18806. (Steven Muhlberger) Deeds of Arms ― Formal Combats in the Late Fourteenth Century

Steve has out­done him­self with this parvum opus. It’s an exem­plary work of focused his­to­ry, with every­thing there in the right quan­ti­ties and pro­por­tions. Medieval west­ern Europe was a mil­i­tary soci­ety in which tour­na­ments — group or sin­gle com­bat done by rules and for the dis­play of prowess — had a pro­found sig­nif­i­cance, affect­ing far more than their imme­di­ate par­tic­i­pants. Suc­cess in deeds of arms could bring more than mere celebri­ty. In a soci­ety where aris­toc­ra­cy jus­ti­fied itself pri­mar­i­ly by courage in bat­tle, it was the key to upward mobil­i­ty and pow­er. Learn­ing how this kind of com­bat nul­lo inter­ve­niente odio (with­out ran­cor) was done and cel­e­brat­ed gives us insight into how medieval soci­ety worked. The Mid­dle Ages, espe­cial­ly its upper reach­es of pow­er, smelled of blood, sweat, dung and hors­es. This book is a fine anti­dote to those that retro­fit the era with a kind of abstract geopo­lit­i­cal aura, some­thing like an EU Barosso Comis­sion report deliv­ered by board mem­bers unac­count­ably wear­ing hose and plate armor. Those who have only a pass­ing inter­est in chival­ry or deeds of arms will find this book refresh­ing­ly com­pact, clear and infor­ma­tive. Those with a deep­er inter­est will not find it want­i­ng in depth of schol­ar­ship and understanding.

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