The King The Crown And The Duchy Of Lancaster

In 1399 Henry Bolingbroke, duke of Lancaster, seized the throne of England to become Henry IV. From 1399, therefore, the Lancastrian kings - unlike their royal predecessors - commanded not only the public authority of the crown, but also the private power of the Duchy of Lancaster. Until now, this has been seen simply as an advantage to the Lancastrian crown, and as an uncontroversial part of the evolution of a 'royal affinity' during the later middle ages.

However, this study makes clear that profound tensions existed between the role of the king and that of his alter ego, the duke of Lancaster. This book examines the complex relationship between the king, the crown and the Duchy of Lancaster at both a national and a local level, focusing particularly on the north midlands and East Anglia and, in so doing, sheds light on the nature and functioning of the late medieval English monarchy.

Review: This invigorating and scholarly assessment concentrates particularly on the political society of East Anglia, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, making thereby a significant contribution to regional, as well as to national, history. Northern History Combines stimulating argument with conceptual clarity and detailed analysis to contribute significantly to our understanding of later medieval English politics.

English Historical Review Lucid and scholarly monograh ... the thoroughness of her research and the balanced nature of her judgements carry considerable conviction. Castor's book will require historians of the period to clarify their thinking about the nature of royal authority and the expectations of local society.

Simon Walker, Times Literary Supplement