In the next KNIGHT HARALDE, learn how Rhys reveals the mechanics and the Zen spirituality of shooting Storyline - Two men splash ashore into William the Conqueror's The Ransomed Crown (The Saga of Roland Inness Book 4).
Table of contents
- The Battle of Hastings as it might have appeared to a soldier in the conflict…
- Get A Copy
- Battle of Hastings
- Cookies on the BBC website
- by Frank McLynn
Didn't you learn that in book one? Rural idyll is replaced by a bloody battle for survival. Not only in war against new and old enemies, but in personal battles against men who should be allies. After a while, this book was dense with action. And so on and so forth. I confess, despite liking the book a lot, some of the long fight scenes I had to skim read and that is the reason I could not squeeze this book to the full 5 stars. In my opinion, some of the protracted battle scenes could have been less so. Of course others will disagree. Those who love battle sequences will relish this read to its climax.
If battles and fight scenes in historical fiction are your poison, then you are going to love this book.
The Battle of Hastings as it might have appeared to a soldier in the conflict…
If you are like me and prefer battle or fight scenes to take up minor parts of a book, then you may not love the book entirely, but I still suspect you will like it a lot for, outside of the battles, it has plenty to offer. I liked the first book of this series. It got raw sometimes and there was much room for improvement, but I found here in Book two, this rawness was not present. A much more refined read.. The author has fine skill and a bright future in the genre of historical fiction if he chooses to stay in it.
Nov 16, Paula Lofting rated it it was amazing Shelves: Not all Normans are baddies! I read the first book and was impressed that I could enjoy a well written book from the POV of a Norman knight and vowed that I would read the second book. I'm not a prolific reader, mainly because of time, but I finally got around to it and I have to say I enjoyed reading this bo Not all Normans are baddies!
I'm not a prolific reader, mainly because of time, but I finally got around to it and I have to say I enjoyed reading this book as well as its predecessor. In book 2, Tancred, our protagonist, has been rewarded for his bravery and success in the north with a manor in Earnford near the Welsh border. It is a year later, and there he settles down with a common-law wife, Leofrun and she is heavily pregnant when the book begins, with his child.
Get A Copy
Tancred, being the nice guy that he is, has earned the loyalty of his villagers who are grateful when Tancred helps them retrieve their women and children from the invading Welsh. Unaware that he has incurred the envy and hatred of fellow knight Berengar, Tancred rides off to fight once more for his king and lord, Robert Malet, but Berengar is not the only man who wants Tancred's death and this young Norman knight has to fight for his life against more than one antagonist. James Aitcheson is an excellent writer, his prose is well written in the first person and tells the story from Tancred's point of view which the reader feels they are privy to the depth of the character's soul.
We don't however get to know Tancred any better than we already have from the first book, Sword Sword. We know that he is loyal, brave, a skilled warrior, fair and just, and that there is a dark side to him also that causes him to almost get himself killed a few times. We also know that despite being an invader, he lacks the arrogance of what we have been led to believe about those that came to England in , who thought the English stupid and uncouth.
Tancred learns to love his people to the point that he would protect them with his life. This made me warm to him and I cared about what happened to him and those he tries to protect. The plot is well thought out and Mr Aitcheson has made good use of the historical facts that surrounds it.
Battle of Hastings
He paints a very good picture of what it must have been like to have lived and fought in battle in those days and I felt as though I had been transported back to the time and to the place as it was in the 11thc. Most of the English characters, however, real characters like Eadric the Wild and Edgar the Atheling are often portrayed as stupid and uncouth. This can grate a little, but only slightly, for we have to remember that this is a book written in the first person and we are seeing the events unfold as he saw them, and we see how these people might have looked to him, stupid and uncouth!
But this wasn't a problem that made me not want to read it, I was easily able to shake this off and those who know that I am anti-Norman will know that this is a challenge for me and the fact that I could shake it off and be objective most of the time is a testimony to Mr Aitcheson's writing. There are some really emotional and heart rendering pieces in the book that left me really rooting for Tancred. I felt his suffering when he suffered and prayed that those last minute reprieves would happen. In one case, one of his friends is murdered and I felt myself welling up, just as Tancred does.
