Description
Book SynopsisA significant contribution to the history of the political life and culture of the later medieval aristocracy. MAURICE KEENOrders of lay knights - the most famous of which are those of the Garter and the Golden Fleece - were founded at some time between 1325 and 1470 in almost every kingdom of Western Christendom, and played an important part in the life of the court. Jonathan Boulton defines the "monarchical" orders as those with corporate statutes which attached the presidential office to the crown of the princely founder, or made it hereditary in his house. Modelled eitherdirectly or indirectly on the fictional society of the Round Table, they incorporated varying numbers of elements borrowed from the older religious orders of knighthood and from contemporary institutions. This study explores the nature and history of thirteen orders, and reveals them as not only an ingenious supplement to (or replacement for) the feudo-vassalic ties that still bound the leading members of the nobility to their sovereign, but also as the most important institutional embodiments of the secular ideals of chivalry that were at the heart of the international court culture of the age. JONATHAN BOULTON teaches at the University of Notre Dame.
Trade ReviewA significant contribution to the history of the political life and culture of the later medieval aristocracy. * MAURICE KEEN *
At long last there is a scholarly comprehensive survey of the late medieval monarchical orders of knighthood. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *
Table of ContentsThe Fraternal Society of Knighthood of St George - Hungary 1325/6-c1395?; the Order of the Band - Castile-Leon 1330-1474?; the Society of St George or Order of the Garter - England 1344/9-present; the Company of Our Lady of the Noble House commonly called the Company of the Star - France 1344/52-1364/80?; the Company of the Holy Spirit of Right Desire commonly called the Company of the Knot - mainland Sicily (Naples) 1352/3--1362?; the Order of the Sword - Cyprus 1347/59-1489?; the Order of the Collar from 1518 called the Order of the Annunciation of Our Lady - Savoy, 1364?-present; French princely orders founded before 1430; the Enterprise of the Knights of St George - Aragon, 1371/9-1410?; the Order of the Ship - mainland Sicily (Naples) 1381-1386?; monarchical and quasi-monarchical orders founded in Spain and Europe c1380-1433; the Order of the Golden Fleece - Burgundy and the netherlands 1430/1-present; the Order of the Ermine - mainland Sicily (Naples) 1465-1494/1501; the Order of St Michael the Archangel - France 1469-1790; epilogue - developments from 1469 to 1525; conclusion - the monarchical orders of knighthood.
