archers and fingers

[jsrechts@imap.unc.edu]

Poster: jsrechts@imap.unc.edu

Alianora writes that dead nobles were worth something because relatives
can collect
wergild.  

My little saying actually refers to the custom of ransoming in the
high-late Middle
Ages.

It's true that during the early Medieval period, the custom of wergild
made nobles
worth something even in death but the custom died down with the
re-emergence of Roman Law
during the latter end of the 10th century.  It existed in places but
wasn't as
predominant as in say, 820 or earlier.  Battlefield custom was to die
with one's lord
a la Battle of Maldon.  There are exceptions of course.

During the hundred years war, captured nobility were normally ransomed
and not
killed outright.  Agincourt was the exception to this but even some of
the nobility
were held for ransom.

Actually, the Agincourt campaign was a political gain but finanacial
lost.  Henry
wasn't able to profit from his chevauchee because he had killed off his
knightly
prisoners and he set such a huge ransom for the likes of the Duke of
Orlean and
Boucicault that they couldn't afford it or just weren't willing to pay
it and hence, 
died in captivity.

Lyanna

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