Review: Rogues, Rebels and Mavericks by John Brunton

The lovely people at Amberley books sent me a review copy of John Brunton's Rogues, Rebels and Mavericks of the Middle Ages.

As the author says in the introduction, this is a collection of pen-portraits of some less frequently written about characters of the medieval period.

The chapters move chronologically, and include stories from around the world, but start and finish in England, beginning with Earl Waltheof, the English rebel who opposed William of Normandy and ending with Margaret Countess of Salisbury, executed by Henry VIII.

Some of these characters were familiar to me, some less so, but consistently the author paints a vivid picture and sets the scene for every chapter. John Brunton is a master story-teller, giving the reader enough background information that the tale of the individual sits nicely in its historical context without slowing the narrative with unnecessary detail. Almost as much as the stories of the individuals, one comes away with a real sense of the customs and societal mores and expectations of each period and region under examination.

Inevitably with a collection like this, some chapters work better than others. Whilst fully understanding their inclusion, I found myself less interested in those who, by the author's own admission, were compelled by self-interest and were not sympathetic characters. I still, however, learned a lot from these stories. 

A few stood out though as especially captivating: it was satisfying to learn more about the man behind the idea of 'Ockham's Razor' and to read Christine de Pisan's story, truly a standout woman in the world of men. The life and times of Prince Henry the Navigator gave a lively discussion of the age of exploration and why Spain lost out so much to Portugal, which was a fascinating read.

A couple of the inclusions didn't quite work for me, such as the afore-mentioned Margaret, Countess of Salisbury. A tragic and brutal tale, but I felt that she was a victim and we didn't hear about her actions, only what happened to her - so was she a rogue, a rebel or a maverick? I'm not sure.

However, what a delight John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, turned out to be! I've no particular leanings towards either the Yorkists or the Lancastrians so I was able to cheer him on with complete impartiality (especially with his daring escapes from incarceration). He stood out in this collection for me because it appears that his actions, though he was clearly loyal to the cause, were driven not by self-interest, or self-preservation, but an impassioned sense of injustice and a desire for revenge on behalf of his family. 

Obviously the appeal of some characters over others is a personal choice and the author has provided an excellent blend and mix with his stories. As is often the way, and is ably demonstrated here, we can learn so much about history if we take the spotlight off the kings and queens and look at the lives of those around them, and indeed away from the court completely.

A wonderfully clever and novel idea, brilliantly delivered. A definite 'must read' if you are at all interested in the medieval world generally, and the standout characters specifically.

Rogues, Rebels and Mavericks is available in all good books shops, direct from Amberley and from AmazonUK