dr. A.A. (Aline) Douma

My PhD project focuses on the historical and political embedding of the writings of the Middle English poet George Ashby (c. 1385-1475). Ashby served as scribe of the signet seal for the Lancastrian royal family during the period now known as the Wars of the Roses. His two surviving works, a mirror for princes addressed to Prince Edward of Lancaster, and a prison poem written while he was held captive as a political prisoner, offer insights into how political discourse changed in this turbulent age. My project aims to uncover these changes and to see both how Ashby is influenced by contemporary concerns and how he tries to influence political reality through the poetical medium. In addition, I am also working on a new edition of George Ashby's work.