Courts of Chivalry and Admiralty in Late Medieval Europe

摘要

The culture of chivalry is now familiar, but the courts that regulated and policed the system have been neglected, especially since they existed everywhere and were considerably more active than might be supposed. This valuable book refers to the admirals of Catalonia, England, France, Italy, Portugal and Scotland and to heralds from Bavaria, Burgundy, France, the Empire, Guelders and Hungary. The marshal of Burgundy sat twice a week and the lieutenants of the marshals of France regularly presided at the marble table in the Palais de la cite in Paris. Sadly, all the court records - of consuls, provost marshals, marshals, constables, admirals and English heraldic chapters - have disappeared. One wonders indeed whether the regional heraldic chapters ordered by Thomas, duke of Clarence, in 1419x21 and again by Richard, duke of Gloucester, ever existed. Fortunately more can be made of Honore Bouvet's Tree of Battles, the Consolate of the Sea which Tanzini skilfully discusses, the Black Book of the Admiralty and other treatises. Nigel Ramsay's edition of all surviving English cases to be published by the Selden Society will be a huge step forward.