Battle for the Island Kingdom: England's Destiny 1000–1066

by Don Hollway

A rich history of the years leading up to 1066 when Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans vied for the English crown. A tale of loyalty, treason and military might.

In a saga reminiscent of Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom , Battle for the Island Kingdom reveals the life-and-death struggle for power which changed the course of history. The six decades leading up to 1066 were defined by bloody wars and intrigues, in which three peoples vied for supremacy over the island kingdom. In this epic retelling, Don Hollway ( The Last Viking ) recounts the clashes of Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, their warlords and their conniving queens.

It begins with the Viking Cnut the Great, forging three nations into his North Sea Empire while his Saxon wife Aelfgifu rules in his stead and schemes for England's throne. Her archenemy is Emma of Normandy, widow of Saxon king Aethelred, claiming Cnut's realm in exchange for her hand in marriage. Their sons become rivals, pawns in their mothers' wars until they can secure their own destinies. And always in the shadows is Godwin of Wessex, playing all sides to become the power behind the throne until his son Harold emerges as king of all of England.

But Harold's brother Tostig turns traitor, abandons the Anglo-Saxons and joins the army of the last great Viking, Harald Hardrada, where together they meet their fate at the battle of Stamford Bridge. And all this time watching from across the water is William, the Bastard, fighting to secure his own Norman dukedom, but with an eye on the English crown.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, Medieval, British Literature, Medieval History, Audiobook

432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2023

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two types of people who will love Don Hollway's Battle for the Island Kingdom. First, people who go down Wikipedia rabbit holes and end up on an article like, 'List of English Monarchs." Then, you start reading about these people and see a cluster where a bunch of kings keep dying really early in their reigns. You ask yourself, "What the heck was going on here?" And yes, I am this type of person.

The second type of person who would love this book is pretty much everyone else. There is war, back-stabbing, polygamy, politics, poisonings, and a saint or two. What's not to love? Hollway focuses specifically on the years 1000-1066 in England. Why these dates? Well, any history nerd (and/or British person) knows that in 1066 William the Conqueror decided to...conquer. But before that is a time period which does not get as many books written about it probably because it is very difficult to untangle the absolute mess that was the monarchy. Seriously, they recycled so many names. Luckily, Hollway keeps everything clear and concise while telling a great story.

Come on, don't you want to learn more about Eadwig All-Fair? How could you not?

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Osprey Publishing.)

[Juliew. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In all honesty I was a bit conflicted about the beginning sections of this book.The many characters and storylines between the Vikings and the Anglo Saxons was rather difficult to follow.The writing was often scholarly and in some sections weren't always clear and concise to me.However,by the time we reach the Norman invaders I was hooked on the battle scenes and the many details of William the Conqueror's climb to power.The author also managed to show off William's personality which I found quite fascinating.The last sections absolutely made up for the beginning and I would love to read something else on this topic from this author in the future.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pausing to consider the implications of the machinations of all the players - Vikings, Angl0-Saxon, and Norman - during the six decades prior to the climatic battles of 1066, I often sent up a prayer of thanks for not having lived during that period of devastation, treachery, pillage, and brutal battles. Portraying sixty years of conflicts, this detailed and engrossing book brings the historical characters to life amid an epic struggle for a kingdom in medieval England.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC - which allowed me to post this honest and voluntary review.

[Andrew Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you like Game of Thrones? If so, this book is right up your alley. Except it's real, not fiction. England, from 1000-1066, was a land that changed hands among Danish, Anglo-Saxon, and eventually Norman rulers. Don Holloway does an excellent job describing the heroes and villains (most rulers were both) who incessantly fought for control of England.

Battle for the Island Kingdom is indeed an accurate description. Yes, Hastings occurred, but many other brutal battles happened during that time. Holloway's best moment is in his retelling of the fight at Stamford Bridge, along with the many characters involved in that fraternal conflict.

Holloway also displays some wit, with biting commentary throughout. What prevented me from giving this book 5 stars was the confusion in processing the numerous similar-sounding names: Alfred, Aelwith, Athelred, etc., for instance. That's not the author's fault, but it does make the book vexing at times.

Even if you think you know a lot about 11th century Britian, you'll still find this book illuminating. Much recommended.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A digital version of this book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an expansive history of a period lesser known in English history. Don Holloway guides the reader with ease through a sometimes complicated array of historical figures, their accomplishments, and often their downfalls. The book is well-researched yet is simplistically written for the common reader who may not be as acquainted with Anglo-Saxon history. In addition, the structure of the book is well done, the choice of chronological order is the most obvious choice for a historical analysis such as this one, yet, Holloway knows when to provide glimpses of past or future events in the timeline so the book reads more at times like a grand epic novel than that of non-fiction. This book is an excellent addition to a small collection of literature on the Anglo-Saxon period for the everyday reader and every budding historian should find a place for it on their shelves.

