Recognition for medieval soldiers on web database

The service records of medieval soldiers have been made available in an online database.

The website contains 250,000 records of soldiers who fought in the Hundred Years War between 1369 and 1453, and includes the names of archers who served with Henry V at Agincourt.

The Medieval Soldier Database contains full profiles of individual soldiers, with muster roll evidence allowing researchers to piece together details of soldiers' lives.

Dr Adrian Bell, of the University of Reading, who undertook the research project, said: "The service records survive because the English exchequer had a very modern obsession with wanting to be sure that the government's money was being spent as intended. Therefore we have the remarkable survival of indentures for service detailing the forces to be raised, muster rolls showing this service and naming every soldier from duke to archer."

The youngest soldier on the records is Thomas, Lord Despencer, whose career began when he was 12 years old in 1385. Thomas Gloucestre, who fought at Agincourt, is also included on the database, and his career can be traced over 43 years and includes campaigns in Prussia and Jerusalem. The database, which is free to use, can be found at www.medievalsoldier.org.