In Search of the Dark Ages

by Michael Wood

Updated with the latest archaeological research new chapters on the most influential yet widely unrecognised people of the British isles, In Search of the Dark Ages illuminates the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest of 1066. In this new edition, Michael Wood vividly conjures some of the most important people in British history such as Hadrian, a Libyan refugee from the Arab conquests and arguably the most important person of African origin in British history, to Queen Boadicea, the leader of a terrible war of resistance against the Romans.Here too, warts and all, are the Saxon, Viking and Norman kings who laid the political foundations of Offa of Mercia, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, whose victory at Hastings in 1066 marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Reflecting the latest historical, textual and archaeological research, this revised and updated edition of Michael Wood's classic book overturns preconceptions of the Dark Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History, Historical, Anglo Saxon, Archaeology

365 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Librarian Note: There's more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Michael David Wood is an English historian & broadcaster. He's presented numerous tv documentary series. Library of Congress lists him as Michael Wood.

Wood was born in Moston, Manchester, & educated at Manchester Grammar School & Oriel College, Oxford. His special interest was Anglo-Saxon history. In the 70s Wood worked for the BBC in Manchester. He was 1st a reporter, then an assistant producer on current affairs programmes, before returning to his love of history with his 1981 series In Search of the Dark Ages for BBC2. This explored the lives of leaders of the period, including Boadicea, King Arthur, Offa, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Eric Bloodaxe & William the Conquerer (& gave rise to his 1st book, based upon the series).

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

This nice book suitable for all readers is perhaps an ideal introduction to the English dark ages - which contrary to the opinions of many other countries are generally considered to be long over. Each chapter focuses on a person from Boudicca to William the Conqueror of the Battle of Hastings fame via Arthur, Offa, Alfred the Great, Eric Bloodaxe perhaps not quite the name you'd chose for yourself if you wanted to get ahead in politics, even in Yorkshire and AEthelred the Unready this is an example of early English humour - the name means noble counsel no counsel some might say that the early English needed to work on their punchlines, others that in the Dark Ages you took your laughs when you could .

Each chapter is free standing and requires no prior knowledge of English history. It is an entertaining read that set out the controversies and questions surrounding some interesting people, although in this case they are particularly interesting because they are so obscure and in the case of Arthur or Boudicca may not even exist.

The Arthur chapter is particularly good for anybody interested in the 'real' or the historical background to an Arthur type figure. Sadly Wood doesn't set out the theory that Boudicca might not actually have existed, otherwise entertaining and good popular history.

All the photographs which illustrate the book were taken in winter, I wonder if this was a deliberate choice to suggest the bleakness of the dark ages or a happy accident.

[Rex Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is overly broad but don’t be disappointed. Content yourself that this really looks only at England, and of it, only at the following: Boudica (regnant, AD 60 or 61) queen of the Iceni and leader of a calamitous revolt against Roman rule; the Sutton Hoo Man, probably Raedwald (c. 599 – c. 624) king of East Anglia and champion of Christianity; Arthur (late 5th-early 6th centuries) leader of the Britons against the Saxons; Offa (757-796) king of Mercia and overlord of southern England, including Kent and Sussex and builder of the Dyke wall on the entire border with Wales, some of which still exits; Alfred (871-899) the only British monarch called “the Great;” Aethelstan (924-939) the “first king of England” because he unified the English peoples; Eric Bloodaxe (947–948 and 952–954) king of nearly ungovernable Northumbria; Ethelred the Unready (978–1013 and 1014–1016) paradoxically viewed as incompetent and long-reigning; and, William the Conqueror (1066-1085) who redistributed over 90% of Anglo-Saxon land holdings to Normans.

The book offers less of what peoples’ lives were like than I was looking for. Its description of daily life beyond political intrigue is virtually confined to the circumstances prevailing in York, a rich commercial and trading center especially in the time of Aethelstan. It drives home the point that war, insurrection, and banditry were constant and endemic. It makes plain that slavery was present everywhere and trade in slaves was big business. It also contains the best and most concise description of why William of Normandy invaded and of the events leading up to and culminating in the watershed battle of Hastings that I’ve ever seen. Well-done, easy to handle, and worth a read.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Wood takes us through an historical journey, from the beginnings of Roman rule in Britain, right through to the start of the early Middle-Ages at the time of the conquest of Britain by William of Normandy. In other words, it is a study of the main pivotal events and rulers during what are known as the 'Dark Ages' in Britain. They are known as the Dark Ages because there is little written records of these times; most of the chronicles of these years were written in greater study afterwards, so obviously the Latin Chroniclers would have to rely on conjecture and what little information they had, most of the written items being in Old-English. In recent times, a lot of our knowledge of this era, stemming from when the final Roman Legions sailed away to defend Rome in c.410 AD, right up until 1086 when the Domesday book was written, comes from archaeological discovery, the most notable this book covers being the Sutton Hoo burial mound in East Anglia.