Mr Aitcheson's ability to write such powerful scenes are a something that he does with enormous empathy and skill. Aitcheson well deserves 5 stars for this book. And so it is with great pleasure I await my chance to read the third in the series, Knights of the Hawk and I am especially looking forward to The Harrowing https: Tancred a Dinant goes from strength to strength! A superb read, a great follow on from Sworn Sword and now one my favourite series. However, Tancred appears to have developed further and he exudes more conscience and chivalry, in between the battle hunger, than the brash arrogant Uhtred.
Tancred really is put through his paces in The Splintered Kingdom and he faces Tancred a Dinant goes from strength to strength! Tancred really is put through his paces in The Splintered Kingdom and he faces many difficult decisions and journeys that literally had me eager to turn every page. Having gained so much from his exploits in Sworn Sword, Tancred stands dangerously close to losing everything here. A mix of ill fortune and deception puts Tancred on the brink of destruction and his steely determination is tested to the maximum once again.
And to complicate matters further for both him and the reader! Great pace, a real page turner, and just a book you have to read if you like medieval history. My name is Tancred. And I am your death. In this action packed novel, the reader is drawn into the world of Tancred a Dinant in the years following the Norman invasion of England.
It is easy to believe that after the battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror simply marched into England and lived happily ever after. In Splintered Kingdom , author James Aitcheson, exposes the truth about this period. Tancred is everything a medieval knight is expected to be. He is brave to the point of recklessness, My name is Tancred. He is brave to the point of recklessness, loyal to his lord and king, and ready to welcome a bloody death. He is ruthless with his enemies, but willing to stand up for those who are weak. Brash and impetuous, Tancred sometimes creates his own problems, but reader cannot help but cheer for him.
This novel begins with Tancred in relative peace and prosperity earned by his exploits in the invasion of Four years have passed, and, rather than becoming fat and lazy off his lands, Tancred finds himself marching off to war again. But will he fight the Welsh, English, or Danes? The Normans are hemmed in by enemies, and Tancred wonders if they will be able to hold onto this island they paid so dear a price for. In the midst of as much battle action and gore as the reader could desire, we are also given a glimpse of the softer side of Tancred. He longs for a family and mourns the woman he lost.
His skill in battle is employed to protect his friends as much or more than himself, and he is willing to sacrifice himself if he believes it will save those he loves. When he finds himself betrayed to an enemy, he is brought low and wonders if he will survive. I could go on and on, but do not wish to give away too much.
Aitcheson is a skilled writer who expertly recreates 11th century England and the people who lived, fought, loved, and died there.
Cookies on the BBC website
Well, if you think Tancred got into enough trouble with his lord being murdered by a hoarde of anglo-saxons and then getting involved with a traitorous cleric who was trying to salvage the body of the 'usurper' Harold Godwineson - think again! James Aitcheson brings back the scary revelation of how troublesome the years after were and in Splintered Kingdom he reveals that it wasn't just the English wanting to get rid of the Normans, the Welsh also were quite good at kicking up a fuss.
Such Well, if you think Tancred got into enough trouble with his lord being murdered by a hoarde of anglo-saxons and then getting involved with a traitorous cleric who was trying to salvage the body of the 'usurper' Harold Godwineson - think again! Such attacks by the Welsh were like pesky mosquito bites to the fragile Norman regime William was trying to enforce and Tancred becomes not just personally devestated by such attacks but also embroiled in an attempt to crush the Welsh rebellions once and for all.
But James doesn't leave the plot line as tidy as that for the strategy fails and backfires horribly on Tancred's honour creating new enemies and estranging his closest comrades in arms. But if you think that is the worse Tancred has to face well dear reader each stage of this battle-full saga will break your heart for our dearest Norman knight as much worse is yet to come and Tancred will have to somehow survive if he is to keep his name intact let alone a head on his shoulders. This is a truly astonishing sequel to Sworn Sword, more packed with battles, enemies, blood-shed, trauma and of course shock and horror as events unfold to a climactic ending which no one will see coming and leaves us all gasping not just for breath but the adventures to continue in the next book.
