The Quiet Revolution: The Socio-Economic Circumstances of Fifteenth Century Soldiers, c.1415-1451 - a preliminary examination

To date, there has been little investigation into the socio-economic circumstances of fifteenth century ordinary soldiers. The historical consensus hitherto has largely been shaped by investigations into the developments in the military community of the fourteenth century, in particular the establishment of the mounted archer. The costs involved in equipping such men have led to the assumption that they were drawn from the upper levels of village society. Despite this never having been satisfactorily substantiated, it is a view that has been widely accepted and thought to be well established by the fifteenth century. However, such a view does not take into account the social and economic developments which occurred in England in the second half of the fourteenth century and in the early stages of the fifteenth. This thesis challenges this assumption, explores these developments, and seeks to provide a preliminary examination of the social origins of fifteenth century soldiers, by analysis of a range of extant primary sources from which a more detailed study can develop.