This work is based around Michael Woods television documentary of the same name that was made during the early 1980's for the BBC. In fact I first found out about him from his Trojan War series during the mid-80's, which was quite influential for me, and ever since I wanted to become an archaeologist, but life got in the way of that one for me. But I digress. This book covers Boadiceas' revolt; King Arthur and the myth surrounding him that in effect tries to use current research and still fails to actually prove that he existed quite dramatically; Sutton Hoo burial mound, an amazing discovery during the 1930s showing the gradual shift from Paganism to Christianity; King Offa and his famous barrier against the Welsh; King Alfred and how pivotal he was, not only staving off the Viking incursions, but how ground-breaking in terms of town layout (evidence of it in locations today) and efficient administration for the burghs; King Athelstan, probably one of the best Anglo-Saxon Kings for uniting most of England; Eric-Bloodaxe (confusing periods of reign and a tragic end); Ethelred the Unready (long reign, but lost against the Vikings and whom is a quite tragic figure regardless) and finally, William the Conqueror and the end of the Wessex family line in 1066, as well as the destruction of nearly 600 years of Anglo-Saxon dominance in England.

Each Chapters are short studies, based around their television counterparts and, whilst not an exhaustive study of the periods and characters concerned with in the book, offer a good introduction into them, mainly focusing on modern day (i.e 'modern' being early 1980s) archaeological discoveries, and visiting the places made famous from these historical people, which gives the book some feeling of where things happened. Finally, the final chapter is an updated postscript, showing other developments and discoveries from the series, the conclusion being that the Wessex Kings such as Alfred and Athelstan and their developments in early British History really actually left a 'legacy' behind them that in effect had an impact that carries through to today.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Michael Wood's work. I'll go ahead and damn him with the praise that his summation of history and archaeology is "accessible". I have no doubt that he's passionate, thorough, articulate and competent (more damning praise). Still, I didn't enjoy this book. I couldn't wait to be done with it and if you quizzed me on its contents, I don't think I'd do very well. This likely has much to do with my familiarity with the subject matter. If the names Offa, Athelstan and Ethelred are already quite familiar to you, you'll make out rather well. If not, they may seem like little more than an anonymous procession of Anglo-Saxon kings who set about unifying England when not getting harassed by Danish vikings. Things come alive when Wood describes the battle of Hastings. It's gripping stuff, but was, for me, too little too late. My ignorance of pre-Norman English history is largely to blame for my dissatisfaction. Still, after 250 pages I remain fairly benighted.



So, not a great read. But Mr. Wood is not entirely at fault.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering such figures as Boudicca, Offa, Alfred the Great and King Arthur, Wood looks at Britain in the time period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the invasion of the Normans. This was so interesting and I feel I learned a lot.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Wood's In Search of the Dark Ages is a survey of British history from Boudica to William the Conqueror, looking at the formation of a British -- or English? it's not always terribly clear which he's interested in -- identity. Obviously, he has to do a quick whip past subjects that whole books have been written about (some of which I've read), so it isn't written in amazing detail, but it's a decent overview.

It was, however, nigh on ruined for me by the repeated use of the word 'barbarians' and the concept of the 'Third World'. He can't seem to decide whether he's using the word barbarians ironically or not; one minute he's saying that they were unorganised, lawless, without any culture, the next he's using the word in inverted commas with a hint of criticism of that idea. One minute they're tactical and well-organised, the next a howling mob who naturally get beaten by the Romans. And he uses that word again of various different cultures, so you have to wonder what exactly he thinks it means. Anyone who doesn't fit right into his narrative of a British/English identity?

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative book covering a thousand years. Really interesting, I loved all of it.
I found descriptions of kings interesting, Offa, Arthur, Alfred, Athelstan and Eric, also William of Normandy.
The author gave insight into immigration movements and who the people liked. His insight in Northumbria was cheeky.
Wood said there were 5 kingdoms of course at different times there were 7 ( Essex and Sussex).

