The Age of Richard II

An international group of distinguished medieval historians here offers a fresh appraisal of the diverse reputation which Richard left behind him: from the tyrannical opponent of the Peasants' Revolt, and the great literary patron of Chaucer and Gower, to the inventor of the handkerchief. While the focus is on political and legal topics, including Haxey's petition of 1397 and the Oxford trial of 1400, the essays look at such diverse themes as public health, foreign trade, courtly art, and religious foundations. Also probed are some less commonly examined aspects of the age, such as relations with other realms and the roles of chivalry and warfare in Ricardian kingship.