The British Isles, 1100–1500

Academic writing in Britain and Ireland has tended to treat the histories of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales as discrete subjects of study. This approach is understandable but it does lead to the creation of artificial boundaries within the historical study of the British Isles and, in particular, overlooks the often close links between the different countries and societies within these islands. Equally, it inhibits the opportunity to compare and contrast the countries and societies and exp