Medieval Britain and Ireland encompassed a diverse range of polities, communities, cultures and languages. This course introduces students to the dynamic, intertwined histories of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. Over this period, the idea of 'Britain' was cultivated, asserted, exploited and challenged. This course looks beyond 'national' political narratives to examine some of the major developments taking place not only in governmental and military affairs, but also in the church, in urban environments, in the writing of history and in everyday life. It traces how a French-speaking aristocracy extended their influence in the wake of the Norman Conquest of England, explores the process of 'Europeanisation' that allowed the English monarchy to reinforce its dominant position across the archipelago, and considers the impact of war, plague, famine and revolt in the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries that destroyed the coherence of this 'English Empire'.