Canterbury MS 1: Political Prophecy

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The aim of this thesis is to build on this historiography by treating genealogical chronicle rolls as literary and historical objects. It aims to develop the understanding of the narrative of genealogies and how they represent broader medieval political concepts, perceptions and structures. By using Canterbury MS 1 as a case study, it will examine the portrayal of political ideas in a royal genealogy, addressing themes such as political prophecy, kingship and kingdoms. As explained, previous approaches to genealogical chronicle rolls have tended to focus on the dynastic and propagandist context of these manuscripts, while the representation of broader political concerns has not yet been examined. Analysing

This will offer a genealogical and mythical perspective on prophecy while supplementing the existing scholarship on political prophecy. It will consider the foundation of a historical and cultural England through the treatment of prophecy on Canterbury MS 1. Political prophecies were a medieval phenomenon popular in England. Prophecies were an accepted element of political thought and life in medieval England. However, by assessing the use and manipulation of political prophecies in the text of Canterbury MS 1, this chapter argues that they were selectively used for laying down the conceptual and historical foundations of an English kingdom, and to exert a form of Lancastrian cultural hegemony through assertion and authoritative interpretations of prophecies. To do this, the chapter will consider prophecies that make their appearance on the roll as case studies. They include prophecies that include major figures in the history of England, such as Brutus, Arthur, Cadawalladr and St Edward the Confessor. Although genealogical rolls and prophecies have been examined before, this is the first comprehensive assessment of multiple prophecies on the single roll. Combined, these cases of political prophecy that appear on the roll highlight key moments of the history of Britain and England. In particular, they address the origins and

This will be discussed alongside the historical context of the early 1430s, which is approximately at the same time that this manuscript was most likely produced. This is the first analysis that specifically considers the ‘international relations’ that is presented on a genealogical chronicle roll. The chapter will assess the portrayals of Scotland, Wales and France on Canterbury MS 1, and what this can reveal about the English perceptions of these foreign territories. England during the late medieval period was preoccupied with Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion, which accounts for the great interest that the roll has in Welsh affairs. Furthermore, the roll’s representation of the royal lineages of England and France united through hereditary descent offers yet another dimension of the genealogical manuscript. This chapter argues that English interests in France and the insistence of the ‘dual kingdom’ concept played an important part in the purpose and construction of this genealogical chronicle roll. By comparing the depiction and treatment of foreign dominions and territories, this chapter argues that Canterbury MS 1 was invested in creating a genealogical narrative of England’s foreign relations that corresponds to the early fifteenth