England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare
We often think of England in terms of Shakespeare's "precious stone set in a silver sea," safe behind its watery ramparts with its naval strength resisting all invaders. To the English of an earlier period - from the eighth to the eleventh centuries - such a notion would have seemed absurd. To them, the sea was not a defensive wall, but a highway by which successive waves of invaders arrived, bringing destruction and fear in their wake. Drawing from a wide range of sources, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509 looks at the ways in which English kings after the Norman Conquest learned to use the Navy of England - a term which at this time included all vessels, Royal or private, no matter what their purpose - to increase the safety and prosperity of the kingdom. Within this narrative, Susan Rose describes the design and building of ships and harbour facilities, the development of navigation and ship handling, as well as the world of the English seaman. Comparisons with the navies of England's closest neighbours, particularly France and Scotland, are also made, while notable battles such as Damme, Dover, Sluys, and La Rochelle are included to explain the development of tactics and arms during the period. A lucid and illuminating account, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509, shows how the unspoken aim of successive monarchs was to begin building "the wall" of England - its naval defenses - with a success that would become apparent in later centuries.
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England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare
We often think of England in terms of Shakespeare's "precious stone set in a silver sea," safe behind its watery ramparts with its naval strength resisting all invaders. To the English of an earlier period - from the eighth to the eleventh centuries - such a notion would have seemed absurd. To them, the sea was not a defensive wall, but a highway by which successive waves of invaders arrived, bringing destruction and fear in their wake. Drawing from a wide range of sources, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509 looks at the ways in which English kings after the Norman Conquest learned to use the Navy of England - a term which at this time included all vessels, Royal or private, no matter what their purpose - to increase the safety and prosperity of the kingdom. Within this narrative, Susan Rose describes the design and building of ships and harbour facilities, the development of navigation and ship handling, as well as the world of the English seaman. Comparisons with the navies of England's closest neighbours, particularly France and Scotland, are also made, while notable battles such as Damme, Dover, Sluys, and La Rochelle are included to explain the development of tactics and arms during the period. A lucid and illuminating account, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509, shows how the unspoken aim of successive monarchs was to begin building "the wall" of England - its naval defenses - with a success that would become apparent in later centuries.
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England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare

England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare

by Susan Rose
England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare

England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509: Ships, Men, and Warfare

by Susan Rose

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Overview

We often think of England in terms of Shakespeare's "precious stone set in a silver sea," safe behind its watery ramparts with its naval strength resisting all invaders. To the English of an earlier period - from the eighth to the eleventh centuries - such a notion would have seemed absurd. To them, the sea was not a defensive wall, but a highway by which successive waves of invaders arrived, bringing destruction and fear in their wake. Drawing from a wide range of sources, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509 looks at the ways in which English kings after the Norman Conquest learned to use the Navy of England - a term which at this time included all vessels, Royal or private, no matter what their purpose - to increase the safety and prosperity of the kingdom. Within this narrative, Susan Rose describes the design and building of ships and harbour facilities, the development of navigation and ship handling, as well as the world of the English seaman. Comparisons with the navies of England's closest neighbours, particularly France and Scotland, are also made, while notable battles such as Damme, Dover, Sluys, and La Rochelle are included to explain the development of tactics and arms during the period. A lucid and illuminating account, England's Medieval Navy, 1066-1509, shows how the unspoken aim of successive monarchs was to begin building "the wall" of England - its naval defenses - with a success that would become apparent in later centuries.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780773543225
Publisher: McGill-Queens University Press
Publication date: 01/13/2014
Pages: 208
Product dimensions: 7.30(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Susan Rose is lecturer in history at the Open University. She has written a number of books on medieval maritime history, including Medieval Naval Warfare, The Medieval Sea, and The Wine Trade in Medieval Europe.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Realm of England and Its Neighbours 8

1 The Sources for Medieval Maritime History 14

2 Strategic Imperatives 25

3 The 'navy of England': Understanding the Naval Resources of the Crown 43

4 Ships and Ship Types 64

5 Shipbuilding and Shore Facilities 80

6 The World of the Medieval Mariner 94

7 War at Sea 115

8 Corsairs and Commanders 140

9 The Navies of Other European States 160

10 The Legacy to Henry VIII 178

Conclusion 188

Further Reading 191

Timeline 193

Notes 194

Index 206

Acknowledgements 208

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