As a firm viking fan I must admitt, James Aitcheson has shown that the Vikings didn't have all the fun adventures and battles, for Normans invading and conquering a foreign land, every day was a new adventure and a new battle to be fought and won. A sequel to his debut this is even better. Tancred has been awarded a manor for his services to Lord Robert. The catch is that the manor is on the Welsh border and the Welsh aren't happy with Norman neighbours.
Raiding from small parties is bad enough but rumour has it that some English thegns have allied to the Welsh kings to assist the Aethling win England back from William. Tancred is summoned away from his manor to serve his lord who has come to Shrewsbury to form an alliance with Fitz Osbern A sequel to his debut this is even better. Tancred is summoned away from his manor to serve his lord who has come to Shrewsbury to form an alliance with Fitz Osbern. He once again finds himself making enemies amongst his fellow knights as well as discovering there is a price on his head from the Aethling after York!
History with blood and guts and grim truth about fighting in the early medieval period. With action from Wales all the way up to York it shows the extent of the battles William had to face to cement his hold on his new kingdom after Hastings. It was a nasty time as William wasn't too happy about the rebellions. Tancred really doesn't have a good time in this book!
Hope the next one brings him a bit more joy This book was better than the first one in the series, mostly due to author's better character development. In many instances it was really similar to Bernard Cornwell 's writing. However, there are still things to improve. For example, it is quite obvious that author is very well versed with the historical background of his story, but IMHO he did not incorporate this knowledge into the story enough.
Bernard Cornwell has this ability to include little details that even though are not necessary fo This book was better than the first one in the series, mostly due to author's better character development. Bernard Cornwell has this ability to include little details that even though are not necessary for the plot, they create more intimate relationship between the reader and the described period.
I hope to see more of this in the next book of the series. Was tracking for 4 stars until about two thirds to three quarters of the way through when it lost its way a little bit in my view, but still worth the effort. For his books to be this good so early in his career suggests he has a great future and we can look forward to some good reads in the future.
If I read a better, more satisfying book, of the Historical Fiction or any other genre this next year - I'll be astounded. Or for many years to come. Or at least until the next in the 'Bloody Aftermath' series. The 'Splintered Kingdom' really is that good. Superbly plotted and well paced, it is a thought-provoking, richly nuanced and tremendously satisfying book. A vivid, convincing imagining of a tumultuous period in England's history. A book alive with incident, battles, tense last-minute resc If I read a better, more satisfying book, of the Historical Fiction or any other genre this next year - I'll be astounded.
by Frank McLynn
A book alive with incident, battles, tense last-minute rescues and not least, perhaps the most satisfying of all; alive with possibilities for the future direction s of the story. But hey, read on Set in , 'The Splintered Kingdom' is of course, a follow-on from the first in the ' The Bloody Aftermath' series, yet is so self-contained that while you really owe it to yourself to go read 'Sworn Sword' now , you absolutely can get the most out of 'Splintered Kingdom' without having done so. In this case; a Frenchman's Englishman's home is now his castle!
The estate was given to him by his lord Robert Malet, who…well look, you're just going to have to read 'Sworn Sword now, aren't you? The area is close to the ancient Offa's Dyke and therefore too close for comfort to the Welsh border. Life on the estate is generally happy and peaceful, judging by the lovely passages describing Tancred's life and the countryside surrounding Earnford. However, tensions with their Welsh neighbours are never far below the surface and in invading Britain, the Normans have of course, stormed in the middle of an age-old conflict between the English and the Welsh - the reason why Offa had his dyke built in the first place and Tancred has to start by leading his men on a hunt after some of their women are captured and taken hostage.
Tancred is obviously respected, perhaps even liked, by his subjects and has found himself a new woman, pregnant now with their first child. His assimilation into local life as the estate's new Lord seems complete, even though we're not more than four years after the Conquest; "French and English making merry together: I hadn't thought I'd live to see it happen", as Tancred says at the celebration the whole village throws following the safe return of most of the hunters and hostages.
- 12.24% The Most Effective Retail Employee Error Reduction Strategies.
- The Aphrodisiac Encyclopaedia: A Compendium of Culinary Come-ons.
- Rich Girls!
- Wildfire.
