List of feudal wars 12th–14th century

This is a chronological list of feudal wars spanning from 1100 to 1400 during what can be considered the golden age of feudalism. Usually the wars will be caused by conflicting dynastic claims but also be fought over a variety of other normally personal casus belli. Feudal wars were considered to be a lawful practice if they respected the given feudal contract.[1] In most countries it was traditionally considered the right of the nobility to fight personal feuds without incurring legal penalties, however the Kingdom of England was an exception due to its high level of royal power which could even go so far as to restrict tournaments. In France war was declared by sending a symbol to the enemy, normally a glove.[1] Also in France relatives as far as the seventh degree were supposed to be drawn into the conflict[1] but this was hardly ever the case especially when relatives of this kinship could be related to both families or live so far from the conflict that it was completely impractical for them to join. French customs relating to feudal warfare were adopted elsewhere.[2] Usually feudal wars would involve both parties plundering each other's territories, skirmishes, sieges, and occasionally full battles.[3] Feudal wars were also marked by their lack of casualties and often there was a fine line between a tournament and a feudal war (In 1119 Orderic Vitalis recounts that in a battle of 900 knights he knows of only three who died).[3] Often the leaders and participants of the feudal wars were related to some degree which helps explain the lack of casualties (to slay kin was considered much worse than to kill someone unrelated). As a result, the, generally smaller the war was the smaller the percent of casualties it was likely to have (this also goes into the idea of genus or race).

List of wars

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This list will not include religious wars because they are induced by ideological rather than personal or familial conflict.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Seignobos, Charles (1902). The Feudal Régime. H. Holt. p. 56.
  2. ^ Beeler, John H. (2018-08-06). Warfare in Feudal Europe, 730–1200. Cornell University Press. pp. XII. ISBN 978-1-5017-2682-8.
  3. ^ a b Seignobos, Charles (1902). The Feudal Régime. H. Holt. p. 57.