Power and identity in Lancastrian England 1399-1461 : a study of historical writing in the fifteenth century

The Lancastrian period, which began with the usurpation of Henry IV in 1399 and ended with the deposition of his grandson Henry VI in 1461, was one of the most significant periods in English history. This period witnessed a series of formative developments and events such as attempts by the Lancastrian dynasty to legitimise its position on the throne, the conflicts between central government and regional powers, the Hundred Years War, the Lollard heresy and the Wars of the Roses. Despite the formative importance of the period, Lancastrian history writing has been largely neglected and ignored for a number of reasons. Furthermore, the chronicles of the period have been considered as products of Lancastrian propaganda. Therefore, the main subject and intention of this thesis will be to reconsider historical writing produced in Lancastrian England in the light of current approaches in historiographical studies. iv As a whole, the analysis of the evidence in the chronicles will be made by reading them in the historical context in which they were written. In this sense, this study offers a re-contextualisaton of the historical writing produced during the Lancastrian period. Moreover, this thesis will contribute to a better understanding of the general characteristics of historical writing of the period by attempting to rescue it from near oblivion. Thus, this thesis, will hopefully help to fill a great gap in the field of the historiography of Lancastrian rule, in particular, and in the discussion of late medieval historical writing in general.