What can the Gascon Rolls tell us about England's economic partnership with Gascony?

The Gascon rolls provide a record of land grants and privileges, oaths, land income and rent as well as political treaties. I decided to home in on two consecutive rolls and use it to study Gascon society in lot of different ways. The rolls I looked at are both in Henry V’s reign, written after the English victory in Agincourt in October 1415 and before treaty of Troyes in 1420. Back in 1369 the peace of Brétigny broke down and under the leadership of Charles V and the French succeeded in gaining a large part of Gascony.

However under Henry V, there is significant English expansion in the North of France. Following the battle of Agincourt in 1415, the English expanded in the north of France, climaxing with the fall of Rouen in January 1419. Politically French factionalism from September 1419 following the Duke of Burgundy’s assassination by the Armagnac follower of the dauphin Charles, causing the Burgundian heir Philip to ally with the English.  Bringing an end to the military campaign-  and its agreed  that the Charles VI’s daughter Catherine was to marry Henry V who would then act as regent for Charles, as well as ensuring any male heir’s he produced were to be the king of France.

When our section of the roll written in 1416-19, with the conflict taking place in northern France one would expect minimal influence on Gascony economy. Of course one should note, as Griffith has said, Gascony was significant for its large wine growing provinces and exports to the English gentry. In my period Gascon trade remained relatively unaffected from the war in the sense that French foreign policy was primarily concerned with defending its northern boarder, but the hundred years wars legacy saw this decrease and eventually disappear.  But the roll shows us 20 quarters of wheat and 20 quarters of peas had been exported from the port of London which shows us how there was a significant sophisticated mercantile networks of  livery companies in London comprised  of trade associations and guilds trading significant quantities of profitable commodities- in this case wheat.

In return for the wheat and other commodities, Gascony exported wine, of which’s economic value was boosted by the absence of royal customs and duty implemented upon it since 1289 which grants Bordeaux wine. Here Henry V is asking the monks at the hospital to inspect the chancery rolls to ensure assess this privilege. This shows us not only the extent to which monks held administrative roles in the middle ages, but also how the king wished to study the taxation of Bordeaux’s wine as a useful revenue to fund the war, as the king exploits his hegemony in the region.  And of course, he is looking for alternative ways to raise funds for the war without taxing the English laity as had proved unsuccessful in the 1380s.  During the hundred years war the wine trade with Gascony fell by half and eventually disappeared, so it’s no surprise the king is reassessing privileges which appear less politically beneficial. And this had a negative impact on the strength of English guilds and we see a decline in the Baltic as well as the Gascon trade, so there is a decrease in consumption of furs and wine by the English gentry and nobility during the 15th century.

In our period  under henry V commodities such wool, cloth and fish were exported to Gascony which benefitted from the wine trade. The benefits given to Bordeaux, as wine outside couldn’t be imported in to Bordeaux after Christmas, are indicative of pan European trends of how the institutions such as the English Parliament and the Parliament of Paris expanded  their responsibilities in return for more taxation. Protectionist policies on Bordeux wine are what can be seen as output legitimacy as laws are now benefiting the landholding people (who hold power through land or money- so I believe merchants too as landed wealth is translated into precious metal coinage).- We have a positive feedback mechanism through these institutions implementing polices and give privileges which benefit there economic interest. So the lords exploit the servitude of the peasantry to produce commodities to generate capital which can be sold to lords and merchants, and land can be brought back from the king- who conquers land which can be sold to people with money. So it could be argued it is an English mercantile economic expansion which fuels the war.

Loyalty and homage were contracts of trust which medieval society perceived to be sacred, as the lord would kneel before the king symbolically representing servitude.  In this we see a relationship of power in which a Gascon lord, Veguier Amaniu Béguey who pays homage and service to the king (Henry V). This power relationship is indicative of medieval society which some historians may identify as feudal social and economic structure, as indeed we see a promise of military service and loyalty in return for land. However some historians have disputed the term feudal age to describe the later Middle Ages such as  Villalon  and Kagay, on the grounds that in the hundred years war, English troops were paid and not voluntary as they theoretically should be under feudal set up. So instead the Gascon lord Veguier Amaniu Béguey  would be taxed on his wine to pay for the kings army.

Building on the notion of feudalism can we conceive social mobility. I came across the death of Thomas Swinburne death in 1411 was noted in the Gascon rolls, and decided to do some research on him. I found he was a significant Individual and demonstrates social mobility- he worked his way up to  important offices , starting as a Castle warden in his early career, he became an  Envoy negotiating a treaty with France in 1403,  mayor of Bordeaux and most recently Captain of Fronsac Castle. His loss was significant due to his versatility as militarily and diplomatically. The rolls order the correct execution of his previous obligations, finances and duties to find a replacement. – So they want someone highly skilled to replace him more than just from a privileged background. Furthermore, it lists the rents, services, rights, franchises, privileges and duties return to the hands of the king and, which I believe is significant as it shows the increasing royal power and authority, as the king would be able to distribute such privileges and offices to whoever he favoured.

So on the surface the rolls list formal understandings and agreements. But there is a deeper discourse in the rolls.  I feel that yes it shows a trade relationship, and a we can also read a social history, understanding the notion of chivalry, loyalty and homage- and understand where power lies and is vested, and who is the policy implemented really benefiting through this discourse between the monarch and the nobility, and this is indicative of the context of the time. To which reoccurs, as it was in 1369 when the Gascon lords appealed to the French parliament against high taxes, to which led the French king to revoked English ownership of Gascony. And it is this theme of power vested through land and money which is reflected through the roles which become particularly visible when vacuums need to be filled.