Raid on west Rottington 1472

[Norm S]

Following his humiliation on New Year Day, when Yorkist forces raided Beacan farm and stole winter feed, Lord Darcy has launched a counter raid against Lord Trebian at West Rottington, to recover the feed and perhaps a little more!

There is an update on the blog as to the latest exploits of the Piggy Longton magnate …… and its possible consequences!

LINK

http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2023/02/attack-on-west-rottington-1472.html

 

[Darkest Star Games]

Another fun read, thank you Norm.  A little face is regained for Darcy, probably much needed.

That Trebian and his machinations… Had I been in Lord Darcy’s grieves I imagine I would have felt a lot more justified in doing more than just getting back what was owed and committing a little arson.  Luckily he had cooler heads to keep him in check (though we will see how that goes with impending threat).

After long ago watching The Pillars Of Earth I was shocked that so much of this sort of raiding actually went on between lords and manors, and even against their own serfs.  I find it both appalling and fascinating and I’d like to read more about it.  Happen to know of any good resources?

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Norm S]

Accounts often elude to family and neighbourhood disputes and private armies being used to sort out local agendas, but in the main, writings that I have come across typically cover the ‘big events’.

There is an interesting internet source. LINK (hit the ‘continue reading’ tab)

Yorkists & Lancastrians

That early in the article talks about a few very local actions, but typically, it quickly gives way to the national picture and the issue of kingship rather than private feuds or wars.

I have read that on the ‘big’ battlefield, personal enemies would often seek each other out …. Not sure how that fits in with a battle plan 🙂

Terry Wise in his ‘The Wars of the Roses’ (Osprey Men-at-Arms 145) loosely discusses the issue of private armies and the fact that Royal authority had a problem in that the King did not have a standing army, so there was something of a symbiotic relationship between king and those Magnates that had significant private armies. His book however does not give us anything to hang our hat on and create a factually based scenario.

Interestingly, he does discuss the fact that lesser gentry would enter into a ‘livery and maintenance’ contract with their magnate, in which they offered their services to fight for the magnate in return for protection (rather than money) – suggesting that at the very local level fighting could and did break out and one assumes they would involve relatively few men and the potential at least must have been fairly widespread for the practice to exist and be recognised.

[Darkest Star Games]

Often times it seems like authors put those sorts of nuggets forward (like the Livery contract) as if it’s so well known that everyone already has this in their noggins as part of the general knowledge everyone is raised with.  But that does give a toehold to launch further research from.

Thanks!

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Author]

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