Violence and disturbances in a medieval university: The Welsh students at Oxford, 1282-1485

Abstract

This article analyses the acts of violence and disturbances committed at Oxford University by scholars from Wales. Violence in medieval universities was far to be uncommon, especially among the young scholars. However, the Welsh had a poor reputation. If they were part of the kingdom of England, those students were not English and therefore were treated as foreigners in England and also in their native country. It appears that in reality, they were not worse than their fellow English students. What is revealing in their case is that their participation in disturbances sometimes strengthened their sense of national identity and belonging, but paradoxically, somehow reinforced their integration in the university community.