William the Conqueror: The Bastard of Normandy by Peter Rex
| William the Conqueror: The Bastard of Normandy by Peter Rex | |
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| Category: History | |
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Reviewer: John Van der Kiste
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| Summary: The basic facts of William I's life are inevitably as clouded as those surrounding the Norman conquest, the events and politics which led up to it, and the aftermath. This book provides a succinct account of the life and times of a harsh unlovable man, feared but also respected, ideal for general reader and student alike. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 304 | Date: July 2016 |
| Publisher: Amberley Publishing | |
| ISBN: 9781445660172 | |
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The basic facts of William I's life are inevitably as clouded as those surrounding the Norman conquest, the events and politics which led up to it, and the aftermath. As Peter Rex makes clear in his introduction, any surviving sources are inevitably very incomplete. Moreover, 'the writing of the history of the eleventh century requires the historian to attempt to provide motives and explanations for events that are only sketchily described at best'.
His main motive for writing the book, he explains, was his dissatisfaction with the readiness with which some accept William's actions at face value, coupled with his intention to produce a portrait of the man and his achievements, taking account of the effects on his character of his illegitimate birth and the manner in which he was deprived of close contact with his mother, as well as desertion by his father. His was a personality 'hardened not only in the fires of internecine warfare but in the furnace of a disadvantaged childhood'.
As a specialist in the Norman era, Rex is well qualified to fill in the gaps of a none-too-well documented life. He gives a good portrait of the early life of the son of the unmarried Robert, Duke of Normandy, and his succession as Duke at the age of eight, to a background of anarchy during the first years of his rule as other members of the Norman aristocracy fought for control. A ruthless streak, all too necessary in that day and age, helped him to assert his authority, as did his marriage to Matilda of Flanders. The portrait emerges of an avaricious, often cruel ruler yet an unfailingly faithful husband with what seems to have been a happy family life. Even so, his controlling nature meant that he often had a difficult relationship with some of his sons, particularly Robert, the eldest and his designated successor to the Duchy.
There is a good summary of the issues surrounding his dealings with King Harold, the conquest of England and the battle of Hastings. We are provided with some useful assessments of William's character, with the caveat that such contemporary chroniclers as there were either had a vested interest in hagiography or demonology. The consensus is that he was a competent rather than inspired general who benefited handsomely from the mistakes and disunity of his enemies. With his ambition and love of power, he inspired great loyalty in his followers – admittedly those who had most to benefit from supporting him – and fierce hatred in others. The Domesday Book has sometimes been presented as an innovative record, very much ahead of his time. Rex acknowledges that it stands as a monument to his power and that there is nothing similar anywhere else in eleventh-century Europe. At the same time, he says, it reflects his avarice, and had he lived longer he would almost certainly have used it to extract as much money from his subjects as he possibly could.
William was very much a man of his time. A pious character and conventionally 'a good Christian' yet a cruel one, he believed that God was on his side and was probably conscious of the fact that his mastery of England owed a certain amount to good fortune. He was a harsh unlovable man, responsible for the devastation of northern England, a man whose most lasting achievements – the conquest of England his his resulting subjugation of the kingdom – meant much loss of life. He was feared but also respected. As a fairly short, succinct account of his life and times, this makes an admirable volume for general reader and student alike.
For a life of King William's consort, Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, first Queen of England by Tracy Borman is recommended, as is a historical overview of his reign and the years that followed, The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris. You might also enjoy The Warrior Queen: The Life and Legend of Aethelflaed, Daughter of Alfred the Great by Joanna Arman.
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You can read more book reviews or buy William the Conqueror: The Bastard of Normandy by Peter Rex at Amazon.com.
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