Beschreibung:
Examines the complex interactions between English and Irish neighbours in the 'four obedient shires' and how this shaped English identity.
Introduction: cultural exchange and identity in late medieval Ireland; 1. Defining the region: the four obedient shires; 2. Migration, assimilation, and status: the Irish of the four shires; 3. Mediation and cooperation: the 'two nations' in the church; 4. Interethnic family ties: intermarriage and fosterage; 5. Irish customs in the four shires; 6. The Irish language and the English community; Conclusions: identity and the limits of assimilation.