Iain MacInnes
I completed my PhD at the University of Aberdeen in the summer of 2008. Having completed my MA and MPhil at the University of Glasgow, my research at Aberdeen focussed on the period of the Second Scottish Wars of Independence (1332-1357), with particular interest in the conduct and behaviour of Scottish and English forces at war. I joined the UHI Centre for History, University of the Highlands and Islands, in January 2009 and, in addition to being module leader for several undergraduate and postgraduate modules, am also Programme Leader for the Scottish History degree, and co-programme leader for our degrees in History & Politics, and Scottish History & Archaeology.
Phone: 01847 889629
Address: UHI Centre for History,
University of the Highlands and Islands,
Burghfield House,
Cnoc-an-Lobht
Dornoch
IV25 3HN
Phone: 01847 889629
Address: UHI Centre for History,
University of the Highlands and Islands,
Burghfield House,
Cnoc-an-Lobht
Dornoch
IV25 3HN
less
InterestsView All (73)
Uploads
This book sets out to examine in detail the military campaigns of this period, to uncover the histories of those who fought in the war, and to analyse the behaviour of combatants from both sides during ongoing periods of both civil war and Anglo-Scottish conflict. It analyses contemporary records and literary evidence in order to reconstruct the history of this conflict and reconsiders current debates regarding: the capabilities of the Scottish military; the nature of contemporary combat; the ambitions and abilities of fourteenth-century military leaders; and the place of chivalry on the medieval battlefield.
The series Jour J (by Jean-Pierre Pécau and Fred Duval) goes much further. Its whole intention is to posit alternative, counter-factual histories of historical events and consider what the history of the world would have been like if one key element in its past was changed. Although the series began with very modern themes, it has increasingly sought inspiration from, and depicted events relating to the Middle Ages. These include volumes covering the French assumption of the English throne in the thirteenth century, the Mongol conquest of Europe, the complete devastation of Europe from the Black Death and the rise of alternative powers in Africa, and the defeat of Ottoman forces at Constantinople in 1453. These works depict the medieval period in manifold ways, from its society and people, to its technology, fashions, architecture, attitudes and mores. At the same time they also depict an imagined past and their portrayals must also be considered in that light.
This paper analyses these ventures into alternative history to consider the ways in which the Middle Ages is depicted and represented to a modern audience in these works. It also considers the ways in which the medieval period is perceived by the author, as well as how history has been altered, to allow reflection on whether these works can aid readers’ understanding of the events depicted.
The Hundred Years War has also come to the fore in modern graphic novel depictions of the medieval past. As a key point in the development of both English and French national identity, it is a period with prominent resonance in both countries, and this, as well as a growing popular interest in medieval and medieval-like worlds, appears to have driven the production of a number of related works. These include Crécy (Warren Ellis and Raulo Cáceres, 2007), Le Trone d’Argile (Nicolas Jarry, France Richemond and Theo, 2006-2015), Hawkwood: Mercenaire de la Guerre de Cent Ans (Tommy Ohtsuka, 2016-2017) and Agincourt 1415 (Will Gill and Graeme Howard, 2015).
This paper intends to consider these various texts and their depiction of medieval mobility and exchange as it relates to the period of the Hundred Years War. It will focus in particular on themes of class and national identity/characteristics, and the representation of such in these sources. In so doing, it will analyse how such elements are portrayed to a modern audience, and what they tell the reader about medieval – as well as modern – society.
More than this, however, chronicles also provide an interesting lens through which medieval warfare can be viewed. The ways in which fourteenth-century chroniclers describe both injuries sustained and inflicted provide a different perspective on the types of damage inflicted upon the medieval body. They also document the ability of contemporaries to survive the injuries they sustained and provide some idea of the impact such disabilities incurred. Similarly, chronicle description of soldierly reactions to injury and its impact provides a valuable opportunity to investigate the warrior mindset in this period. In particular, the warrior perception of injury as a ‘badge of honour’ is an important facet of contemporary mentalité that has yet to be explored in sufficient depth. Using the fourteenth-century Anglo-Scottish conflict, therefore, as its base this paper will consider various different chronicles and their descriptions of injuries sustained by contemporary warriors. It will also consider the depictions of such injuries in their own right and consider what such accounts can tell us about medieval perceptions of the body and the reactions of contemporaries when that body was wounded in conflict.
Accounts of medieval conflict have long been immortalised on the page: only the medium has changed over the centuries. Chroniclers of the period have long been recognised for their stylised descriptions of both individuals and battle, and so the graphic novel would appear a natural successor. As with any fictional rendering, however, historical veracity may at times cede to the demands of narrative or aesthetics, and readers and critics must bear in mind that modern depictions of the medieval are informed by the style, mores and culture of the present day and therefore have the ability to also misrepresent medieval warfare, or at least to portray it through a modern lens.
