REVISITING MERCENARIES UNDER HENRY FITZ EMPRESS, 1167-1188

摘要

The late Thomas Keefe once remarked that the most-cited medieval individual for sheer dependence upon mercenaries or stipendiark is King Henry II of England (1154-1189). The historiographical tradition to which he referred can be traced back at least to the writings of William Stubbs, with other significant studies emerging in the post-war years. In 1945, Jacques Boussard put forth the argument that Henry virtually transformed English armies by preferring the shield-tax or scutage over the still-functioning feudal levy. Boussard found large quantities of mercenaries in the Pipe Rolls, peaking at just over 6,000 effectives during the Great Revolt of 1173-1174.