Clearly this is something of a pleasant surprise for him. But, perhaps not surprisingly, Tancred soon finds out that while the ordinary English people on his property may, if not like him, at least tolerate him - the English rebels don't like him. He is a marked man and there's a price on his head. The English rebels remember, this story is told from a Norman point of view have allied themselves with the Welsh and want him dead. Not just him obviously, Normans in general, but him in particular. Then again, the English lords now opposed to Tancred and the Normans, were ones who fought alongside Harold at Hastings, but survived.
They swore fealty to William, yet haven't just gone quietly into the night. They are perhaps understandably more than a little miffed at the new King William giving their old lands away as rewards to his fellow Normans. So some have moved over the border into Wales and allied themselves with everyone's ancient enemy, the Welsh.
All in the hope of driving their new, common enemy, out. The Welsh they once had to hold at bay now help in attacking their old lands! Meanwhile, off in the north, the English rebels even ally themselves with the Norman's old cousins, the Vikings, who are trying to invade again after Harald Hardrada's failed attempt to beat the English back in '66 at the battle of Stamford Bridge.
Which of course, delayed and weakened Harold Godwinson's progress south to fight William and the Normans. Old scores and generations' old hatreds might have to wait. What James does especially well in 'The Splintered Kingdom' I feel, is set out how all these many contradictions play on the surface, while always hinting at the tensions that simmer just beneath, as the story rolls on, gathering new elements, constantly building and unfolding.
Like following a wisp of smoke as it grows thicker leading back to its fire, I thought. Or, given the way the country and life down on Tancred's English manor is described at the start; as clouds gathering on a clear summer's afternoon, with the promise of a coming storm. And the storm comes. Warnings of trouble brewing elsewhere in the supposedly conquered kingdom come and Tancred is ordered away to help the fight. Something that he imagined he would relish, but when confronted with the reality, he's suddenly not so sure; "For all the times in the past year that I had longed to lead my conroi into battle, I had never thought that when the summons came it would feel like this.
Is England changing him? Can he square his Viking warrior roots and lust for battle, with the demands of looking after a growing local community who depend on him?
- History for busy people.
- The Writers Essential Tackle Box: Getting a Hook on the Publishing Industry (Get It Write).
- Medienarbeit für Rechtsanwälte: Ein Handbuch für effektive Kanzlei-PR (German Edition).
- Strokes At Midnight.
Conflicts, tensions and enemies mount, the fragile control the Normans had over the kingdom starts to shatter and Tancred must set off to defend a land he once helped conquer but now calls home. Nothing is straightforward, nothing is as it seems - there are twists, turns, contradictions, shifting alliances and, as my old Grandma used to say; "dirty dickery" galore - as you'll find. The principle of my enemy's enemy being my friend and the least worst choice, abounds.
The whole thing careers unstoppably onwards, via tense chases, ambushes and more double-crossing. On to a nail-biting climax in York, Tancred's old stamping ground from 'Sworn Sword'. You just knew it. It can't be stopped. I really did feel a lot of times, 'The Splintered Kingdom' read like there was a film playing in my head. A film, where everything seems nice and peaceful and sunny and tranquil and relaxed. But you know when you bought the ticket that it said 'thriller' and you know there's a shock or double cross coming. You know it, there must be.
But you just don't know when. You know it's coming. You want the character to look round and see what you can see is behind him. You want to skip ahead to the end of the paragraph and find out, but you don't dare spoil the tension. You can't close your eyes of course. You can't stop it. You know it's coming, but even so, when it does - BANG! It's still a shock. You're thrilled to be thrilled. I had several of these moments during 'The Splintered Kingdom'. I could HEAR the sweet music playing as I read and then tripped and fell headlong down a bank into a huge surprise a couple of times the wife had to ask why I was saying 'Ha!
And there is one HUGE surprise towards the end of the novel. One which suddenly throws the whole thing open again and makes you wish James hadn't stopped where he has I'm currently wrapping pens, paper, more coffee and ProPlus pills to send over to Wiltshire - I need to know! Where 'Sworn Sword' and 'The Splintered Kingdom' really do score for me, is how they play against my expectations of the Norman period. James Aitcheson studied History at Cambridge University so clearly knows his medieval and Norman onions. As I mentioned in my review for 'Sworn Sword', and which I'm going to bore you with again here: The plucky but unlucky English hero Harold, is, to the story's Norman hero, 'Harold the usurper'.
