4 ms·
I fail to see their references to support the claim that france or scotland was more politically unstable. Also how about the rest of european powers, I am not
by msh 11y ago
I fail to see their references to support the claim that france or scotland was more politically unstable.
Also how about the rest of european powers, I am not certain there is support that england was the only politically stable entity is europe during the middle ages.
- arethuza 11y agoWell, England did have the distinct advantage of being the largest power on an island - while they didn't manage to conquer the Scots the Scots weren't really much of a threat to them. So they got a certain amount of stability largely through geography.
- Wildgoose 11y agoNot strictly true - Cromwell conquered Scotland after yet another of the interminable invasions of England by Scotland. It was more a case that after Edward I, England simply wasn't interested in conquering Scotland - there were richer prizes elsewhere.
- vacri 11y agoCromwell comes after the age of longbows, though.
- ezzaf 11y agoPages 699-702 address this in detail: “The land (France) was divided into loose and shifting territories that owed little or no allegiance to any central authority, ruled across large swathes by noblemen who were little more than warlords” and "Flanders, too, had great autonomy from the French monarch and strong ties to Germany and England (Sumption 1990, p. 35). In 1384 Flanders united with Burgundy to create a principality in France that fell in and out of French control for over a century." and "Most critically, (Scotland) was bitterly divided into three warring parts: the English- speaking southeast, the Gaelic-speaking northwest, and the lands that fell between" There's a bunch more detail there along with references to the papers they draw those conclusions from. I'd say they support that part of their argument soundly.
- arethuza 11y agoI think Scotland was split into a lot more than just three warring parts - there were battles between clans up to the 17th century! [NB This probably explains why we have such an incredible number of castles here in Scotland.]