Courtly Pastimes

Courtly Pastimes
Author: Gloria Allaire
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2022-11-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1000798887

The modern concept of passing leisure hours pleasantly would, in the Middle Ages, have fallen under the rubric of Sloth, a deadly sin. Yet aristocrats of past centuries were not always absorbed in affairs of state or warfare. What did they do in moments of peace, "downtime" as we might call it today? In this collection of essays, scholars from various disciplines investigate courtly modes of entertainment ranging from the vigorous to the intellectual: hunting, jousting, horse racing; physical and verbal games; reading, writing, and book ownership. Favorite pastimes spanned differences of gender and age, and crossed geographical and cultural boundaries. Literary and historical examples come from England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Courtly Pastimes analyzes the underlying rationales for such activities: to display power and prestige, to acquire cultural capital, to instill a sense of community, or to build diplomatic alliances. Performativity − so crucial in social rituals − could become transgressive if taken to extremes. Certain chapters explore the spaces of courtliness: literal or imaginary; man-made, natural, or a hybrid of both. Other chapters concern materiality and visual elements associated with courtly pastimes: from humble children’s toys and playthings to elite tournament attire, castle murals, and manuscript illuminations.

The Horse in Premodern European Culture

The Horse in Premodern European Culture
Author: Anastasija Ropa
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2020-01-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1501513788

This volume provides a unique introduction to the most topical issues, advances, and challenges in medieval horse history. Medievalists who have a long-standing interest in horse history, as well as those seeking to widen their understanding of horses in medieval society will find here informed and comprehensive treatment of chapters from disciplines as diverse as archaeology, legal, economic and military history, urban and rural history, art and literature. The themes range from case studies of saddles and bridles, to hippiatric treatises, to the medieval origins of dressage literary studies. It shows the ubiquitous – and often ambiguous – role of the horse in medieval culture, where it was simultaneously a treasured animal and a means of transport, a military machine and a loyal companion. The contributors, many of whom have practical knowledge of horses, are drawn from established and budding scholars working in their areas of expertise.

Journal of Medieval Military History: Volume XXII

Journal of Medieval Military History: Volume XXII
Author: Kelly Devries
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2024-06-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1837650705

"The leading academic vehicle for scholarly publication in the field of medieval warfare." Medieval Warfare The articles in volume 22 of the Journal of Medieval Military History range widely, not only in chronology but also in geography and approach. Sven Ekdahl looks at the big picture of the role of Swedish castles in the north; L. J. Andrew Villalon focuses on the very particular and culturally significant rewards given by the Catholic Kings to two noble families to celebrate minor victories on the borders of Granada in the far south. Subjects include fighting at the tactical level (the unexpectedly substantial tradition of mounted archery in England, the Low Countries and France, revealed by Sanders Goevarts), the operational level (Emperor Louis II's logistics in Italy, treated by Elijah T. Wallace), and the strategic level (King John's employment of naval power, analyzed by Adam M. McNeil). Vladimir Aleksic and Damnjan Prlinčevic consider military, political, geographical, demographic, and economic factors to contextualize the military history of the rich mining town of Novo Brdo in Serbia as it faced the rising tide of Ottoman conquest in the last century of the Middle Ages. Three contributions draw on the rich resources of the English royal archives to illuminate the material and technological tools of medieval warfare: individual weapons (most significantly both longbows and short bows) described with exceptional detail in a murder case of 1315 (Clifford J. Rogers); the horses of Henry V in the Agincourt campaign of 1415 (Gary P. Baker); and the military equipment stored at Dover Castle as described in inventories dating from 1320 to 1437 (Dan Spencer).

The Medieval Warhorse

The Medieval Warhorse
Author: Ralph Henry Carless Davis
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Total Pages: 144
Release: 1989-01-01
Genre: Animals
ISBN: 9780500251027

A study and history of the horse bred especially for warfare

They Rode Into Europe - The Fruitful Exchange in the Arts of Horsemanship Between East and West

They Rode Into Europe - The Fruitful Exchange in the Arts of Horsemanship Between East and West
Author: Miklos Jankovich
Publisher:
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2007-05
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781590482599

The history of the world was shaped to a large extent by men on horseback who, because of the animals under them, were able to travel great distances at great speed. This fascinating book is the result of years of research in the fields of history, ethnology, archaeology and the study of the horse. The author had access to records in the Magyar language (Hungarian) which were beyond the reach of most Western European researches. A must-read for all who want to learn more about the early days of horsemanship.

A Companion to Roman Imperialism

A Companion to Roman Imperialism
Author:
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 414
Release: 2012-11-09
Genre: History
ISBN: 9004236465

The Roman empire extended over three continents, and all its lands came to share a common culture, bequeathing a legacy vigorous even today. A Companion to Roman Imperialism, written by a distinguished body of scholars, explores the extraordinary phenomenon of Rome’s rise to empire to reveal the impact which this had on her subject peoples and on the Romans themselves. The Companion analyses how Rome’s internal affairs and international relations reacted on each other, sometimes with violent results, why some lands were annexed but others ignored or given up, and the ways in which Rome’s population and power élite evolved as former subjects, east and west, themselves became Romans and made their powerful contributions to Roman history and culture. Contributors are Eric Adler, Richard Alston, Lea Beness, Paul Burton, Brian Campbell, Arthur Eckstein, Peter Edwell, Tom Hillard, Richard Hingley, Benjamin Isaac, José Luis López Castro, J. Majbom Madsen, Susan Mattern, Sophie Mills, David Potter, Jonathan Prag, Steven Rutledge, Maurice Sartre, John Serrati, Tom Stevenson, Martin Stone, and James Thorne.

The Artistry of the Homeric Simile

The Artistry of the Homeric Simile
Author: William C. Scott
Publisher: UPNE
Total Pages: 441
Release: 2012-01-15
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1611682290

An examination of the aesthetic qualities of the Homeric simile