This paper will focus therefore on two texts depicting the Hundred Years War. While this conflict, fought in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries between the kingdoms of England and France, is not a ‘small war’ as such, the conflict can be seen as a complex series of individual campaigns that had an important impact on medieval society and on the French countryside. Indeed, the graphic novels chosen facilitate this approach by focusing on specific, short periods of the war.
Warren Ellis’s Crécy provides a warts-and-all depiction of one of the pivotal battles of the conflict focalised through an English archer who narrates his experiences in the war to the reader. More than a simple account of the battle itself, the novel also provides a depiction of medieval warfare in the Middle Ages from an English perspective. The series Le Trône d'Argile, conversely, is a product of the French bande dessinée which provides this paper with a counterpoint view of the conflict. Focusing on the fifteenth century phase of conflict this series also provides a vivid depiction of medieval warfare and combat. Both texts emphasise the violence of contemporary war, but it is important to consider the nature of this portrayal and its relevance to both medieval and modern understanding of warfare.
This paper will therefore consider the depiction of warfare in these works, focusing on the visualisation of medieval warfare and medieval behaviour. In particular, by considering conduct in war, the importance and place of chivalry, and the impact of war on both individual and society, it will provide a thorough analysis of these works and the view of the medieval that they provide to a modern audience.
This book sets out to examine in detail the military campaigns of this period, to uncover the histories of those who fought in the war, and to analyse the behaviour of combatants from both sides during ongoing periods of both civil war and Anglo-Scottish conflict. It analyses contemporary records and literary evidence in order to reconstruct the history of this conflict and reconsiders current debates regarding: the capabilities of the Scottish military; the nature of contemporary combat; the ambitions and abilities of fourteenth-century military leaders; and the place of chivalry on the medieval battlefield.
The series Jour J (by Jean-Pierre Pécau and Fred Duval) goes much further. Its whole intention is to posit alternative, counter-factual histories of historical events and consider what the history of the world would have been like if one key element in its past was changed. Although the series began with very modern themes, it has increasingly sought inspiration from, and depicted events relating to the Middle Ages. These include volumes covering the French assumption of the English throne in the thirteenth century, the Mongol conquest of Europe, the complete devastation of Europe from the Black Death and the rise of alternative powers in Africa, and the defeat of Ottoman forces at Constantinople in 1453. These works depict the medieval period in manifold ways, from its society and people, to its technology, fashions, architecture, attitudes and mores. At the same time they also depict an imagined past and their portrayals must also be considered in that light.
This paper analyses these ventures into alternative history to consider the ways in which the Middle Ages is depicted and represented to a modern audience in these works. It also considers the ways in which the medieval period is perceived by the author, as well as how history has been altered, to allow reflection on whether these works can aid readers’ understanding of the events depicted.
The Hundred Years War has also come to the fore in modern graphic novel depictions of the medieval past. As a key point in the development of both English and French national identity, it is a period with prominent resonance in both countries, and this, as well as a growing popular interest in medieval and medieval-like worlds, appears to have driven the production of a number of related works. These include Crécy (Warren Ellis and Raulo Cáceres, 2007), Le Trone d’Argile (Nicolas Jarry, France Richemond and Theo, 2006-2015), Hawkwood: Mercenaire de la Guerre de Cent Ans (Tommy Ohtsuka, 2016-2017) and Agincourt 1415 (Will Gill and Graeme Howard, 2015).
This paper intends to consider these various texts and their depiction of medieval mobility and exchange as it relates to the period of the Hundred Years War. It will focus in particular on themes of class and national identity/characteristics, and the representation of such in these sources. In so doing, it will analyse how such elements are portrayed to a modern audience, and what they tell the reader about medieval – as well as modern – society.
More than this, however, chronicles also provide an interesting lens through which medieval warfare can be viewed. The ways in which fourteenth-century chroniclers describe both injuries sustained and inflicted provide a different perspective on the types of damage inflicted upon the medieval body. They also document the ability of contemporaries to survive the injuries they sustained and provide some idea of the impact such disabilities incurred. Similarly, chronicle description of soldierly reactions to injury and its impact provides a valuable opportunity to investigate the warrior mindset in this period. In particular, the warrior perception of injury as a ‘badge of honour’ is an important facet of contemporary mentalité that has yet to be explored in sufficient depth. Using the fourteenth-century Anglo-Scottish conflict, therefore, as its base this paper will consider various different chronicles and their descriptions of injuries sustained by contemporary warriors. It will also consider the depictions of such injuries in their own right and consider what such accounts can tell us about medieval perceptions of the body and the reactions of contemporaries when that body was wounded in conflict.
