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Home / Periods / Medieval Period / Late Medieval

Period

Late Medieval

c. 1300–1500 CE

The Late Medieval period was marked by the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War, the decline or transformation of some feudal structures, peasant revolts, urban unrest, and dynastic struggles. It also saw stronger royal administrations, late medieval chivalry, military change, and deep religious anxiety. The fifteenth century brought renewed state-building alongside civil wars and the fall of old powers.

This period matters because it combines crisis with transition. Plague and war weakened communities and noble houses, while taxation, law, trade, and royal bureaucracy altered the balance of power. It is also the medieval period closest to the Renaissance and early modern age, making it rich in political ambiguity.

Maurice Druon’s The Accursed Kings, Sharon Kay Penman’s later medieval novels, Bernard Cornwell’s Grail Quest, Philippa Gregory’s Cousins’ War books, and C. J. Sansom’s Tudor mysteries connect well with late medieval aftermaths. The period suits novels about plague, succession, mercenaries, longbowmen, rebels, merchants, royal courts, and noble families fighting to survive.

Related people for Late Medieval

Agnès Sorelc. 1422–1450 Alv Erlingssonc. 13th century–1290 Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick1426–1492 Anne Boleyn1501–1536 Anne Neville1456–1485 Anne of Brittany1477–1514 Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Riversc. 1442–1483 Bernabò Visconti1323–1385 Bernard Gui1261–1331 Bertrand du Guesclin1320–1380 Blanche of Lancaster1342–1368 Catherine Howard1523–1542 Catherine of Valois1401–1437 Cecily Neville, Duchess of York1415–1495 Charles II of Navarre1332–1387 Charles IV of France1294–1328 Charles of Valois1270–1325 Charles the Bold1433–1477 Charles VIII of France1470–1498 Charles VII of France1403–1461 Charles VI of France1368–1422 Charles V of France1338–1380 Charlotte, Queen of Cyprus1444–1487 Clementia of Hungary1293–1328 Constantine XI Palaiologos1404–1453 David of Trebizond1408–1463 Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmondc. 1430–1456 Edward, the Black Prince1330–1376 Edward III of England1312–1377 Edward II of England1284–1327 Edward I of England1239–1307 Edward IV1442–1483 Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales1453–1471 Edward V1470–1483 Edward VI1537–1553 Eleanor Cobhamc. 1400–1452 Elizabeth I1533–1603 Elizabeth Mortimer1371–1417 Elizabeth of York1466–1503 Elizabeth Paston1429–1488 Elizabeth Woodville1437–1492 Eric Magnusson1282–1318 Erling Vidkunsson1292–1355 Francesco Sforza1401–1466 Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk1517–1559 Galeazzo II Visconti1320–1378 Geoffrey Chaucer1343–1400 Geoffroi de Charnyc. 1300–1356 George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence1449–1478 Gersonides1288–1344 Gian Galeazzo Visconti1351–1402 Giovanni Giustiniani1418–1453 Haakon V of Norway1270–1319 Henry Beaufort1375–1447 Henry III of England1207–1272 Henry II of Castile1334–1379 Henry IV of England1367–1413 Henry Percy (Hotspur)1364–1403 Henry VI1421–1471 Henry VII1457–1509 Henry VIII1491–1547 Henry V of England1386–1422 Hugh Despenser the Youngerc. 1286–1326 Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester1390–1447 Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord1301–1364 Ingeborg of Norway1301–1361 Isabeau of Bavaria1371–1435 Isabella of France1295–1358 Jacques de Molaydied 1314 Jacquetta of Luxembourg1415–1472 James III of Scotland1451–1488 James II of Cyprus1438–1473 Jasper Tudorc. 1431–1495 Jeanne de Clissonc. 1300–1359 Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland1379–1440 Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville1286–1356 Joan II of Navarre1311–1349 Joan of Arc1412–1431 Joan of Kent1328–1385 John Ballc. 1338–1381 John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset1373–1410 John Hawkwoodc. 1320–1394 John II of France1319–1364 John I of France1316–1316 John Mandeville1300–1372 John of Gaunt1340–1399 John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford1389–1435 John XXIII1370–1419 Jon Havtoressonborn c. 14th century Katherine Grey1540–1568 Katherine Swynford1350–1403 Knud Porsec. 13th century–1330 Lady Jane Grey1537–1554 Lambert Simnelc. 1477–after 1534 Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence1338–1368 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd1220–1282 Louise of Savoy1476–1531 Louis XI of France1423–1483 Louis X of France1289–1316 Magnus IV of Sweden1316–1374 Mahaut, Countess of Artois1269–1329 Marco Polo1254–1324 Margaret Beaufort1443–1509 Margaret of Anjou1430–1482 Margaret of Burgundy1290–1315 Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland1456–1486 Margaret of York1446–1503 Margaret Paston1422–1484 Marie of Anjou1404–1463 Mary, Queen of Scots1542–1587 Mary I1516–1558 Mary of Burgundy1457–1482 Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor1459–1519 Mehmed II1432–1481 Michael of Cesena1270–1342 Olivier IV de Clissonc. 1300–1343 Owain Glyndŵrc. 1354–c. 1416 Owen Tudor1400–1461 Perkin Warbeck1474–1499 Peter of Castile1334–1369 Philip IV of France1268–1314 Philippa Roet1346–1387 Philip VI of France1293–1350 Philip V of France1293–1322 Pierre Gringorec. 1475–c. 1538 Richard II1367–c. 1400 Richard III1452–1485 Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick1428–1471 Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York1473–disappeared 1483 Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York1411–1460 Richard Whittington1354–1423 Robert I, Count of Artois1216–1250 Robert III of Artois1287–1342 Robert the Bruce1274–1329 Roger de Flor1267–1305 Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March1287–1330 Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor1368–1437 Sigurd Havtoressonc. 1315–c. 1390 Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester1208–1265 Suleiman the Magnificent1494–1566 Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter1377–1426 Thomas Chaucerc. 1367–1434 Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kentc. 1314–1360 Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence1387–1421 Walter de Stapledonc. 1261–1326 Wat Tylerd. 1381 William Catesbyc. 1450–1485 William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke1423–1469 William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury1328–1397 William Wallace1270–1305 Yolande of Aragon1381–1442 Étienne Marcel1315–1358

