Empires of the Normans: Makers of Europe, Conquerors of Asia
£4.70
‘Powerful’ The Economist
‘Fascinating, panoramic . . . Roach brings an expert eye and page-turning energy’ Helen Castor, bestselling author of She Wolves
‘Narrated with pace, clarity, authority and style, Roach’s book is a bracing tour of the world that the Normans made their own’ Thomas Williams, bestselling author of Viking Britain
‘A fresh retelling . . . written with enthusiasm and brio’ Marc Morris, bestselling author of The Anglo-Saxons
How did descendants of Viking marauders come to dominate Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East?
It is a tale of ambitious adventures and fierce freebooters, of fortunes made and fortunes lost. The Normans made their influence felt across all of western Europe and the Mediterranean, from the British Isles to North Africa, and Lisbon to the Holy Land. In Empires of the Normans we discover how they combined military might and political savvy with deeply held religious beliefs and a profound sense of their own destiny. For a century and a half, they remade Europe in their own image, and yet their heritage was quickly forgotten – until now.
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Additional information
| Publisher | John Murray (23 Jun. 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 8689 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 369 pages |
by James Nelson
An excellent portrait of a vibrant race of warrior settlers
by jon
I devoured Marc Morris’s popular history of the Norman Conquest when it came out and found this book to be every bit as enjoyable as that one but with the added bonus of having a wider canvas to cover. Like Morris’s book, this is a popular history, but the writer’s credentials and well-judged use of footnotes will also please those of an academic bent. Until now I’ve focused particularly on the Normans in Normandy and England, but this book for the first time succeeded in fully drawing me into their adventures in southern Italy, Anatolia and elsewhere. If you enjoy the approach to history of writers such as Peter Heather (popular but with the voice of academic authority and a knack for presenting nuggets of wonderful insights) you’ll feel right at home here. I filled almost every page of my Kindle copy with notes and highlights, and despite my obsession with Medieval history it’s been some time since I’ve been so engrossed in a book. My congratulations and thanks to the author. I predict it will be a couple of generations before an author and their publisher feel justified in trying to improve on this work by covering the same ground in a serious popular history.
by Red
Great
by greasey
This is yet another book about the Norman dynasty. I was rather disappointed with this as it doesn’t offer anything new that we don’t already know about this period. I also didn’t like the fact that there are no genealogies or family trees in this book, showing the Duke’s of Normandy descended from Rollo, or the other Norman’s such as Iron Arm whom founded the kingdom of Scilly. Overall only 3 stars.
by Cecelia
The delivery was very good and the book (a gift) looks interesting.
Unfortunately the dust cover was slightly damaged,which suggests it was already damaged when it was packaged as the package itself was undamaged. I am not returning the item as the recipient says it will be fine, the book itself is not damaged, but I find the slight damage to the dust cover very annoying,especially having paid the full hard back price.
by guidoliguori
So much better than the last book that I read on the subject (
The Normans: Power, Conquest and Culture in 11th Century Europe). There is no attempt to reduce the impact of what the Normans achieved. Instead, the book lays out the good and the not-so-good with a clear analysis of the why. The Normans were never going to emulate the Romans coming from a relatively small dutchy but nonetheless, they made their mark even though much of what they achieved it not so well known. That the author doesn’t just focus on the 1066 invasion is a plus point.
by c r orton-jones
Ah the Normans! William the Conqueror may be the most famous, but what about Robert Guiscard who left Normandy with five mounted riders and thirty followers on foot (according to Anna Comnena) and conquered half of Italy, sacked Rome and expelled the Byzantines? And the other marauders and adventurers?
This excellent book covers the Normans in digestible form. A chapter per episode. Highly readable. Scholarly too – Levi Roach subtly weaves in his sources, so you’ll pick up which chronicler tells us what. Highly recommended
by Kindle Customer
A very well researched book, with lots of detail. While the reader may find it heavy going at times and frustrated at repeated events which go backwards in time, they will be much more knowledgeable about 1066 and all that!