History Commons^™

The King And His Court: The Culture Of Royal Power And The Creation Of The Angevin Empire Under Henry Ii, Joseph Jarrell

Master's Theses

Legal codes, literature, history, and violence were necessary aspects of royal power that in conjunction with resources gained from familial inheritance and a fortunate marriage allowed King Henry II to build, govern, and legitimize his rule over the Angevin Empire, as well as attempt to create an Angevin dynasty. Examining these subjects advances ideas about medieval royal culture and its relation to political power and legal power in the twelfth century Angevin Empire.

Historiography has long examined this period as the histories of great men, but recent trends have examined the interplay of power, politics, and gender during the Middle …

When We Were Monsters: Ethnogenesis In Medieval Ireland 800-1366, Dawn Adelaide Seymour Klos

Master's Theses

Ethnogenesis, or the process of identity construction occurred in medieval Ireland as a reaction to laws passed by the first centralized government on the island. This thesis tracks ethnogenesis through documents relating to change in language, custom, and law. This argument provides insight into how a new political identity was rendered necessary by the Anglo-Irish. Victor Turner’s model of Communitas structures the argument as each stage of liminality represents a turning point in the process of ethnogenesis.

1169 marked a watershed moment as it began the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. English nobles brought with them ideas of centralized power. In …

Family, Feud, And The Conduct Of War In Anglo-Saxon England, Elnathan Barnett

Master's Theses

Anglo-Saxon society was built around the concept of feud, and it is clear from history, law, and literature that the twin concerns of family and vengeance remained pillars of Anglo-Saxon society and consciousness throughout the period. Given constant warfare and the cultural and social importance of feuding, it would appear logical that warfare was essentially feud writ large, that conflicts pitted one kin group against another and vengeance for the dead was a major, if not the only, reason for making war. However, royal families often fought among themselves, while wars waged to avenge a death are conspicuous by their …