William the Conqueror (The English Monarchs Series) - Hardcover

Bates, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300118759 ISBN 13: 9780300118759

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2009

Synopsis

Fifteen years in the making, a landmark reinterpretation of the life of a pivotal figure in British and European history

In this magisterial addition to the Yale English Monarchs series, David Bates combines biography and a multidisciplinary approach to examine the life of a major figure in British and European history. Using a framework derived from studies of early medieval kingship, he assesses each phase of William’s life to establish why so many trusted William to invade England in 1066 and the consequences of this on the history of the so-called Norman Conquest after the Battle of Hastings and for generations to come.
 
A leading historian of the period, Bates is notable for having worked extensively in the archives of northern France and discovered many eleventh- and twelfth-century charters largely unnoticed by English-language scholars. Taking an innovative approach, he argues for a move away from old perceptions and controversies associated with William’s life and the Norman Conquest. This deeply researched volume is the scholarly biography for our generation.

About this title

From the Publisher

William the Conqueror was a formidable personality, whose political imagination and ruthless will were the driving force of the Norman Conquest of England. In this biography, David Bates describes the full scope of William’s achievements in both Normandy and England, setting them firmly in the context of Europe in an age of change and turmoil. William showed himself to be an outstanding soldier and an extremely effective ruler, who combined great fortitude with an unbending insistence on his own authority. He was also cruel, greedy and intolerant—a man who pitilessly stamped out opposition and shamelessly manipulated facts to justify dubious enterprises.

David Bates is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Glasgow and is regarded as a leading expert on William the Conqueror. His other books include Domesday Book, also published by Tempus.

About the Author

David Bates is professorial fellow, University of East Anglia. His books include Normandy Before 1066 and The Normans and Empire. He lives in Cambridge, UK.

About this edition

• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0300118759
• ISBN 13: 9780300118759
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 616