[Chris Bolger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this after getting obsessed with The Last Kingdom and wanting to learn more about Alfred, Aethelflaed, Aethelstan, etc. Definitely enjoyed those sections the most but learned a lot throughout the book. Some of the chapters were more interesting than others, I'm assuming that's based on the amount of source material available in a very under-reported time.

[Tom Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wood's highly regarded history of the early Middle Ages period in Britain is a solid book. Any historian of that era must extrapolate and Wood's does so, but not unfairly. He uses chronicles, hordes, wills, and other physical and documentary evidence to establish his story arc. Originally published some years ago, this edition has been updated to reflect recent discoveries and the things which flow from it. He really has only one flaw; the book is rather boring. Perhaps I would have read with more interest if I were English, I don't know, but my mind wandered constantly. Good book, probably deserves better than a three star rating. Comprehensive, sourced, thorough without being bogged down, just not very interesting.

[Tim Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exemplary writing by an exemplary historian. The television series was fantastic too.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve stepped out of my usual historical comfort zone with this book. Without a doubt, Michael Wood’s writing is well researched and gives a great overview of Anglo-Saxon England. However, for a general reader I found this book incredibly dense to read in parts.

Some sections, particularly the Norman Conquest towards the end, the story of Ælfthryth did not suffer from this and were very engaging. But overall, I was too often captivated by the progress meter in the corner of my Kindle slowly ticking towards completion.

If you’re searching for an overall chronological retelling of Roman Britain to the Norman Conquest, I’d recommend this book no end. Although, I was hoping for more about the daily lives of normal people in the middle ages. Whilst a broad retelling of some of the most famous ‘Dark Age’ monarchs (lengthy sections on Offa, Eric Bloodaxe, Æthelred the Unready) will suit those looking for general English history, it just wasn’t for me.

[Alex (Spells & Spaceships) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable look that provides all the insight into the rulers and major players you could need for a general overview of English history during the so-called Dark Ages.

It's not the most comprehensive look, but then how could you cover that time period in one book, afterall?

Readers wanting to know more about everyday life, social history etc. may want to look elsewhere as the book primarily focuses on power struggles and battles. I found this incredibly interesting but don't think it really even summarises the dark ages as a whole. Despite this, even through telling the short biographies of a number of historical figures you get a feel for the history and the mood of the people. We also have to take into account the limited primary sources for the everyday person - it is called The Dark Ages afterall.

The majority of the book looks at the Anglo Saxons and how England transitioned from the Romans, to being ruled by the Anglo Saxon rulers and finally ending shortly after Hastings in 1066 with a little on William's challenges.

All in all, especially for a casual history fan, it's the perfect book to get a taste for what was going on during this time and I'd definitely recommend it.

[Gee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely cursory and crammed full of neologistic ideas (revised edition) about the role that royal women played in shaping the politics/culture of medieval Britain. Laughably, he attempts to connect tenets of modern wokeism and Hadrian ('Roman emperor from Africa'). Nevermind the fact that Hadrian was descended from an Italic family who happened to be born/reared in what is today, Libya. A ridiculous stretch, but what to be expected by these self-righteous 'academics'. Plenty of exposition on the Viking slave trading, though!

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, thoroughly readable and readably thorough introduction to the early medieval period, bookended by chapters on Boudicca and William the Conqueror. Wood uses the device of focusing each chapter on a particular major king of the period, including Alfred, Offa and Athelstan (for whom we have the best sources too) and relating their histories in the context of the often desperate times they found themselves in. An ideal book for anyone wanting to learn about the period.

[Ashley Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb writing on one of the most fascinating eras of the West. Michael Wood will always remain my favorite historian. For his dedication to truth, and the infectious delight with which he shares it with us.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not kidding around when it says it covers about a thousand years. What a fascinating read! I do wish that some of the pictures were in color because in some cases it's difficult to tell what you're looking at.

[Tiago Maranhao · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great survey of a fascinating period.

[and mirrors · Rating 4 out of 5]

What follows is a quick collection of thoughts.

