The Anarchy: War and Status in 12th-Century Landscapes of Conflict (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781786941855)

The turbulent reign of Stephen, King of England (1135-54), has been styled since the late 19th century as 'the Anarchy', although the extent of political breakdown during the period has since been vigorously debated. Rebellion and bitter civil war characterised Stephen's protracted struggle with rival claimant Empress Matilda and her Angevin supporters over 'nineteen long winters' when, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 'Christ and his Saints slept'. Drawing on new research and fieldwork, this innovative volume offers the first ever overview and synthesis of the archaeological and material record for this controversial period. It presents and interrogates many different types of evidence at a variety of scales, ranging from nationwide mapping of historical events through to conflict landscapes of battlefields and sieges. The volume considers archaeological sites such as castles and other fortifications, churches, monasteries, bishops' palaces and urban and rural settlements, alongside material culture including coins, pottery, seals and arms and armour. This approach not only augments but also challenges historical narratives, questioning the 'real' impact of Stephen's troubled reign on society, settlement, church and the landscape, and opens up new perspectives on the conduct of Anglo-Norman warfare

Author: Oliver H. Creighton, Duncan W. Wright
ISBN-10: 1786941856
ISBN-13: 9781786941855
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/01/2018
Pages: 346
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.80d

About the Author

Oliver Creighton is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Exeter.
Duncan Wright is Associate Research Fellow of Archaeology at the University of Exeter.