[Pavlo]

***

at approx. 7%, “For Aethelred this was just the latest in a series of disasters. First Forkbeard demanding protection money and stepping up his predations regardless, and now this defeat of an English army at the hands of a petty duke and a people who weren’t even Viking anymore.”

Not even a real hamster! I'm enjoying the hell out of this

[Dimitrios Mistriotis]

Following text from transcription with the help of an LLM:

I read one of Don’s previous books, and I really, really liked it, which is no other than The Last Viking. And for this, The Battle for the Island Kingdom was always on my radar, when at some point I decided to buy it, because in the following September, the Bayeux Tapestry is going to come back to London, and I wanted to be as much on the top of it and near to be intellectually as possible, because I’m going to visit the museum to see it. For reference, this thing is being written on the first days of July 2026, and this event’s going to happen in September 2026. So, this book fails, obviously. And I think that Don Hollow is an amazing author, and I have bought his previous book, and I will definitely buy his next two books. So the question is like why this thing failed, or at least for me. Because of this, and because as a historian who reads his sources and wants to be loyal to the sources and not cut things, significant portions of the history out to make a nice narration, so both his idea to be precise and to create a climate that was look similar to a Game of Thrones, cloak and dagger, betrayal, da-da-da-da-da, the book is essentially filled up with information, names, genealogies, so much that 400 pages could not fill it at all, at least if it’s not being supported significantly with heavy diagrams, maps in the page, etc. So you read a book that is full of a name, another name, and then another name which was related to the previous name, who got captured by the one who we talked about 10 pages before, who has another name, and it goes like that. And after some time, I really, really missed the plot. Something that could not happen, for example, on The Last Viking, which is the other book of the author that I have read, exactly because the references of the period are fewer and the details are fewer, so he could not have produced such an overcomplicated work as here. What happened for me, because I have an interest in finishing the story because I want to visit the exhibition, is that this book, after some point, ended up becoming the forced reading that I do sometimes, just to wrap up a book, which is take it with me when I have to commute, because I do hybrid work, so in one of the few days that I have to commute, which means I’m having nothing else, I’m just pushing myself to read it. This is a shame because both the period and the author have at least significant potential, and if I could advise him better, I would either rewrite it in two volumes with way more detail and better flow and diagrams, etc., or I would omit a portion of it to make the narration flow better and have one volume as it is now. But either way, the mix as it has been presented here definitely fails.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book. A whirlwind story of regime change upon regime change, from Vikings to Anglo-Saxons to Vikings to Normans. Back and forth, up and down the tale unfolds, washing up on the English beach, then swishing back to the European Continent and back to England again. The interplay, interacting, conflict and control-seeking kept me turning pages, excited about each new chapter. Fascinating book!

And the tale does three things for readers. First, it reminds us that this is normal history and what normal world events look like. Here, inside the 21st Century, we have been coddled for the last 70 to 80 years, and have quickly forgotten that most of world history is littered with blood, dead bodies, and burnt out hamlets. And as most of the world returns to "normal" in the years ahead, we're already starting to see more of the same.

Next, this volume shows how related we are to our ancestry and ancestral actions. As Americans living in the "make it up as you go along" age, where we remake ourselves in our own image, this kind of thinking is utterly foreign to us. But Hollway has done a fine job reminding readers how we all stand on the shoulders of those who have long gone before us.

Lastly, for those who are Bible readers, this story can break through our modernist/post-modernist sensitivities, to remind us how violent the world really is in almost all of human history. After reading this work, then the next time you step into Joshua through 2 Kings, you will go, "Ah. Now I get it! Now I see why God put the stipulations down that he did to restrain such bloodlust. Oh, now I see how the flux and flow of turf wars imperiled common folk all around. Yes, now I get it!" I'm sure the author will find my application a bit surprising, but it was a very helpful rehearsal of history that puts so much of the human record back into its brutal context. This was truly a fascinating work. I highly recommend it.

[Rachel N · Rating 5 out of 5]

The period between the new millennium in the year 1000 and the Norman Conquest of 1066 was a time of enormous upheaval and unrest in England, as the Anglo Saxons, Vikings and Normans all competed for the Crown. It's a story of war, intrigue, politics and betrayal that reads like Game of Thrones and yet in many ways it's a period less familiar to us (certainly to me) in any great detail than 1066 itself.

