These ten essays on major themes of fifteenth-century politics and society make use of hitherto neglected original source material to throw new light on the period. Philip Morgan examines the problems of the emergent Lancastrian dynasty, and Maureen Jurkowski traces the remarkable career of the Lancastrian servant Thomas Tykhill. Diana Dunn reassesses the role of Margaret of Anjou, and James Doig presents a new look at the siege of Calais.

Helen Castor and Dominic Luckett add a regional perspective in their studies of East Anglia and south-western England respectively; their expositions of society at the gentry level are complemented by the investigations of Jane Laughton into the alewives of Chester and of Matthew Davies into the Merchant Taylors of London. Finally, the contributions of Margaret Wade Labarge and Joel Rosenthal concern the relatively unexplored theme of old age.