In this fairly short book, the author takes on a temporally vast range of topic, starting with Boudica and effectively leaving off at the death of William the Conqueror. Each chapter is centred on an important historical figure, and as such there are leaps and bounds along the timeline. I think this formatting is a very accessible and engaging way to portray history, but it poses a serious risk of oversimplification and fragmentation of historical context. Yet Michael Wood tackles the challenge beautifully; his overviews do not seem superificial at all, and in particularly he fills in the context between different Anglo-Saxons kings without interrupting a flow of reading. I am no expert in Anglo-Saxon history but have a few books under my belt, and for me this book struck a perfect balance of reiterating key facts and contexts (making it very accessible for readers at all levels of interest; for me, it fulfilled the role of consolidating information I have come across elsewhere) and ambitiously discussing sundry theories, in a way that makes historical and archeological research feel alive and open. Very solid book, and a pleasant read.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Search of the Dark Ages was first published in 1987 to accompany the BBC series by the same name and has undergone several subsequent updates. It spans over a thousand years of the history of Britain, mainly focused on the early Middle Ages, commonly referred to as the Dark Ages. Each chapter provides a snapshot of a single historical figure, beginning with the famed warrior queen, Boadicea, and ending with William the Conqueror.

Author Michael Wood captures the essence of these fascinating figures from the past in chapters that are connected, but free standing, making it easy to dip in and out of the book. As with most books arranged topically, I found some chapters more interesting than others. I assume that Boadicea and King Arthur were included because of their popular appeal since they both predate the Dark Ages and, in any case, may be more myth than reality. An interesting and insightful overview.

[Gill M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t quite believe that 40 years have passed, since the first edition was published.

Both the book and the series were hugely enjoyable. Michael Wood had such a captivating style and enthusiasm.

This fully updated and expanded edition shows that age has not diminished Michael’s talent for presenting history in a fascinating and vibrant style.

I heartily recommend that you read this!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this. I was never bored, which is generally an achievement for a non-fiction book. My only complaint is that too much of the book was focused on the later Dark Ages (or even before, during the Roman era) and not enough during the years 500-793. Once the Vikings/Northmen come, Britain changes so much, and I wish we could have had more chapters about the kings and people before that time. We talked about almost every single king between Alfred and William, but barely touched the sixth and seventh centuries. I appreciated the chapters about Sutton Hoo and Offa but they weren't enough for me. I also feel that William shouldn't really have been included. Perhaps if Eric Bloodaxe and William had been cut out and we had one or two more chapters about the tribal leaders in the Hengist and Horsa era, this would have been a five star read for me. The writing was superb, it just needed a topics tweak.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this took me a while to read, on and off, because it is so dense with details, it is a fascinating history of England in the early Middle Ages! I’ll be glad to have the book to read sections again and as a reference. Because I am a history novice, I would have liked the book even better with the three following additions: 1) a glossary of Old English, archaeological, and other less common terminology, 2) a timeline depicting the key individuals and events, and 3) at least one map. I understand I can reach for my phone to find these things online (and I often did), but it just isn’t the same as having everything in one place and easy to flip to.

[Will Fairey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed, a real classic of English history. I would recommend this even to someone astute in the subject, as this particular revised edition has some new interesting chapters where research has only surfaced in recent years. Aethelflaed for example was very intriguing- her role in the foundation of England cannot be understated, and it’s such a shame so little survives of her story.

Equally this book is great for those not well versed in pre conquest England. And yes it will make you feel bad for poor Harold. If only!

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable for any with a firm interest in the subject. The chapters on Alfred the Great and Athelstan warrant a 4 star; other chapters tend to read more as academic essays than bringing history to life. However such a judgement could reflect more on the reader's state of mind at the time of reading or even the quality of the original resources. Not having seen the TV series I can't say if the writer's intent was more to inform than to entertain.
For me it failed to excite me in the way that Bede's Ecclesiastical History did, except for the two chapters mentioned above

[Sophie Drt-Pmllr · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 / 5.

An enjoyable and mostly accessible overview of the late Roman and early Medieval era in England / the British Isles. If you’re not familiar at all with this period, you may struggle to keep up with the places, the names and the amount of information thrown at you. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Bouddica, Athelstan, Ethelred and William the Conqueror (perhaps because I’m most familiar with them).

The book was originally published in 1981 and, despite reading the 2005 edition, it very much is of its time and would not be published today without a serious rewrite in the first few chapters. Constant references to early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms as “Third World countries”, “barbarians” and talk of the “civilizing” influence of Christianity/Europe nearly made me stop reading and could, rightfully, frustrate readers.

It’s also a shame that women barely make an appearance (with the exception of Bouddica). For example Offa’s wife Cynethryth (only Anglo-Saxon queen who had her own coinage) and Emma of Normandy, queen of England and wife of both Ethelred the Unready and Canute. It’s a short book and a whistle stop tour of a very complex period of history and not much academic work had been done on women in that period then but, reading it in 2023, it felt like a gap.

