The fight with Robert gave Henry a great chance to replace the old conquest families with his own men, and particularly in the Welsh Marches. And this week we alsoRead More
king
25 Death of a Conqueror
The last years of William the Conqueror’s reign were mainly the meat and drink of the Norman King – beating off other feudal lords, keeping your nobles down, trying notRead More
24 Revolt of the Earls
It took William the Conqueror a few more years until he felt safe from the English. But when the Revolt of the Earls collapsed in 1075, English revolution was overRead More
23 William the Conqueror and the subjugation of England
After 1066 William the Conqueror set about ruling his new kingdom. The impression we get is that England rolls over rather easily – where was the heroic struggle we mightRead More
22 1066 and Goodbye to all That
1066 was a year that changed a lot of things – though not as much as you might think. 3 experienced war leaders fought for control of England – andRead More
21 The Normans – a race unbridled
The Normans made a massive impact on Europe, not just England. They went on to establish a kingdom in Southern Italy, and lead the Crusades and the resulting state ofRead More
20 Anglo Saxon England in the 11th Century
Anglo Saxon England has been seen by some commentators as a bit of a basket case by 1066 – out of date and ready to be conquered. But actually EnglandRead More
19 Edward the Confessor
Edward enjoyed one year of independence in 1051-2, before the return of Godwin forced him into humiliating submission. But after Godwin’s death the following year, the rest of his reignRead More
18 The End of the Danish Dynasty, Edward the Confessor and the Rise of the Great men
Cnut’s dynasty survived him by only 7 years, and in 1042 the house of Cerdic returned in the form of Edward the Confessor. Edward is an enigma – weak manRead More
17 Cnut the Conqueror
Cnut was pretty much the complete king. Conqueror of the English, ruler of a Scandinavian empire that spanned 4 countries. And a man who knewRead More
13 Another and last Golden Age
Edgar the Peaceable’s reign was a golden age of peace, prosperity and monastic reform. Unfortunately, once he’d gone his wife stuck a knife into her stepson, and the trouble startsRead More
12 The last King in Jorvik
Edmund the Magnificent and Eadred finally defeat Eric Bloodaxe, the last king of Jorvik. But there are some social clouds on the horizon in the History of England. TheRead More