 1360-1400Henry IV and Henry V: Rebellion and AftermathWar and Welsh Society: Military Obligation and OrganisationGoing to War: Recruitment and DeploymentThe Distinctiveness of the Welsh Soldier: Equipment and OrganisationConclusionAppendixBibliography

Review

This is a fine book...written with admirable clarity. It is based on a great deal of detailed research on a wide range of source... Rich in detail and persuasive in argument, it makes an important contribution both to the history of English armies, and that of later medieval Wales. * ARCHAEOLOGIA CAMBRENSIS *
A tremendous work, easy to read, packed with closely researched and referenced argument. * BRYCHEINIOG *
A contribution to both the social and the military history of the late medieval Wales...readers with a wide interest in what the history of war can mean will find much of value and interest in these pages. * REVIEWS IN HISTORY *
Chapman's work throws valuable new light on both the history of Wales and of warfare in late medieval Britain, replacing some hoary myths with a much more complex view of the Welsh soldier in English royal service. * DE RE MILITARI *

Review Text

This is a fine book...written with admirable clarity. It is based on a great deal of detailed research on a wide range of source... Rich in detail and persuasive in argument, it makes an important contribution both to the history of English armies, and that of later medieval Wales. ARCHAEOLOGIA CAMBRENSIS A tremendous work, easy to read, packed with closely researched and referenced argument. BRYCHEINIOG A contribution to both the social and the military history of the late medieval Wales...readers with a wide interest in what the history of war can mean will find much of value and interest in these pages. REVIEWS IN HISTORY Chapman's work throws valuable new light on both the history of Wales and of warfare in late medieval Britain, replacing some hoary myths with a much more complex view of the Welsh soldier in English royal service. DE RE MILITARI

Review Quote

This is a fine book...written with admirable clarity. It is based on a great deal of detailed research on a wide range of source... Rich in detail and persuasive in argument, it makes an important contribution both to the history of English armies, and that of later medieval Wales. ARCHAEOLOGIA CAMBRENSIS A tremendous work, easy to read, packed with closely researched and referenced argument. BRYCHEINIOG A contribution to both the social and the military history of the late medieval Wales...readers with a wide interest in what the history of war can mean will find much of value and interest in these pages. REVIEWS IN HISTORY Chapman's work throws valuable new light on both the history of Wales and of warfare in late medieval Britain, replacing some hoary myths with a much more complex view of the Welsh soldier in English royal service. DE RE MILITARI

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