It's a very complicated story and as a result it took me a while to get really engrossed and to get my head around all those involved, particularly as the Anglo Saxon and Viking names are so unfamiliar to me beyond the most well known. However, the author does an excellent job of laying it all out and the further I got, the more my mind became attuned to the names and it got a lot clearer! It's certainly a fascinating period which has had a huge impact on the country's history and I found it intriguing to think how different things may have been with a different result.

The research is immaculate, a combination of sources from the time and other academic works, and I was particularly pleased that the role played by the women involved and the influence they had was a full part of the story told. As someone with limited knowledge of the period, I found it a fascinating introduction and it's whet my appetite to find out more, always a good sign for a history book!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in return for an honest review.

#BattlefortheIslandKingdom #NetGalley

[Jon Greenlander · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s fun to read, but says little about Aethelred, Cnut, and 1066 that hasn’t been repeated a thousand times before. The best mass market history books make a better attempt to engage with what modern historians are working on. Take a look at the acknowledgements here: not a single historian is thanked, mostly just publishers, editors, and agents. Same deal with the endorsements and blurbs: all people/publications that don’t write history. Nobody looked over this book except people whose main interest is making money off it, which explains why it’s unoriginal and prematurely outdated. Seeking advice from even a single expert could have made this far more balanced.

The author also favors later, less reliable medieval sources that are more colorful. I highly suspect this is because they are more “exciting,” but they are sometimes plopped down without any discussion of why those sources frame events the way they do. It gets old reading exaggerated stuff from Walter Map and William of Jumieges instead of from better, earlier sources. The bibliography is another giveaway that the book has taken some shortcuts. The author is using some public domain translations that are so old they almost need their own translations.

Look, no one is expecting a book with a title like “Battle for the Island Kingdom” be a hard-hitting academic work, and some sections are more or less fine. But how is this any different than the zillion other 1066 books? It might get someone interested in the era for the very first time, but that’s about it.

[Megan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting tale of the history of England when Normans, Danes, and Anglo Saxons fought for control of the land and power. It culminates in 1066 when William the Conqueror takes over but also glosses over what happened afterward from the Norman dynasty to the new dynasties to rule.

Mostly focusing on the battles and relationships between rulers of the times, this was interesting. The short specific stories sprinkled throughout helped show the culture and beliefs of this very different time. I also enjoyed hearing about how the events were recorded and passed down by writing, tapestry, etc.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook so that I could hear how the Anglo Saxon names of people and places were pronounced. There were parts of the book that were confusing as there were several characters of the same name. I'm sure the physical copy probably has maps and family trees that would make following the history easier. Admittedly, I was sometimes distracted while listening, so it might be more reader-error than a problem with the audiobook version.

This was written in such a way as to be informative but also intriguing. It was not dry at all. It's not my normal choice for a read, but I would recommend to those who enjoy nonfiction history.

[Norman Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollway has done a thorough job of reviewing the source material and has put together a very good history of the period. I have read a number of histories of the period dealing with one or another king or the Norman Conquest, but this is the first I've read to treat the whole as a whole. It was quite enlightening.

While it does seem to be very well-researched, it is written in a more popular style than many histories of the period. That's not a drawback, it's a way for the author to make the history more accessible.

The only thing about this style is the rather "cliff-hanger-ish" end to each chapter.

"The child was named William." for example. C'mon, we know who the child is, we don't need a "dum-dum-DAAAH!" sentence at the end of the chapter. It's OK once in a while but the technique wears out quickly. But, that's a stylistic quibble.

On a more serious note: MAPS!!! We needs 'em!

[Kevin Camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping track of battles, warriors, and frequently shifting alliances makes this book a challenging read. The petty squabblings of neighboring, overlapping kingdoms led to perpetual warfare. In addition, the time period is fraught with barbarism, cruelty, and torture at a scale almost unimaginable today. Life was indeed brutal, frequently nasty, and often short.

Keeping track of medieval history is difficult, because primary sources are frequently in contraction to each other and are heavily biased. The truth depends on precisely what cloistered monk owed allegiance to what king or noble personage. The Norman conquest at Hastings could have gone any number of different ways, but the fact that it proceeded as it did is due as much to luck and happenstance as it is to superior skill on the battlefield.

[Wai Zin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew that 1066 is the year, Battle of Hasting was fought where King Harold Godwinson was slain and William of Normandy became king of England. And not much more.

