A radical retelling of the most important event in English history - the Norman invasion of 1066. The Norman Conquest is the single most important event in English history. On this invasion and 'regime change' pivoted the second millennium of English history. This is well recognised, what is not is how long and hard the English people fought to deny William 'the Bastard', Duke of Normandy his prize. Rather than being the smooth transition peddled by pro-Norman historians, the Norman Conque...

Harold Godwinson, King of England, was unable to defend his realm from William the Conqueror’s invading Norman army in 1066. The Normans wreaked havoc across the country and changed the history of England forever. This full-scale biography of England’s last Anglo-Saxon king reveals an astute political operator who, as Earl of Wessex, won the affection of the English people and the support of Edward the Confessor to succeed him. Peter Rex tells the story of a formidable warrior-king killed ...

In 1066 the English were conquered by the infamous William the Conqueror. However, the English did not just roll over and die before their oppressors; far from it. For over five years the English violently rebelled against the invading Normans, murdering quislings, burning towns and sacking cathedrals. Peter Rex tells the story of each rebellion, their often colourful leaders (including Hereward the Wake, Edgar the Aetheling and Eadric the Wild) and the rebels themselves, whom the Normans ...

Which king's guards massacred a group of his supporters by mistake? Who had an oversized tongue and had to slobber when they ate food? Who was so large when they died that they had to be buried in a square coffin? Who survived seven assassination attempts? As you can tell from the bizarre questions above, it wasn't all thrones and sceptres for British kings and queens. Some of them were completely batty, and others were downright vicious. On the other hand, some monarchs were an icon to th...

Stephen's reign was one of the darkest periods of English history. He had promised Henry I that he would support the king's daughter, Matilda, as the rightful heir to the English throne, but when Henry dies in December 1135 he broke his promise and quickly made himself king. Like many of the nobles, he was unwilling to yield the crown to a woman. Civil wars and the battle for the English Crown dominated his reign, and this fascinating book examines the conflict between Ste...

A look at what world history might have been like if not for the fall of the Western Roman Empire.This is a fascinating exploration of how the history of Europe, and indeed the world, might have been different if the Western Roman Empire had survived the crises that pulled it apart in the fourth and fifth centuries.The author starts by showing how that survival and recovery might plausibly have happened if several relatively minor things had been different....

King Harold Godwineson is one of history's shadowy figures, known mainly for his defeat and death at the Battle of Hastings. His true status and achievements have been overshadowed by the events of October 1066 and by the bias imposed by the Norman victory. In truth, he deserves to be recalled as one of the greatest rulers. Harold: The Last Anglo-Saxon King sets out to correct this distorted image by presenting Harold's life in its proper context, offering the fir...

This biography of an overlooked but important Anglo-Saxon ruler sheds light on the Dark Ages of England.In the eighth century, Offa ruled Mercia, one of the strongest Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. For over thirty years he was the dominant warlord in the territory south of the Humber River and the driving force behind the expansion of Mercia's power. During that turbulent period, Offa commanded Mercian armies in their struggle against the neighboring kingdoms of Northumbria ...

A stunning history of power, love and greed in 11th-century England - the remarkable story of Queen Emma and the Vikings'Harriet O'Brien recreates this intriguing and complex world with skill and imagination' Daily Telegraph'O'Brien's story is a dramatic one, and her Queen Emma a commanding, shrewd and manipulative figure ... genuinely powerful' GuardianEmma was one of England's most remarkable quee...

This historical study upends the traditional narratives surrounding the Norman Conquest by revealing the true location of its most important battle.The Duke of Normandy's victory at the Battle of Hastings on October 14th, 1066, was one of the most important events in English history. As such, its every detail has been analyzed by scholars and interpreted by historians. Yet one of the most fundamental aspect of the battle—the ground upon which it was fought—has never...

This book reveals the true identity of Arthur, and locates his courts and long-forgotten battle sites such as Badon and Camlan. It also uncovers the secret of the mysterious Isle of Avalon and Arthur's resting place in a Breton church. The authors present a convincing and conclusive answer to the puzzle of King Arthur. Glossary of terms in Welsh and English. Bibliography. Index. 78 illustrations.

First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, John Blair's Very Short Introduction to the Anglo-Saxon Age covers the emergence of the earliest English settlements to the Norman victory in 1066. This book is a brief introduction to the political, social, religious, and cultural history of Anglo-Saxon England. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost ever...