William the Conqueror

by George Edward Slocombe

At once the most familiar name in English history and the least-known of their kings, William the Conqueror towers above his contemporaries and throws a long shadow of ruthless achievement down to our own time. The man who planned and carried out the invasion of England, which long afterwards both Napoleon and Hitler planned but abandoned, was no ordinary mediaeval warrior.

Many features of the Norman Conquest remain obscure, but the drama and its characters are Shakespearian in colour and intensity. These are the qualities that George Slocombe has captured, finding his way with scholarly discernment among the confusions, contradictions and complexities of his sources to produce a narrative of undoubted power.

From the outset the strange career of the bastard child of Robert the Magnificent and Arlette, the daughter of a tanner at Falaise, fires the imagination. Ruler of Normandy at the age of eight, William was to wage successful war both against his own rebellious barons and his overlord, the King of France. Even in his marriage with Matilda of Flanders he was to defy the ban of the Pope, and his conquest of England was to change the course of history by bringing his new kingdom into the European world in which it was to play an increasingly important part. Only less striking are the other figures in the drama of this turbulent period -- the great Norse warrior Harold Hardrada, Earl Godwin and Harold of England, the Lady Emma, the churchman Lanfranc, the English outlaw Hereward the Wake, and Odo, Bishop of Bayeaux.

In the Norman countryside, so rich in memories of William, the characters and events of his story seem to come alive again. George Slocombe has made his home there for many years, and it is this sense of the living past that he has so successfully conveyed in this biography.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Medieval History, Childrens

271 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1959

About the author

George Slocombe was a journalist who wrote for the British newspaper the London Daily Herald from 1912 until 1916, and again from 1919 until 1931, during which time he served as the newspaper's chief foreign correspondent. Slocombe later wrote for the Evening Standard.

Reviews

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Slocombe was a British journalist who also wrote several history books as well. In 1959 he wrote this excellent biography of William the Conqueror.

William the First, William the Bastard, Duke William of Normandy, of the myriad titles his most famous one is William the Conqueror. William lived from 1028 till 1087. The bastard son of Duke Robert I of Normandy and a rather mysterious mother, the young William faced a great deal of tragedy and conflict. The violently troublesome Norman nobles were a constant source of tension and danger. When William's father died on a trip to Jerusalem, the nobles conspired to either seize control of William's inheritance or gain control of William. Instead, the young William showed himself to be a ruthless and skilled warrior and leader.

Slocombe puts forth the reason why Edward the Confessor likely did promise the throne to William. This would lead to William's invasion of 1066. Slocombe also explains the Norman campaigns in England and the great Harrowing of the North. William's reign will end as it began-in battle.

Slocombe is able to show all sides of William. A man who is at once ruthless but fair. Pious but capable of supreme violence. A King who cared about his kingdom but had no issue with killing those who opposed him.

The writing style is quite good and the story is very engaging. I learned a few interesting tidbits as well (always a joy when reading a history book)

[Marlowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was talking to my mom about reading the Narnia books to my son, she mentioned that she has a few children's books that we might want to look through. There, on her shelf, was an extensive collection of Random House historical biographies for children from the 1950s.

These books had been my mother's when she was a child, then enjoyed by me, and I picked out a few to share with a third generation - our first was William the Conqueror.

At five, my son is perhaps a little young for this series, but he followed along in his own age-appropriate way. The battle scenes, which enthralled me as an 8-10 year old, we're a little too intense. There are also a few authorial asides (particularly with regards to gender roles) that made me uncomfortable enough to turn into Teachable Moments.

But, for the most part, this book holds up. The vocabulary is a bit challenging, and the narrative voice doesn't lend itself well to out-loud reading, but it's a great introduction to historical concepts. And while I can't vouch for the accuracy of all the historical facts, the book lays an excellent foundation for helping kids to get a feel for a time period and a familiarity with essential names.

The writing style can be very repetitive, and seemed to have trouble deciding whether it wanted to show or to tell. It's unfortunate because the book, on the whole, is great fun.

