Despite the recent renaissance in studies of the reign of Richard III, most historians have remained focussed on conventional themes.
Basing her research on a wide range of archival material, Dr. Horrox highlights a crucial feature of royal government in this period--the role of the king's servants. For the years immediately before and during Richard's reign, the book explores fully the practicalities of obedience, the reciprocal nature of service relationships, and the whole structure of late medieval "affinities" or client systems.
Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Introduction: the roots of service; 1. The creation of an affinity; 2. The usurpation; 3. Rebellion; 4. The reassertion of royal authority; 5. The king's household; 6. The collapse of the regime; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.