CREATIVITY CONTRADICTIONS AND COMMEMOR

Aspects of the turbulent rule of Richard II freshly examined.


The reign of Richard II is well known for its political turmoil as well as its literary and artistic innovations, all areas explored by Professor Nigel Saul during his distinguished career. The present volume interrogates many familiar literary and narrative sources, including works by Froissart, Gower, Chaucer, Clanvow, and the Continuation of the Eulogium Historiarum, along with those less well-known, such as coroner's inquests and gaol delivery proceedings. The reign is also notorious for its larger than life personalities - not least Richard himself. But how was he shaped by other personalities?

A prosopographical study of Richard's bishops, a comparison of the literary biographies of his father the Black Prince, and Bertrand du Guesclin, and a reconsideration of Plantagenet family politics, all shed light on this question. Meanwhile, Richard II's tomb reflects his desire to shape a new vision of kingship. Commemoration more broadly was changing in the late fourteenth century, and this volume includes several studies of both individual and communal memorials of various types that illustrate this trend: again, appropriately for an area Professor Saul has made his own.

Caroline M. Barron is Emeritus Professor of Medieval History, Royal Holloway, University of London.

CHRISTIAN STEER is Hon. Visiting Fellow in the Department of History at the University of York.

The late JEROME BERTRAM was the leading authority of his generation on monumental brasses, indents and incised slabs; he was especially interested in epigraphy and had an impressive publication record on the topic. He died in 2019.