ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to consider hostageship as an aspect of the mentalité of the knightly class in the High Middle Ages. This requires an interdisciplinary approach combining texts which have previously been allocated to the fields of history or literature. The modern distinction between genres is unhelpful and indeed unsuitable for the chivalric-influenced materials of the twelfth century. This is the justification for drawing upon texts which may differ substantially in apparent form and function and range over a century-and-a-half (the ‘long’ twelfth century?) in their creation. Thus annals, chronicles, epic poems, biographies and histories, both general and specific to events (such as a particular crusade), in Latin and the vernaculars of northwestern Europe, are all grist to the mill. Although the attitudes and actions portrayed in these sources may appear to be at odds with the way hostage-taking is perceived today, this helps a modern audience to understand how the past is both different, but can influence our current understanding. For example, the annual State Opening of Parliament by Queen Elizabeth II reveals just how much medieval ceremony and imagery there still is in this occasion. On entering Parliament one member of the Lower House is taken as hostage for her safe-conduct, a custom that goes back to the time of King Charles I, who had a notoriously troubled relationship with Parliament ending with him losing his head. Nowadays the hostage is not at any risk of repercussions but is, nevertheless, kept under guard until the Sovereign has safely left the building.1 This seemingly quaint relic of latter days is helpful in understanding hostageship, for today hostage-taking is always seen as an illegal and prejudicial act.
