'Fighting Talk: Exhortation in War in Late Medieval Scotland' Seminar

This paper explores the neglected topic of battle speech in late medieval Scotland. Formal orations are considered, but also a variety other types of talk in the war zone (conversations, commands, exhortations) as reported in contemporary sources. The ubiquitous accompaniment to military encounters, the battle-cry, is also considered. It is hoped that insights can be developed about the way war was presented and understood and, more tentatively, that the actual martial values and behaviour of Scottish soldiers can be illuminated. A suitable scepticism is maintained about what can be read into the predominantly literary sources that purport to depict the words spoken before, during and after battle. Nonetheless, this paper seeks to suggest that certain particularities can be observed in Scottish battle speech that hint at wider insights into senses of identity and self-perception.