عنوان

The role of the prior of St John in late medieval England, c1300-1540

TLets502235

The role of the prior of St John in late medieval England, c1300-1540

[Thesis]

Phillips, Simon David

Hicks, Michael ; James, Tom

University of Southampton

2009

Ph.D.

University of Southampton

2009

The title of the thesis is The Role of the Prior of St John in Late Medieval England,c. l 300-1540. ' It investigates the unique political role of the Prior of St John in Englandbetween 1300 and 1540. It looks at changes in the Prior's public roles over time, withreference to particular moments when individual Priors were senior political figures. Itfurther examines changes in the English Priory and the resulting development of thePrior's role. It also investigates of the effect of events in the eastern Mediterranean andthe ensuing consequences for the Hospitallers and Prior of England, analyses therelationship between the Prior's connections with powerful merchants and theappointment of several priors as treasurer of England, and explores of the loss of theorder's political control of its estates to local gentry and aristocrats.Chapter 1, the introduction, includes the aims, hypothesis, international background,historiography and methodology. Chapter 2 covers the financial role of the Prior,examining the role played by the three Priors who became treasurers of England, anddiscusses the Prior as a source of finance for the crown. Chapter 3 looks at the militaryduties of the Prior in service to the crown. Chapter 4 considers the diplomatic aspect ofthe Prior's international role. Chapter 5 examines the Prior's political role in nationalpolitics, focusing on the development of his role in parliament, great council, and king'scouncil. Chapter 6 treats the Prior and the secularisation of the order in England basedon the extant English Hospitaller lease books between 1492 and 1539. Chapter 7, theconclusion, assimilates the information in the preceding chapters, commenting on andanalysing the Prior's place in English society. The main conclusion is that the Priorbecame much more involved in the English political system during the late fourteenthand especially mid-fifteenth centuries than has previously been supposed.This thesis is the only in depth study of the Prior spanning later medieval England.This enables it to chart changes in the Prior's role that shorter studies on individualPriors (Prior Nablous, 1184-1190, Prior Malory, 1432-1440) cannot perceive. Inaddition, it is the only study to make extensive use of the English National Archives(Public Record Office), whereas other Hospitaller histories draw the bulk of theirinformation from the Hospitaller archives on Malta or from printed primary sources.Furthermore, the study is unique in its concentration the Prior's service to the Englishcrown and in its approach, viewing this service as beneficial, rather than contradictoryto the Hospitallers' interests.For the above reasons, this thesis makes a significant contribution to our knowledge oflate medieval history, crossing the boundary between `national' and crusading history.

Phillips, Simon David

Hicks, Michael

James, Tom

University of Southampton

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y