[Best British Biographies · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Landmark Books series was a staple of public libraries throughout the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Geared towards elementary and middle-school students, they provided accessible and entertaining accounts of a range of historical topics. While the books initially focused on American subjects, a spinoff series, “World Landmark Books,” took on everything from the pharaohs to the Korean War. For a generation of readers, they served as their introduction to the subject – and quite possibly the only book they might ever read about it.

For the rest of my review, click on the link:

https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2021/...

[Kelly Hohenstern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another landmark book. This one went more in depth for the life of William. Very interesting to learn about his out of wedlock birth. How he had to fight constantly to get the kingdom and keep it. Fascinating story.

[Private Account · Rating 2 out of 5]

My seven year old enjoyed this book. I thought it was just okay and had questionable historical accuracy in the details.

[Midori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing I can say about this book is that even though we had read about the Norman Conquest already in a couple of books, as we read this book we became invested in the outcome. I think my kids (aged 9-14) are still mad that Harold lost. I am sure they won’t quickly forget what 1066 means and who William and the Normans were.

I’m not a critic, but I enjoyed Costain’s writing style. It was informative but he definitely had opinions about things, and that made it feel like a living book to me.

[Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very straightforward biography of William the Conqueror. I read this when I was twenty-two and was very proud of myself, not being someone with much of a background in history. I've always been a reader of short stories and novels. But I was determined to read this biography. The flyleaf copy (reproduced in Goodreads' summary, which I put there, Goodreads Librarian that I am) makes it sound as if this book is worshipful of William. My impression was that Slocombe, recognizing the Conqueror as a Prime Mover in history, was, nevertheless, appalled at the brutality the man showed. For example, when Slocombe tells us that William once ordered the cutting off of one hand and one foot of each of his prisoners, he tells the reader he finds this abominable. This book tells a good story, but it is not cozy. Slocombe doesn't bother with excess analysis. This book appears to be out of print. I find this a real shame.
If you Google George Slocombe, you'll find he was acquainted with James Joyce and that Joyce told him he was the ONLY English critic to have reviewed POMES PENYEACH. If Joyce said something like that to an Englishman, it meant he liked him. Slocombe's book on William the Conqueror is written in flawlees, economical prose. If you can find a copy, get it.

[Best British Biographies]

One of the more interesting differences between the biographies of William the Conqueror and those of his predecessors is the greater percentage of them that have been written by non-historians. This is probably due to a combination of factors, namely the greater amount of material available about William and his epochal role in English history. One of the consequences of this is not just a greater number of books about William’s life but a greater diversity of approaches as well in terms of recounting it.

For the rest of my review, click on the link:

https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2021/...

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of all time!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book off our shelf of Landmarks for bedtime reading. I’d say it’s appropriate for late elementary to middle school reading, and a good supplement for any homeschool students who’ve been fed a diet of English history through “Our Island Story” and the like. The story of Harold Godwinson and Duke William of Normandy is fleshed out with engaging writing and further detail.

[Marti Martinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for kids, but still very interesting. At times, however, it seemed the author was trying to paint this Norman, war-mongering, tyrant in a good light.

In another multiverse, it was Harold Hardrada that fought William the Norman.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine account of the subject. Read this and you'll be able to competently discuss Will the Conqueror at your next cocktail party.

[Paithan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neat little book. I appreciate the author telling history as a story, rather than a grocery list style recounting of one event after another.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to the children. It was good. Pretty critical of W the I.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Costain is at his best when writing history. I enjoy his novels, but absolutely love when he just writes history. This is a great book for anyone interested in an easy and quick read about William the Conqueror. My absolutely favorite chapter in this book is about Heraward the Wake. If you don't know anything about him, you are missing out. Costain claims that he was likely an inspiration for Robin Hood.

[Jaeger Matthias · Rating 5 out of 5]

on the morning of october 14th, 1066, chill winds swept up from the sea. the 2 armies were facing each other.a battle cry echoed from the English ranks "no normans!" from the English there came a cry "dieu aide!' (french)

[Johannes Kristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. It tells about battles he fought and his childhood.

[JaNel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about William, but the chapter on Hereward the Wake steals the show.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not readily available, and that is a shame. It is a comprehensive yet easy to read book that tells the story of one of the most influential people of the Middle Ages.

[Abby Mace · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book was too short with not enough information to get a good sense of who William the Conqueror was.