These are not all the arrogant, confident, all-conquering Norman knights I thought I knew from my history lessons. They are land-owners worried about their property and especially worried about what might happen while they're away campaigning in Wales or elsewhere. Speaking as an Englishman, the Normans should be 'the enemy'! Here, it's the English not to mention the Welsh who are.
It's also the English who are the rebels. Tancred is, but shouldn't be, an immensely likeable character - he's a nasty Norman, for goodness' sake! He's surely not how a Norman should be, my imagination cries. So, contrary to the stories of the Norman Conquest we English have grown up with, here is a genuinely likeable Norman knight who seems to truly care for his English subjects. He's not the aloof, brutal French warrior an English reader of this story would expect after countless 'Robin Hood' stories and films down the years OK, just me then.
However, despite his many outward complications, I think Tancred is in reality a simple man. His problem is simply that he is constantly torn between two sides. As I mentioned earlier, I think it is perhaps important to remember that the Normans were at this point only a few of generations from their Viking origins.
Normandy, comes from 'Northman', after all. Tancred's own Viking roots are never far below his outwardly calm surface. His feeling that his sword arm itches when battle is near and the feeling of battle calm, even joy he gets during a fight, is pure Viking. His heart often says fight, but his head says no. As one interesting passage puts it; "'The sword is not the answer to every problem,' You would be wise to remember that.
But luckily for us - not always! This concept of the inner dichotomy in Tancred's personality - between the old-fashioned, hot-blooded Viking warrior constantly spoiling for a fight and the lord and master of an English estate, with people looking to him for guidance and protection - is broadened, brought out of Tancred and reflected many times across the story itself. A little awkward that, but inner personal struggle reflecting external, historical conflicts, I guess I mean.
Alliances come and go, between people and groups who really shouldn't be in alliances and which all serve to keep Tancred on his toes, constantly wondering if he can work out which way history will have him move. That's just one more reason why it is such a splendid book, so many possibilities. And I really hope that the possibilities presented by Tancred's personal struggle, of feeling fellowship with his English 'subjects', while still being bound by Norman rules, could be something explored further in future Tancred stories. The clash of loyalties and realities is actually similar to that we should have seen, but didn't, in Bernard Cornwall's recent 'The Death of Kings' whilst I thought it was the best in the series so far, the struggle between Uhtred's Viking roots and his English loyalties was not, I felt, given the space the problem deserves.
A bit of a wasted opportunity, if you ask me. Here, Tancred is conquerer, turned defender. Many of his own countrymen turn against him as his actions challenge their expectations and his fame irritates them. And speaking of 'countrymen', Tancred mentions several times that whilst he is unquestionably on the outside, a Norman, he is in fact Breton, not a Norman by birth. And Bretons have common Celtic, Welsh even, roots, don't they? So where should his loyalties now lie when it's the Welsh come knocking at his back door? And, bear with me here; is it a subtle, but significant, nuance added to Tancred's character that he now wears his hair long?
In the 'British style' apparently. Not in the short, severe style favoured by his fellow Norman knights. Something else they criticise him for. Outwardly English, inwardly Norman. Could it be an indication Tancred is in danger of 'going native'? If I were to speculate over future developments; could it indicate that Tancred, comes to bear arms against his former countrymen?
In the future, I'd have Tancred come to question where his loyalties really lie. Really put him on the spot and see which way he jumps. If I were James. I don't want to make this sound like this is the perfect historical novel, but it's certainly on the way there. There were a couple of incidents I thought were a little awkward, but it's close and the series is getting closer.
If you thought the first one was good, just wait until you read this. If you haven't read the first one - what are you waiting for? Go buy it - and this one, now! I grew up in and around the western English midlands. I lived half my life up in Yorkshire, not that far from York. In my younger, drinking days, York always had a reputation as a 'fighting' town - so not much changed in 1, years? I now live in Denmark, where the Vikings come from. The rest of my family have lived in south Wales for around 30 years. My maternal Grandmother always insisted our family surname was of French origin.
