IMC 2026: Sessions

This session will explore the history of the Mortimer family, a prominent Anglo-Norman dynasty. The first paper will trace the family's rise from regional powerbrokers to key architects of royal power during the reigns of Henry III and Edward I. It highlights how Roger Mortimer strategically expanded his lordship beyond the Welsh Marches into England and Ireland, and how the family's loyalty during the Second Barons' War was rewarded with land and influence. The paper also emphasises the political acumen of Roger's widow, Maud Mortimer, in preserving the family's legacy. The second paper contrasts the rival claims of the Mortimer and Lancastrian factions to succeed Richard II, using sources like the Fundatorum Historia and Iolo Goch's poetry, arguing that the Mortimers presented themselves as heirs to Richard II's ‘British’ monarchy, while the Lancastrians promoted a vision focused on Englishness. The final paper in this session will delve into the tangible emotional past surrounding the death of Roger Mortimer in 1282, analysing his epitaph and archival sources to explore the memory of the beloved and feared military captain and the events that followed his death.