Accounts of medieval conflict have long been immortalised on the page: only the medium has changed over the centuries. Chroniclers of the period have long been recognised for their stylised descriptions of both individuals and battle, and so the graphic novel would appear a natural successor. As with any fictional rendering, however, historical veracity may at times cede to the demands of narrative or aesthetics, and readers and critics must bear in mind that modern depictions of the medieval are informed by the style, mores and culture of the present day and therefore have the ability to also misrepresent medieval warfare, or at least to portray it through a modern lens.
This paper will focus therefore on two texts depicting the Hundred Years War. While this conflict, fought in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries between the kingdoms of England and France, is not a ‘small war’ as such, the conflict can be seen as a complex series of individual campaigns that had an important impact on medieval society and on the French countryside. Indeed, the graphic novels chosen facilitate this approach by focusing on specific, short periods of the war.
Warren Ellis’s Crécy provides a warts-and-all depiction of one of the pivotal battles of the conflict focalised through an English archer who narrates his experiences in the war to the reader. More than a simple account of the battle itself, the novel also provides a depiction of medieval warfare in the Middle Ages from an English perspective. The series Le Trône d'Argile, conversely, is a product of the French bande dessinée which provides this paper with a counterpoint view of the conflict. Focusing on the fifteenth century phase of conflict this series also provides a vivid depiction of medieval warfare and combat. Both texts emphasise the violence of contemporary war, but it is important to consider the nature of this portrayal and its relevance to both medieval and modern understanding of warfare.
This paper will therefore consider the depiction of warfare in these works, focusing on the visualisation of medieval warfare and medieval behaviour. In particular, by considering conduct in war, the importance and place of chivalry, and the impact of war on both individual and society, it will provide a thorough analysis of these works and the view of the medieval that they provide to a modern audience.
The Bruce dynasty now fights for its survival against two Edwards on the Scottish and English thrones, plus a peeved force known as ‘The Disinherited’, the Lords and Barons who sided against Robert Bruce. Castles will be defended by ladies on either side - the gallant Christian Bruce at Kildrummy, her Balliol counterpart Katherine Beaumont at the island fortress of Lochindorb. Eventually oor Edward I gets caught napping and is ambushed in his nightshirt. English Eddie realises that Scottish Eddie is another Balliol Bust and his support subsides. Scotland has turned into a war zone, famine follows fighting and innocent peasants pay the price for their overlords' ambition. Winter has definitely come.
Meanwhile, over in France, David is growing up and learning siege-craft. The gallant Bruce fightback has brought Edward’s enemies to the table and the French king brokers a deal. David and his young wife Queen Joan finally land back in Scotland at Inverbervie, north of Montrose, on 2 June 1341. They think it’s all over. But oh! It’s definitely not!
Presenters: Len Pennie and Susan Morrison
Producers: Louise Yeoman and Lynsey Moyes
Executive Producer: Peter McManus
Music & Sound Design: Gav Murchie
Commissioning editor for BBC Scotland: Gareth Hydes
Irish sources were at times more scathing of Scottish actions, but even they spent little time discussing about Scottish activities. While the death of Edward Bruce at Faughart in 1318 was celebrated, their invective against the erstwhile king of Ireland appears at odds with the lack of detail given to accounts of Scottish campaigning. Reading through the Irish annals, moreover, gives the impression that the Scots were simply an additional element in an already complex series of Gaelic and Anglo-Irish rebellions, campaigns and raids. If this was the case, and Bruce’s greatest crime was to light the touch paper for renewed Irish unrest, then is it possible that the overriding view of the Scottish campaigns and the damage committed during their course is over-exaggerated?
Was Gray in fact right to suggest that the Scottish campaigns in Ireland were a chivalric tour de force and the stuff of literary romance? Scottish chronicle accounts would certainly suggest so, and it is John Barbour’s Bruce that provides the most compelling chivalric representation of the invasion. It is, then, the purpose of this paper to reconsider the actions of Bruce forces in Ireland and, in particular, the representation of these acts in contemporary sources. It will re-evaluate the extent to which chivalry played a role in Scottish behaviour, and the depiction of these campaigns overall.
