Shipping the Medieval Military: English Maritime Logistics in the Fourteenth Century

Description

During the fourteenth century England was scarred by famine, plague and warfare. Through such disasters, however, emerged great feats of human endurance. Not only did the English population recover from starvation and disease butthousands of the kingdom's subjects went on to defeat the Scots and the French in several notable battles. Victories such as Halidon Hill, Neville's Cross, Crécy and Poitiers not only helped to recover the pride of the English chivalrous class but also secured the reputation of Edward III and the Black Prince. Yet what has been underemphasized in this historical narrative is the role played by men of more humble origins, none more so than the medievalmariner. This is unfortunate because during the fourteenth century the manpower and ships provided by the English merchant fleet underpinned every military expedition. The aim of this book is to address this gap. Its fresh approach to the sources allows the enormous contribution of the English merchant fleet to the wars conducted by Edward II and Edward III to be revealed; the author also explores the complex administrative process of raising a fleet andprovides career profiles for many mariners, examining the familial relationships that existed in port communities and the shipping resources of English ports. Craig L. Lambert is Research Assistant at the University ofHull. Frontcover CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION 1 Raising a Fleet Sources of Shipping Requisition Orders Process of Requisition The Return Passage 2 The Supply of Armies and Garrisons by Sea, 1320–1360 Logistics and Preparations for War: An Overview of Procedures The Supply of Armies and the Naval War in Scotland, 1322–1336 Maritime Logistics and the Naval War in Scotland, 1337–1360 The Supply of English Armies in France, 1324–1349 3 The Transportation of English Armies to France 1324–1360 Preparing the Fleet: A Timetable for Invasion Two Transport Fleets of Edward II’s Reign, 1324–1325 The Earl of Surrey’s Transport Fleet, 1325 Five Transport Fleets for Edward III’s Armies, 1338–1359 The 1355 Transport Fleet for the Black Prince 4 Maritime Resources and the King’s War Developments in Fleet Organisation Port Resources Shipmaster Service and Mariners Crew Size and Manning CONCLUSION APPENDIX 1 Ports that Supplied Ships to the Fleets APPENDIX 2 Reconstructing the Merchant Fleet: A Methodology BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX Backcover