Series

Series about Late Medieval (5 series)

Alpine Warrior in Order

by Peter Darman 9 books 4.5(9,135)

The Alpine Warrior series follows Leon Muller, a young Bernese exile who becomes a Swiss mercenary in the middle of the fifteenth century. His career begins amid the Old Zürich War before carrying him into the wars of northern Italy, the fall of Constantinople in 1453, and the…

The Champion in Order

by David Pilling 5 books 4.4(2,669)

The Champion follows the Valencian soldier En Pascal across the wars of western Europe at the turn of the fourteenth century. His campaigns connect the Anglo-French conflict, the Scottish resistance to Edward I, warfare in Iberia and Flanders, presenting a mercenary's view of shifting alliances, faith and military…

Master of Hestviken in Order

by Sigrid Undset  4 books 4.4(2,299)

The Master of Hestviken follows Olav Audunsson from youth to old age in Norway during the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. Betrothed to Ingunn Steinfinnsdatter as a child, Olav spends years fighting her relatives for recognition of their bond. Violence, outlawry and service to the rebel noble…

Kristin Lavransdatter in Order

by Sigrid Undset  3 books 4.4(740)

The Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy follows a landowner’s daughter from childhood in Gudbrandsdalen through marriage, motherhood, bereavement and old age in fourteenth-century Norway. Kristin’s love for the charismatic Erlend Nikulausson overturns the marriage arranged by her father and binds her to a man whose political recklessness repeatedly threatens their…

Order of Darkness in Order

by Philippa Gregory 4 books 4.1(7,944)

The Order of Darkness series is a young-adult historical adventure set in Europe in 1460 and 1461. Luca Vero, a gifted novice recruited by a secret papal order, travels with Brother Peter and Freize to investigate events that frightened communities interpret as signs of the end of the…

Books

30 Best Novels About the Late Middle Ages

Non-Fiction

30 Best Non-Fiction Books About the Late Middle Ages

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.