So while I enjoyed the book (and only cost me £2 at a National Trust second hand bookshop in Boscastle - highly recommended), I’m sure you will find more up-to-date books on that period which are more reflective of the latest scholarship and archaeological findings, not to mention more inclusive in its scope.

[Terry Hinkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when you thought you knew everything about Britain. This book recounts the history of the British isles from the beginning of the end of Roman rule until just after the Battle of Hastings when William the Conqueror (Normandy) invaded and ruthlessly destroyed the English army of King Harold.
What surprised me was the result of numerous hostile invasions and wars between Kings inside Britain leaving devastation and despair for it's original inhabitants and those that followed. A brutal history.
From the first Iceni revolt by Prasutagus their leader and his wife the famous Boudica who fought the Romans after his death to the invasion by the Normans.

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in August 2001.

The TV series which this book accompanied was my first introduction to Michael Wood's style of history; then, it was not as personal as it has become (In Search of Alexander and Conquistadors being as much about his own journeying as about the history). Perhaps Wood's background as a Dark Ages scholar has something to do with this, making the book more academic in tone.

In form, the book is a series of examinations of pivotal characters from Britain between the Roman and Norman conquests - Boadicea, King Arthur, the Sutton Hoo body, Offa, Alfred, Athelstan, Eric Bloodaxe, Ethelred the Unready, and William the Conqueror. The emphasis is clearly political; even though the conversion of the English and the disputes between the Roman and Celtic churches are important to the development of medieval Britain, very little is said about them. There is nothing outside England, either, though this may because its history is better documented than other areas of the British Isles.

Of course, the book is not intended to be a narrative history of the period. It is a set of snapshots of prominent secular figures, and if there is any unifying theme, it must be the nature and development of Dark Ages kingship in England. The format certainly has the advantage that even the most uninformed about history are likely to have heard of most of the figures covered. In this way, the book does introduce a reader to the scene of England in the thousand years described here; at the same time, there is plenty of material to interest the reader who starts knowing more.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/833310.html[return][return]This appears to be a book-of-the-TV-series dating from 1981, revised in 1987 (my copy is a 1994 reprint). I imagine the TV series must have been reasonably interesting; sadly, for much of the book I found myself wishing for more relevant illustrations and better maps.[return][return]Wood takes a straightforward tack of structuring his narrative around nine individuals from Boadicea to William the Conqueror (not that I would really have counted either of them as belonging to the 'Dark Ages', but there you go). It doen't always work. One of the nine is the Sutton Hoo Man, and it's difficult to construct a good narrative around someone when the only thing you know for sure about him is that he is dead. And the chapter on Athelstan promised to open our eyes about him and also reveal why he has been allowed to fall into obscurity; I am afraid I found my eyes glazing rather than opening, and if there was an explicit explanation of why we never hear much about him I missed it.[return][return]However, the chapters on King Arthur, Offa and Alfred were all good. (The other two are on Eric Bloodaxe and Ethelred the Unready.) I especially enjoyed the Alfred one; I found myself musing on the history of the Danelaw, which extended much further both south and west than I had realised. As a result of Alfred's efforts it seems to have been completely incorporated into the English polity, disappearing completely as a political entity in its own right.

[Shake n' Vac]

My copy is the original paperback version (all of £3.95 when I got it from new), and it is a book that follows his TV series of the same name. I watched the series again the other day and re-read the book - and the two work very well together, indeed, often the script is mirrored exactly in the book. Wood is theatrical as a presenter - bringing the page to life in his effervescent way, but the book also fills in details from the films and also has an extra chapter on Sutton Hoo. Wood makes his subject easy for the general reader, using archaeology and history, which is an achievement considering how little is really known about many he seeks to tell the story of (Offa still has no biographer). His stories are individual, helped by the fact he misses out figures like Edward the Elder and Edward the Confessor so as to build them into the stories of others and avoid massive overlap. A fun but enlightening read, especially useful if you then progress to a more academic tome (Foot's Aethelstan, Barlow's Confessor or Douglas' Billy the Conk).

[Richard Whale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly readable short account of the Dark Ages. Lively, interesting, well written and informative. Very concerned with the themes of history and the building of Anglo-Saxon England. Lots of detail about the lives of the peasantry as well as the influence of the kings and the power struggles that went on in this period. I really enjoyed this read.