Kingship and Masculinity in overdue Medieval England explores the dynamic among kingship and masculinity in 15th century England, with a selected concentrate on Henry V and Henry VI. The position of gender within the rhetoric and perform of medieval kingship continues to be principally unexplored by way of medieval historians. Discourses of masculinity trained a lot of the modern touch upon 15th century kings, for a number of reasons: to compliment and eulogise but in addition to provide an explanation for shortcomings and supply justification for deposition.

Katherine J. Lewis examines discourses of masculinity with regards to modern understandings of the character and acquisition of manhood within the interval and considers the level to which decisions of a king’s functionality have been expert by means of his skill to include the correct stability of manly characteristics. This book’s fundamental obstacle is with how those kings have been provided, represented and perceived by means of these round them, however it additionally asks how some distance Henry V and Henry VI should be stated to have understood the significance of personifying a selected model of masculinity of their functionality of kingship and of assembly the expectancies in their topics during this recognize. It explores the level to which their confirmed reputations as inherently ‘manly’ and ‘unmanly’ kings have been the made of their dealing with of political conditions, yet owed whatever to elements past their speedy keep watch over besides. attention can be given to Margaret of Anjou’s manipulation of ideologies of kingship and manhood in accordance with her husband’s incapability, and the ramifications of this for perceptions of the relational gender identities which she and Henry VI embodied jointly.

Kingship and Masculinity in past due Medieval England is a necessary source for college students of gender and medieval history.