The author provides us with detailed histories of the principals involved in the battles of the titular year and outlines the events and personalities that combined to bring about the Battle of In spite of the fact that this scholarly work has encapsulated many years of warfare, it doesn't have the gritty edge of a battlefield account. The author provides us with detailed histories of the principals involved in the battles of the titular year and outlines the events and personalities that combined to bring about the Battle of Hastings.
His research and some speculation is quite thorough. So thorough, in fact, that he delves into the logistics required to build a fleet and maintain a standing army preparing to embark. Mr McLynn has calculated how many tons of hay were required for the livestock, speculated on the extent of forests that had to be chopped down to build ships, and even goes so far as to consider how much labor and resources were required to provide the destriers with horseshoe nails.
For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, etc. Mr McLynn can claim credit for having me finally obtain a dictionary ap for my cellphone because I was tired of walking over to the bookcase to consult the dictionary. The book is short, so little time is spent on the actual battle events, and there isn't much here that we didn't already know, or thought we knew.
It is a very readable history, and has been thoughtfully illustrated with photos and maps. It is likely the best account I have read regarding the events leading up to the battle of Hastings. Forget Game of Thrones: McLynn's expansive revisionist history of that most famous of battles in the course of the Sceptered Isle's southern majority sequence is the real deal.
The maneuvering between native Saxons, outlier Britons, and the ravenously acquisitive appetites of the Dane, Norwegian, and Norman potentates who eyed England as a most tempting of prizes—one as readily sought through wedding or inheritance vows as the dangerous game of armed conquest—is just superbly narrated, most espe Forget Game of Thrones: The maneuvering between native Saxons, outlier Britons, and the ravenously acquisitive appetites of the Dane, Norwegian, and Norman potentates who eyed England as a most tempting of prizes—one as readily sought through wedding or inheritance vows as the dangerous game of armed conquest—is just superbly narrated, most especially in the portraiture of the Big Men whose competing claims and inflated ambitions were set in motion against each other.
Harold Godwinson comes off especially well, even set against the Norman cunning of Duke William, the bastard heir of Normandy who only survived to his majority through the devotion of his mother's family and unruly nature of his competition; the fjorded scheming of Harald Hardrada, the Norse king whose battle prowess was unmatched ere he was slain at Stamford Bridge whilst in berserker mode; not to mention the treachery from his fire-veined brother, Tostig Godwinson, an attestation of the trouble inherent in any sovereign having competent and aggressive siblings; indeed, were it not for the accumulated weight of lopsided misfortune, the ferocious Saxon war machine—particularly its spear-thrusting and axe-hewing Housecarl cadre—might have carried the day against the famed Norman cavalry in deciding the last and most momentous of the triadic titular battles.
What's more, he boldly reassesses the popular belief that Harold was struck down by an arrow through the eye—positing rather, via combined evidentiary and speculative vim, that the formidable English monarch was slain by a squad of Norman knights—including Guy de Montfort, of that renowned clan—specifically and unchivalrously set upon such a regicidal task, which included mutilating the dead king's body, when William espied a tactical opening.
Medieval armies were just so damn colourful! In both ways was this era of Northwest European history, when there were still pagans abounding to the east and the Anglo-Saxon kings of England had forged a governmental bureaucracy that, even in the period of the Danish interlopers, worked admirably and diligently at the business of collecting taxes, administering justice, and generally striving for that orderly state of affairs which would eventually see England as the tea capital of the world.
McLynn sets the stage appropriately and intelligently: You'd likely need more than a passing interest in the proto-feudalistic tides of this period to commit to 's considerable charms—and the signal clash at Hastings is but the endgame of the tumultuous and fascinating events, times, and personalities of post-millennial and -viking England into which the author delves—but it's the best account of the seminal whole that I've yet encountered. View all 4 comments. Feb 21, Kevin rated it really liked it Shelves: There are very few sources regarding Hastings and Harold Godwinesons defeat.
Most was written by the victors, by French Bishops. However modern analyses points out some errors, mainly that of the scene in the Bayeaux Tapestry that depicts two things; one, the arrow in the eye and second, of a Saxon being ridden down by Norman Knights. The arrow in the eye is actually not really written about in the There are very few sources regarding Hastings and Harold Godwinesons defeat. The arrow in the eye is actually not really written about in the early histories, it only came up later, which leads historians to believe that possibly Harold was the second figure, and the fact that he was singled out and ridden down from a hand picked group of Knights.
