How many people are in the Ragman Roll?

Hammond, M. (2012) How many people are in the Ragman Roll? Breaking of Britain: Cross-Border Society and Scottish Independence 1216-1314,

Abstract

In the previous two features of the month, John Reuben Davies explained the process by which the Ragman Rolls were produced and discussed the nature of the oaths taken by the men and women who submitted to King Edward I’s rule. In this feature and the features to follow, we will examine the people themselves whose names are recorded in this unique document. We will start by asking the question of just how many people are ‘in’ the Ragman Rolls. In this feature, we will focus on trying to ascertain exactly how many men and women swore fealty, and in some cases also performed homage, to King Edward in the Ragman Roll. Of course, it is worth keeping in mind that those swearing fealty were not the only people mentioned in the rolls – there were also the men acting as witnesses to their fealties. These witnesses could include ‘Scottish’ nobles like the earls of Angus and Dunbar or March, but most of them were Englishmen in the retinue of King Edward.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Prosopography, Anthroponymy, Medieval Scotland, Edward I, Scottish Wars of Independence, Ragman Roll, Berwick-upon-Tweed
• Status: Published
• Refereed: No
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hammond, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Hammond, M.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Breaking of Britain: Cross-Border Society and Scottish Independence 1216-1314
• Publisher: Breaking of Britain
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2012 The Author
• First Published: First published in the Breaking of Britain: Cross-Border Society and Scottish Independence 1216-1314 2012
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the author