English Military Ordinances 1385-1599

In modern armies, the enforcement of discipline is a fundamental principle—but what of earlier times? English Military Ordinances, 1385–1599 offers important new insights into how the armies of English monarchs in the late medieval and early modern periods were governed through the issuance of disciplinary ordinances.

The volume presents the full texts of ordinances issued for campaigns in a range of theatres of war, from the Scottish campaign of Richard II in 1385—the earliest for which a complete text survives—to the Irish campaign of 1599 commanded by Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Each set of ordinances is carefully contextualised within the campaign for which it was issued, making it possible to trace both continuity and change in the ways armies were raised, organised, and deployed.

English Military Ordinances, 1385–1599 is the first comprehensive study of the rules governing conduct in English royal armies during a period of profound military transformation. It clearly demonstrates how systems of disciplinary control were developed and expanded in response to evolving challenges at home and abroad.

"Every so often one picks up a history book expecting a dry trudge through dusty documents. Instead as in this case one gets something that feels surprisingly alive. English Military Ordinances 1385–1599 by Anne Curry and Andrew Martinez is exactly that kind of pleasant surprise....Curry and Martinez keep the writing clear and grounded. There is no need to be a specialist to follow along, and the authors never drown you in jargon. Instead, they show how these ordinances reveal the everyday reality of medieval warfare: the boredom, the temptations, the politics, the constant balancing act between authority and the unruly energy of thousands of armed men....If you are into medieval history, Tudor politics, or just enjoy books that peel back the curtain on how things really worked, this one is absolutely worth your time, especially if you enjoy trying to translate the photographic reproductions of numerous original ordinances that appear in the book!" carryingsonupthedale.com Blog