During the years 1175–1425, English society developed in many ways. First published in 1979, England 1175–1425 offers an ideal introduction to the period, presenting as it does a view of a whole society that is derived from a study of economic, social, political, and administrative history. It argues that the later Middle Ages in England saw the creation of a single, integrated society, with a national economy and a national political consciousness, and it shows how this integration came about.
The foundations of a unified community are seen in chapters on settlement, on lordship and on the world of ideas, while the development of this community is seen in chapters on political and social themes. The author describes how parliament became the political focus of the nation and stresses the importance of warfare and war taxation in this development. Original features of the book are the integration into a general survey of work on medieval archaeology, and a chapter on ideas which uses a wide range of material to present a picture of the attitudes which governed men’s lives. The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 demonstrates especially clearly the argument that all classes of society shared similar ideas, and the episode is examined in detail.
There is an emphasis throughout on quotations from original sources and these, together with the illustrative matter provide a clear picture of a society in a period of change.