He was also mutilated, and it was Harold's wife, Edith Swan-Neck that had the unfortunate task of identifying his body from marks she knew. Its an interesting 'revisionist' alternative viewpoint of Hastings, but due to the fact that Harold lost his Brothers at Hastings, his family line ended up in diaspora, there was no one left to counter the official Norman version of He studies all these historical figures, putting a character onto them all, their pasts the past of Harald Hardrada is the most interesting and how they all became interlinked in He then analyses and the three main battles of that year; Fulford, Stamford Bridge and just how lucky Harold Godwineson was to pull off Stamford Bridge which saw the total route of the Vikings as well as loosing their King Hardrada , but unfortunately, either through poor generalship or whatnot, he ends up rushing too fast down south to take on William, leaving most of his levies behind and the ones he takes were all exhausted from the fast long march from York.
It is worth noting that Hastings was such a close run battle, the Saxons were actually winning throughout the day, and maybe could well have won if Harold had not died and managed to muster and rally his forces. So, the question the book poses is that was it the 'arrow in the eye' that slayed Harold, or was he singled out by hand selected Norman Knights who smashed through his housecarls and butchered him? The 'arrow in the eye' story only came up later on, maybe being mis-interpreted because Harald Hardrada apparently died from an arrow to his neck, but there will always be conjecture and I doubt if we will ever know.
View all 5 comments. Aug 25, Kbullock rated it it was amazing. The best account of the events of I've encountered so far. McLynn draws heavily on Norse records to draw a detailed picture of Harold Hardrada, a terrifying and fascinating figure who is given short shrift in other accounts. There is also a great treatment of William's unlikely accomplishment in bringing his vassals and then some on board for what appeared to be a suicide mission, followed by the impressive logistical effort that was required to keep the Norman invasion force in place for The best account of the events of I've encountered so far.
There is also a great treatment of William's unlikely accomplishment in bringing his vassals and then some on board for what appeared to be a suicide mission, followed by the impressive logistical effort that was required to keep the Norman invasion force in place for weeks until favorable winds finally arrived.
McLynn contests some commonly repeated myths about the Battle of Hastings, such as the idea that the entire Anglo-Saxon army was exhausted because it rapidly marched south from Stamford Bridge to meet the Normans. The author points out that Harold Godwinson almost certainly left his fyrd in the north, marched his housecarls south, and met William at Hastings with a new fyrd. The author also contests the Norman-inspired narrative that had Harold Godwinson being disabled by an arrow in his eye. Instead, he draws on Norman sources to argue that William sent a "hit squad" of knights to cut down Harold at the end of the battle, avoiding a single combat that William probably would have lost.
Okay, this has gone a bit long. Mar 22, J. Bryce rated it really liked it Shelves: This was really good, though was almost one of those "too much info for the casual reader" kind of things. There's lots of biographical detail about the three major claimants to the English throne in - the Anglo-Saxon Harold Godwinson, the Norwegian Harald Hardrada and the eventual SPOILER ALERT winner Duke William of Normandy, most of which even after a lifetime of casual interest I never knew, and a lengthy-enough write up of the three battles that assisted William in winning the Batt This was really good, though was almost one of those "too much info for the casual reader" kind of things.
There's lots of biographical detail about the three major claimants to the English throne in - the Anglo-Saxon Harold Godwinson, the Norwegian Harald Hardrada and the eventual SPOILER ALERT winner Duke William of Normandy, most of which even after a lifetime of casual interest I never knew, and a lengthy-enough write up of the three battles that assisted William in winning the Battle of Hastings -- I say "lengthy-enough" because so much of the historical record is still unknown - McLynn literally uses all available reputable sources and still Hastings is only about a six-page write up.
He discusses at length which sources are reliable and which are Norman propaganda, and for these reasons, this is a worthwhile book for all but the most scholarly readers. Feb 08, Tony Calder rated it really liked it Shelves: Ask people about the year in England and most of them would know about the Battle of Hastings, those with an interest in history may know about the Battle of Stamford Bridge, but only those with a specific interest in Dark Ages English history are likely to know about the Battle of Fulford Gate.
