Preliminaries; Contents; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1 What is Political Prophecy?; 2 The Second Arthur: The King as hero c. 1135-1307; 3 Expectation and Disappointment 1307-1340; 4 Debate and Crusade 1340-1399; 5 The Imperial Hero 1399-1440; 6 Cadwallader and the Angelic Voice: The Rationalization of Chaos 1450"1485; Postscript; Handlist of Manuscripts; Bibliography; Index
Summary
In the first general survey of political prophecy in medieval England for almost a hundred years, Lesley Coote examines the nature of political prophecy, its audience and its reception, from its emergence in the twelfth century to the end of the middle ages. Working from original manuscripts, she reveals prophecy to have been a major language for the discussion of public affairs, enshrining ideas of 'Englishness' and a 'national' community, and introducing a great crusading hero-ruler, a second Arthur, who would lead his people into the Last Days
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-296) and index
