Slaves and Warriors in Medieval Britain and Ireland, 800 -1200

Erscheinungsjahr 2009
ISBN: 978-90-04-17533-4
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 45, 460 Seiten, Format (B × H): 165 mm x 244 mm, Gewicht: 898 g

Reihe: The Northern World

Modern sensibilities have clouded historical views of slavery, perhaps more so than any other medieval social institution. Anachronistic economic rationales and notions about the progression of European civilisation have immeasurably distorted our view of slavery in the medieval context. As a result historians have focussed their efforts upon explaining the disappearance of this medieval institution rather than seeking to understand it. This book highlights the extreme cultural/social significance of slavery for the societies of medieval Britain and Ireland c. 800-1200. Concentrating upon the lifestyle, attitudes and motivations of the slave-holders and slave-raiders, it explores the violent activities and behavioural codes of Britain and Ireland’s warrior-centred societies, illustrating the extreme significance of the institution of slavery for constructions of power, ethnic identity and gender.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Wyatt, David

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Geschichte der Sklaverei
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Europäische Länder England, UK, Irland: Regional & Stadtgeschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Abbreviations

1. Slavery and Historiography
Medieval slavery, modern sensibilities
Explaining away medieval slavery
Approaching slavery: a case study
Defining slavery
Approaching the sources
Slavery and progress: a self-reflexive perspective

2. Slaves and Warriors
Warfare, warriors and slavery
Anthropological approaches to the youthful warrior
Warfare and masculinity in medieval Ireland; the fían
The Mursi: an anthropological parallel
Warfare and masculinity: the Scottish context
Warfare and masculinity: the Welsh ynfydyon
Warfare and masculinity: the Old Norse and Old English evidence
Abduction, honour and virilization
Slave raiding and virilization: the ‘rape’ of a territory
Slavery and patriarchy
Ingroup-outgroup: Slaves and the warrior fraternity
Conclusions

3. Slavery, Power and Gender
Power, honour and gender
Powerlessness, shame and gender
Slavery and gender

4. Slavery and Sin
Sex, sin and slavery
Reform ideals vs. warrior norms
Challenging warrior norms in Anglo-Saxon society: a case study
Reforming the English: the impact of the Norman Conquest
Reconfiguring norms of power/gender in post-Conquest society

5. Slavery and Cultural Antipathy
The dynamics of cultural antipathy
Acculturation, antipathy and the Welsh warrior
Acculturation and antipathy in twelfth-century Scotland
A clash of cultures? The battle of the Standard, 1138
Invasion, antipathy and slavery in twelfth-century Ireland

Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Medieval Slavery

Epilogue

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Bibliography
Primary sources
Secondary sources

Index

Über Autor(innen)

David Wyatt, Ph.D. (2003) in History, Cardiff University, is the Co-ordinating Lecturer in History at Cardiff University's Centre for Lifelong Learning.