Primarily, this is because King Harold did not participate in the battle, but it was to have a significant effect on how the events of that period played out. Much has been written about Hastings ove Ask people about the year in England and most of them would know about the Battle of Hastings, those with an interest in history may know about the Battle of Stamford Bridge, but only those with a specific interest in Dark Ages English history are likely to know about the Battle of Fulford Gate. Much has been written about Hastings over the years,and its importance in English and European history.
McLynn does not go into great detail on the major battles, indeed they only occupy the final two chapters of the book, but he does provide a quite comprehensive look at the political events which allowed the situation to play out as it did. This is accomplished by dedicating each chapter to a different one of the key players.
In this way the reader get a good overview of the political situation in northern and western Europe for the half-century preceding Very, very interesting indeed! The detailed biographies of the various protagonists is enlightening to say the least - a bloodthirsty lot, who were mostly very experienced and proficient in the art s of war! It also exposes the post-conquest Norman propaganda for what it was, just the victor's self righteous altering of the facts to suite the murky outcome!
This altered, perfidious truth, was, at least in my day, what we were taught in school, and in England too! The actual battle descriptions Very, very interesting indeed! The actual battle descriptions were rather short but very concise, especially if you have a detailed modern map to hand! Nov 19, Sebastian Reyn rated it really liked it. The Year of the Three Battles Londen: McLynn gaat uitvoerig en op levendige wijze in op de achtergronden en de hoofdpersonen in , het jaar waarin de Angelsaksische koning Harold Godwinson eerst de ontzagwekkende Noorse koning Harald Hardrada verslaat bij Stamford Bridge om vervolgens zelf ten onder te gaan in de slag met Willem de Veroveraar bij Hastings.
Willem komt naar voren als uitzonderlijk hardvochtig heerser, die over geluk bovendien niet klagen h McLynn, Frank, Voor Harolds nederlaag zijn andere redenen belangrijkers, zoals het feit dat hij een tweefrontenoorlog voerde. Dat de elfde eeuw een barbaarse tijd was, maakt het boek wel duidelijk. Hoewel het boek daardoor wijdlopig wordt, zijn de hoofdstukken die hierover gaan erg interessant.
Het levensverhaal van Harald Hardrada, die jarenlang aan het hof van Byzantijnse keizer verkeerde, is zonder meer imponerend. Jul 18, B. The whole time I was reading I was thinking to myself, "This would make an excellent episode series for Dan Carlin's Hardcore History". While McLynn does a great job at creating the background and shedding light on all the major players of England's fateful year of , he is just a bit too dry to properly tell a story that have the potential to make certain HBO Blockbuster series seem tame by comparison.
It is still an excellent read. McLynn gives a brief background of The whole time I was reading I was thinking to myself, "This would make an excellent episode series for Dan Carlin's Hardcore History". McLynn gives a brief background of Cnut the Great and Ethlered the unready and then sets in devoting a chapter each to all the major players like Edward the Confessor, Harald Hardrada the hard ruler , Svein Estrithson, Earl Goodwin, Harold Goodwinson, Tostig, and of course two for William the Conqueror.
In all this book is definitely worth reading. McLynn does a good not great job building the scene and you are a good halfway through the book before we even get to the title year of He also has done a good not great job in researching and presenting his subject material.
My only real disappointment was that Hastings was really the conclusion to this story. I was halfway expecting it to occur much earlier on with a significant chunk devoted to the way that battle changed the fate and history of the Island and the world.
In a way I am glad it didn't so that significant space can be spent building the stage, but now I must be off to find something more to read as an appropriate follow up. My appetite has definitely been whetted. Oct 04, Sam rated it liked it. This was a good book. It covered an area of history and the world that I knew very little about which meant at times it was actually even a little exciting. I found the inter-relation of the region very interesting and much more than I had thought. The awareness of the key actors of each other and the other regional politics was very interesting.
I regret though that the author did not do any big "so what". At the end of the book he just finishes with Williams victory and ends the book. There wa This was a good book. There was no big "take-away" from the region or the politics or the leaders. I was disappointed by this. The author obviously spent a great deal of time on the subject.