Full Description
The warhorse has long been emblematic of medieval chivalry and power, depicted in art, literature, and the grand narratives of knightly valor. Yet, behind these depictions lies a nuanced history that intertwines the fate of the warhorse with the social, political, and military developments of its time. This book, The Warhorse in England: 1272-1327, seeks to illuminate the warhorse's essential role during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II—an era marked by almost perpetual conflict and the zenith of cavalry use in English warfare. Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources, including previously unpublished army inventories, royal stable records, and medieval veterinary texts, this study goes beyond the warhorse's symbolic representation to examine its practical importance in military campaigns. It considers the full lifecycle of these animals, from breeding and training to deployment, and the toll that warfare exacted on their health. In doing so, it reveals not only the substantial investment of resources required to sustain warhorse populations but also the implications of their care on medieval administrative and logistical practices.
This work also engages with a broader context, integrating perspectives from military history and animal studies to reevaluate how warhorses influenced the structure of armies and the experiences of those who relied upon them. By examining equine practices through meticulous analysis of financial records, army lists, and breeding documentation, this book provides fresh insights into medieval England's martial landscape and the interplay between human and animal agency.
Contents
List of Tables and Illustrations
Abbreviations
INTRODUCTION
Chapter ONE: THE PRIMARY SOURCES
The Horse Inventories
Equitium Regis Accounts
Hippiatric Treatises
Chapter TWO: THE WARHORSE
A Lexical Note
Horse Types
The Destrier
The Equus
The Rouncey
Colour
Markings
Sex
Chapter THREE: IMPORTS AND ACQUISITIONS
Imports
The Warhorse Market in England
Gifts and Sales of Royal Stock
Chapter FOUR: BREEDING
The Royal Stud Network
Stallions
Mares and Foals
Death and Disease
Chapter FIVE: BREAKING AND TRAINING
Equestrian Terminology
Age
Selection
Breaking In
Early Training
Dental Treatment
Training for War
Opportunities for Practice
Chapter SIX: THE WARHORSE ON CAMPAIGN
The Muster
The Appraisal Process
Branding
The March
Horse Armour
The Terminology of Horse Losses
Mortuus and Interfectus
Ad Karvannum
Ad Elemosinam
Perditus
CONCLUSION
Appendices
Bibliography