In reality, however, those same Scottish nobles appear to have taken little regard of the dying king’s advice and, within four years of his death, had fought two large-scale pitched battles which were ultimately disastrous. The historiography of this period focuses, then, on the perceived errors of this new generation of Scottish commanders who failed to learn the lessons of the previous war. Moreover, the historiography focuses on the fact that these lessons were themselves learned by Robert I when, it is argued, he altered his own tactics from ‘conventional’ warfare in the early years of his rebellion, to ‘unconventional’ guerrilla tactics in the years which followed. Little has been attempted, however, to question this view of medieval Scottish warfare.
This paper aims to challenge therefore the dominant historiographical views of the military history of this period of conflict. It will reconsider the extent to which the Scots altered their military approach from past conflicts, as well as the extent to which lessons were learned during this particular period of warfare. Instead of Scottish commanders abandoning hard-learned past lessons, it will be argued that the majority of Scottish military actions and campaigns aligned with the guerrilla warfare advocated by Bruce.
In part this is because the Neville’s Cross campaign (1346), which acts as an endpoint for this phase of raiding, casts a long shadow and affects the perception of this period of Scottish warfare. Moreover, the relatively short duration of this raiding phase has ensured that it remains a less-appreciated element in discussions of this period of Anglo-Scottish conflict. I would argue, however, that these raids deserve to be re-examined in order to better understand the nature, extent and impact of these attacks on the English countryside during a period when English focus was increasingly drawn towards France.
In particular, this paper will consider the depiction of these raids in English sources and the picture that the available evidence presents of these incursions. It is the contention of this paper that: the English north returned to something like the dark days of the 1310s, and that its people quite seamlessly recommenced paying protection money to Scottish raiders to be left in peace; that local lords could not be depended upon to defend the region from Scottish depredations; and that this was a period when the English crown largely abandoned the English north to its fate and northern Englishmen to deal with the Scots as best they could.
A chivalric hero should be honourable, loyal and brave and while many of the knightly characters in Game of Thrones appear to possess these qualities, it is repeatedly revealed that their adherence to the chivalric ideal is largely superficial. For example, Ser Jaime Lannister is the embodiment of the chivalric warrior in his ‘very handsome armour.’ Lannister is nevertheless also a corrupt, incestuous murderer who would kill a child in order to conceal his true nature. In contrast, Lord Eddard Stark is a man who, despite living in the wild north and despising the ritual and niceties of court, lives by the chivalric code, even to the detriment of his own wellbeing. His death at the hands of the Lannisters, and the conflict between their two families, is a metaphor for the conflict between the chivalric ideal and its reality.
It is, then, the purpose of this paper to examine the depiction of the knight and warrior in Game of Thrones and relate this to medieval depictions, both ideal and real, of the chivalric hero. Considering comparative examples from medieval literature as well as from contemporary warfare, this paper will negotiate both medieval and modern concepts of chivalry in seeking to consider the extent to which Westeros is informed by medieval codes of behaviour amongst its protagonists.
More than this, however, chronicles also provide an interesting lens through which medieval warfare can be viewed. The ways in which fourteenth-century chroniclers describe both injuries sustained and inflicted provide a different perspective on the types of damage inflicted upon the medieval body. They also document the ability of contemporaries to survive the injuries they sustained and provide some idea of the impact such disabilities incurred. Similarly, chronicle description of soldierly reactions to injury and its impact provides a valuable opportunity to investigate the warrior mindset in this period. In particular, the warrior perception of injury as a ‘badge of honour’ is an important facet of contemporary mentalité that has yet to be explored in sufficient depth. Using the fourteenth-century Anglo-Scottish conflict, therefore, as its base this paper will consider various different chronicles and their descriptions of injuries sustained by contemporary warriors. It will also consider the depictions of such injuries in their own right and consider what such accounts can tell us about medieval perceptions of the body and the reactions of contemporaries when that body was wounded in conflict.
In part this is because the Neville’s Cross campaign (1346), which acts as an endpoint for this phase of raiding, casts a long shadow and affects the perception of this period of Scottish warfare. Moreover, the relatively short duration of this raiding phase has ensured that it remains a less-appreciated element in discussions of this period of Anglo-Scottish conflict. I would argue, however, that these raids deserve to be re-examined in order to better understand the nature, extent and impact of these attacks on the English countryside during a period when English focus was increasingly drawn towards France.
In particular, this paper will consider the depiction of these raids in English sources and the picture that the available evidence presents of these incursions. It is the contention of this paper that: the English north returned to something like the dark days of the 1310s, and that its people quite seamlessly recommenced paying protection money to Scottish raiders to be left in peace; that local lords could not be depended upon to defend the region from Scottish depredations; and that this was a period when the English crown largely abandoned the English north to its fate and northern Englishmen to deal with the Scots as best they could.