Of course, I have some ideas about the Anglo Saxon England by reading Bernard Cornwell books about Uhtred of Bebbanburg. But those are mostly fictions and it took place about 100 years ago. I knew nothing about the time period which this book covered 1000-1066.

And as a history buff, I was eager to dive into this book and I am not disappointed. This is the whirlwind of treacheries, scheming, wars, pillages, alliances, massacres – real life Game of Thrones.

It is a little bit complex for me to narrate the story here. But I bet if you are into medieval history, you will like this book.

It will be better if you take notes during your read, just to keep up with unfamiliar Anglo-Saxon and Northman names.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the six decades leading up to 1066, England endured a chaotic power struggle between Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans that would forever reshape its future.

This gripping history chronicles the battles, political maneuvers, and domineering figures of this dramatic era. Meet cunning Viking warlords and belligerent Saxon kings. Encounter ruthless Norman dukes and strategic queens like Emma of Normandy who altered dynasties through marriage.

Exploring sixty years of violent conflicts, this thorough and engrossing book illuminates the epic struggle for dominance in medieval England.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Thorunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saga Englands frá árinu 1000 til 1066. Mjög forvitnileg og mjög flókin saga.

Þarna voru Engilsaxar, Víkingar og menn frá Normandy að berjast um yfirráðin á Englandi. Það var sjaldan friður og mjög margar orustur og margir drepnir. Bara það að fylgjast með hver var kóngur hverju sinni var flókið.

Það koma óendanlega margir við sögu og nöfnin eru mörg hver lík, svo það reyndi alveg á að athyglina að vita hver var hver. Það var líka nóg af leynimakki og fólk sveik hvort annað unnvörpum, þannig að það var líka flókið að halda utan um það hver væri í hvaða liði hverju sinni.

Sem sagt, maður þurfti að hafa sig allan við að fylgjast með – en það var alveg þess virði.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The majority of history books are simply a dry recitation of facts—Don Holloway’s writing is not in that vein. I enjoyed the telling of this period of history. Although, the leaders were brutal with blindings and cutting off of hands and feet and, as usual, the common people suffered because of competition among the nobles. Nothing was honest or honorable, but always claimed to be. I was always a William fan, but Harold was chosen to be king in the traditional manner by the witan and should have remained so. William was an incredible force, and his ambitions created what is most dear to me—English.

[Simon Mee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It helped that I have immersed myself in a bit of other media before reading this, which helped keep my head somewhat above water in tracking the characters. It is hard, but probably worthwhile to include them all, because they demonstrate how interlinked England was with both Scandinavia and Normandy in the lead-up to the Conquest.

Other than Sweyn Godwinson disappearing abruptly from the text, it flowed well together and was a fast read. I am sure there are potential disputes over the sourcing, but Hollway at least gives the impression he did a good job with picking and choosing.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the turn of the millennium in the year 1000 and the climactic Battle of Hastings in 1066, the rule of England was a complex process. Between Anglo-Saxons, Danes and Normans, the webs of family ties, loyalty and enemies stretched over the North Sea and the throne changed hands many times. In this book Holloway shows how the separate strands linked and how history was made. It is a complicated tale (many protagonists have similar names) but reads like an Early Medieval epic.

[Brenda Achenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not often that a book in this time range catches my full and undivided attention. I am usually reading for the angle, are they team William, Team Harold, or even Team Tostig. However, this was a very well woven narrative that played the various primary sources off of each other and even granted the Emmas and Ediths and Matildas their positions of power.

[Robert Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a quick, easy read, this is not the book for you. If you want a detailed, historically accurate account that takes into consideration the various, sometimes contridictory evidence, you will be more than satisficed with this excellent work.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous history told objectively. Introduction gives you much sense of the background and research.Thorough indeed. The graphic /plates photos of art or records excellent.Amazing the conflicts which so altered 3 to 5 "sides" when all told for domination to ruling England.

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amazing story of Aethelraed of England and the battles leading up to the Norman Conquest. This book is interesting even if you’ve read a lot about the period.

[Kendrick Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written with good prose, context, and clarifications.

[HuggyYoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read that captured just how interesting the time period was. I really enjoyed learning about Emma of Normandy

[David Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great writing and research. The characters come alive in the story!

[Michael Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book on a period often overlooked. Well written and extensive in detail, it sets the stage for one of the biggest moments in history.

[Heidi]

I'm intriegued by Michael's review

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting.

[Trevor Reichardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic