Approaching Records of the Household and Wardrobe

Records of the household and wardrobe are important sources for understanding English royal medieval government. This book outlines their functions, organisation and development, along with the activities and accounts of the various officials and departments charged with their undertaking.

The household was the political centre, encompassing a variety of departments catering to the day-to-day needs of the royal family and the court. The wardrobe was originally the location where cloth and other precious commodities were stored, but took on increasing importance over the course of the thirteenth century as the key financial and administrative office that itinerated alongside the king. This overview of the different types of household and wardrobe accounts and their contents demonstrates the wealth of information contained within these records. Conventions of language, abbreviations, money, numbers and dates are also explained. The two case studies illustrate how a household diet account and a wardrobe jewel account can be used to elucidate the actions and agency of queens Eleanor of Provence and Margaret of France.

As an introduction to the thirteenth-century household and wardrobe and their records, this book is an excellent guide for students and researchers who wish to use these documents in their own research.