Battle Narratives in Medieval English and French Chronicles, 1066-1500

A wide-ranging study of medieval battle narratives, exploring how chroniclers across France and England constructed accounts of warfare from preparation and engagement to aftermath.


How did generals address thousands of soldiers before battle? How did medieval historians recount engagements they had not witnessed, or estimate the number of warriors on each side? In short, how can the "reality" or otherwise of battle narratives from the Middle Ages be assessed? Crucial questions are sometimes overlooked by studies that focus primarily on tactical aspects, or answered only in isolation, through individual case studies devoted to famous battles. This book, by contrast, compares the works of some hundred historians writing in France and England between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries, and by integrating their accounts within a large index of recurring motifs found from one battle to another, aims to examine their fabrication and reliability. From this comparison a "standard narrative" of pitched battle in the Middle Ages emerges, built on recurring clichés and motifs often drawn from ancient, biblical, epic, or chivalric romance traditions, while also occasionally reflecting contemporary tactical principles of warfare. This book also argues for a gradual evolution towards an increasingly accurate understanding of tactical realities. By retracing the stages of battle - from preparations to the burial of the dead - it offers a new perspective on medieval battle accounts, showing that while they reflect an undeniable historical reality, they are primarily literary constructions. Through the repetition of episodes following well-established models, chroniclers shaped moral and ideological interpretations of conflict.