The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror's Subjugation of England

by Teresa Cole

In that fateful year of 1066 three kings ruled England in succession. One was a saint, one a soldier and one a Frenchman. Tradition tells us the conquest of England by the powerful Normans was inescapable, and suggests England benefitted almost at once by closer links with Europe. New discoveries however, have thrown doubt on these long accepted truths. The Battle of Hastings itself has been reassessed, is very site disputed, as too are the whereabouts of the mortal remains of the defeated King Harold. As for the kings themselves; was Edward as saintly and William as dominant as they have been portrayed, and was Harold more than just the hinge on which history turned? Nine and a half centuries later it is appropriate to look again at the course and outcomes of the Norman Conquest of England, the genocide committed in northern England, the wholesale transfer of lands to Norman lords, and the Domesday Book designed to enable every last drop of taxation to be extracted from a subdued kingdom. Includes 40 color illustrations.

Genres: History, Medieval History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published March 14, 2017

Reviews

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even 950 years after the event, the Norman Conquest still provokes division. It seems all but impossible for a historian to approach it without, in the end, taking sides: Norman or Anglo-Saxon, William or Harold. In part this is because the near contemporary sources are almost all Norman – with the exceptions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and, intriguingly, the Bayeux Tapestry – and thus require interrogation. That the Normans, alongside their skill in castle building, were also early masters of the dark art of spin is pretty clear: the question remains, how much was spun?

Teresa Cole firmly takes the Anglo-Saxon cause. She sets the Conquest in the context of the previous century of history, starting with the accession to the throne of England, by the foullest of means, of England’s worst-ever king, Æthelred. Gifted a settled, ordered country by the labours of Alfred the Great and his successors, Æthelred squandered it all, pouring the country’s wealth away in a futile attempt to buy off Viking armies. Finding the country such a cash cow, the Vikings decided to stay and, in 1016, England was conquered, by Cnut.

If there is any one person to blame for the Conquest, that man is Æthelred. A competent, even a less cowardly, king would have been able to face down the Viking threat. But Cnut had set the precedent and when, fifty years later, Edward the Confessor died without an obvious heir, the beasts began to prowl. England had been taken once; it might be taken again.

Cole does a fine job of leading the reader through the events of 1066. In hindsight, whoever you might favour, it’s clear that luck played the greatest part in that bloody series of events. But, of course, for the people of the time, it was not luck, but God’s will. That William should essay such an invasion without a clear belief that God, indeed, willed it seems incredible in the context of the time. His victory, eventually, confirmed it for his contemporaries. Although in reaching this conclusion they forgot Augustine’s dictum that God hates evil but permits it. Deus non vult.

[A Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and at times shocking

This book exposes the myth of the Conquest and reveals it for what it was ... a power grab by one extremely lucky robber baron.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work covers from the late 10th century to the death of William the Conqueror in 1087. There are helpful maps and family trees. At the end of the book, there is also a snippet on the legend of the Hermit of Chester who might have been King Harold after the Battle of Hastings. And she has a section that talks about the sources specifically. In the work itself, she argues that William the Conqueror was a tyrant and not the civilizing king that the Victorians had portrayed. She explains how the English were cultured before the Conquest - having a written language, beautiful buildings, a well-established Church, and were living peacefully (for the most part). Even if Harold had promised William the kingship he would have never really been able to do so because of the Witan. William brought tyranny, violence, and destruction with no real right to the kingship. He was a lucky man and didn't know Harald Hardrada had also attacked at the same time. In the end, the English lost land, money, nobles, important positions, language, churches, a king, and many lives.

[Dave Ciskowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid overview of what happened before, during, and after the conquest. Cole’s work is heavy on actions of the key noble and ecclesiastical participants, mostly because these are the persons most discussed in contemporary sources. This is certainly an interesting component, but at times the narrative is a challenge to follow as it discusses the interplay among people who both share common names and often change sides. Cole is less focused on discussing stories of the common participants in the conquest, including their culture, technology, and society, and while this is understandable, the narrative consequently feels top-heavy. The discussions of the consequences of the conquest are fascinating, and are the most interesting sections of the book. Certainly a worthy read if the historical period is of interest, and vivid at telling the story of William: the Bastard, the Great, and the Conqueror.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, I knew next to nothing about the Norman Conquest of England (except the fact that it took place in 1066) before reading this book. I've been trying to fill in some gaps in my historical knowledge, especially when it comes to England, so this seemed like a good place to start.

This was a good survey of the events leading up to the Conquest, as well as the aftermath of it. The author isn't afraid to criticize and tease apart beliefs that had been held for centuries, and she frankly admits that we just don't know some things about the Conquest (and likely never will, as we are so removed from it now).

Honestly, part of this read like crazy fiction. It's almost impossible that some of this stuff actually happened, and yet it did.

[Sofia Terèse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to review because facts are facts and I am crazy so I enjoy those facts. Written in a less textbook tone than the previous Norman book I read. Also quoted more often from sources which was really exciting. Thorough examination but I think the expanded view put everything in the proper scope for this work. I would recommend this to other crazy people yes. Also enjoyed the reflection at the end. cool way to tie a ribbon on the book while summarizing everything. Also LOVEDDD when Macbeth stuff would come up like omg my bffs. Theyre here. Actually really would have enjoyed knowing about the connection when I read Macbeth but this is cool too. Also some Canterbury Tales mentions I went crazy. Cool book.

[Mark Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A throughly good read about a pivotal event in English history.
It's written in a way that you won't get bogged down by too many stats and really brings to life all of the main players of the time.
The book gives a detailed and interesting build up to 1066 and explains a lot about how and why it all came about.
I also liked the various theories explained at the end, did Harold really die?
This book certainly deserves more reviews and I would highly recommend it.

Straight on to Cole's next book, the aftermath of the Norman Conquest.

[evie scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gets straight to the point. Includes vast amounts of context about the Norman Conquest, it’s causes and impacts. Such a great book when wanting to understand the Norman Conquest as a whole! 🙂

[Glyn Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting at times, but enjoyably readable. RIP Harold Godwinson. It's interesting to contemplate how the world would be different if he had survived 1066.