Conditions Of Defeat: The Treatment Of The Defeated In Anglo-Norman And Angevin Warfare From 1034 To 1216

The consequences for defeat in medieval warfare were often quite steep, especially during the Early Middle Ages. Over the course of the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries, however, the treatment of the defeated in Anglo-Norman and Angevin warfare underwent a startling transformation. Although warfare never lost its cruel edge, by the thirteenth century, English armies were far more likely to show clemency in victory to their enemies than they were during the eleventh century. This newfound inclination towards mercy was not applied equally to all, however. Personal wealth, social status, and political convenience, among other factors, all played a major role in determining who received merciful treatment and who was treated with nothing but brutality. This study examines the experiences of disparate groups of people of varying classes and circumstances, including knights, commoners, clergymen, women, mercenaries, and hostages to better understand the factors that determined the treatment of the defeated.