William the Conqueror Medieval Anglo-Norman Italy England France Syria Sicily

Description: William The Conqueror: The Norman Impact Upon England by David C. Douglas. NOTE: We have 75,000 books in our library, almost 10,000 different titles. Odds are we have other copies of this same title in varying conditions, some less expensive, some better condition. We might also have different editions as well (some paperback, some hardcover, oftentimes international editions). If you don’t see what you want, please contact us and ask. We’re happy to send you a summary of the differing conditions and prices we may have for the same title. DESCRIPTION: Softcover: 476 pages. Publisher: University of California Press; (1997). In “William the Conquerer”, Professor Douglas analyzes the causes and the true character of the Norman impact upon England in the eleventh century. The work is both a study of Anglo-Norman history and a biography of a man whose personal career was spectacular, and as reviewers have remarked, it is distinguished by a wealth of scholarship linked to a lucid and agreeable style. CONDITION: New oversized softcover. Unblemished except VERY slight edge and corner shelf wear to the covers. Pages are pristine; clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. Condition is entirely consistent with new stock from a bookstore environment wherein new books might show minor signs of shelfwear, consequence of simply being shelved and re-shelved. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK. PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW. PUBLISHER REVIEW: REVIEW: “In the whole course of European history”, Professor Douglas writes, “there have been few movements more remarkable than the sudden explosion of Norman power between 1050 and 1100.” For during this period, the Norman spread out from their adopted homeland in the north-west of France, and took their power and influence to places as far apart as England, Italy, Sicily, and Syria. The conquest of England by William was brought about by the defeat (1066 A.D.) of King Harold of England by William, duke of Normandy, who became William I of England. The conquest was formerly thought to have brought about broad changes in all phases of English life. More recently historians have stressed the continuity of English law, institutions, and customs, but the subject remains one of controversy. The initial military conquest of England was quick and brutal. The members of the Anglo-Saxon upper class who were not killed in the battle of Hastings were almost all involved in the rebellion from 1068 to 1070 and were either killed or deprived of their lands. Thus a Norman aristocracy was superimposed on the English, and the new elite brought with it Norman feudal customs, which were reinforced by the need for cohesion and mutual military support among the fairly small group of conquerors. Thus the rebellions among the Norman barons were minor and short-lived, the interests of stability being paramount. To consolidate his position William used the existing Anglo-Saxon administrative system, which functioned as part of a centralized monarchical tradition. It was this tradition, as adapted by the Normans that gave English feudalism its uniquely cohesive nature. There was little change in the administrative and judicial systems during the Norman period (usually defined as ending with the accession of the Plantagenet Henry II in 1154 A.D.) and later developments were not in the nature of Norman superimpositions. William I's archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc, established a separate system of canon law courts, effectively asserted the supremacy of his archdiocese, and brought the English church into closer contact with developments in Europe, particularly with the reforms of Pope Gregory VII. The Norman kings, however, successfully resisted papal encroachment on their control over episcopal appointments. The period saw many churches and castles built, the latter chiefly on the south and east coasts and on the Welsh and Scottish borders). Norman French became the language of the court and upper classes, and of literature, and had great effect on the development of the English Language. PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS: REVIEW: Professor Douglas’s “William the Conqueror” possesses the real and elusive quality of greatness. It possesses a documentary substructure which is massive yet inconspicuous. Its style, exceedingly felicitous yet never showy. Its interpretations, often boldly original yet always sound and judicious. Unlike some recent works in this field, wherein novelty seems almost to have become an end in itself, “William the Conqueror” is built on the solid foundations of past scholarship. Its originality will surely become the orthodoxy of the next generation. REVIEW: Professor Douglas brings to his study of the Conqueror a far-ranging knowledge of medieval life and institutions, the outcome of a lifetime’s devoted and discriminating familiarity with medieval sources. He has also, unlike earlier English biographers of William, made full use of valuable French scholarship in dealing with the development of the Duchy of Normandy. His book is thus a truly European study of this remarkable man and his epoch. He illuminates in his pages the growth of ideas and institutions which however remote they may seem from today, have exerted a powerful influence on the political growth of the English-speaking peoples. This outstanding work of scholarship is the first book in a series to be devoted to English rulers. It could not have been a more impressive beginning. REVIEW: This book with its appendices, its pedigrees, and its bibliography, is a monument of careful scholarship and fine printing. Its author would probably hope that it may be adjudged his masterpiece, and it is certain that it will be for many years the ruling authority on its subject. Much of it is detailed history or tightly woven discussion, but it is notably well-written and absorbing. READER REVIEWS: REVIEW: There is history written in the popular mode, and there is history written in the scholarly mode. David Howarth's "1066" is a fine example of the former; wrong on many small details, but engaging, thought-provoking in its conjectural recreations of the personalities of men long dead. But Howarth's book suffers from some of the inherent bias of popular history: it pleads the case of the oppressed Saxons and fancifully fleshes out those things for which we lack concrete evidence, often to support the author's own overarching vision of these events. David C. Douglas is not a prejudicial dilettante. He is one of those hard-nosed, dust-covered, meticulous, and magnificent English historians with the fortitude and knowledge to plumb countless ancient charters and other such arcana in pursuit of fact. In the hall of modern historians, he is in the brilliant company of A.L. Poole, R.W. Southern, Frank M. Stenton, K.B. McFarlane, and other such greats. His book on William is not a character study but a series of tautly-woven analyses of evidence. The problems and contradictions of these limited materials are discussed in the text, in the footnotes, in the copious appendices; and only once a myriad of possible readings of a given event has been mentioned (and referenced, should the reader wish to seek a cogent explication of a contrary thesis) does Douglas offer his own view of the matter. This book is dense, difficult, slow, and laborious, but its interest is truth, understanding, and genuine illumination. It is not a flight of fancy but a history. People like this preserve the human past for the good of the human present and future. It is to the slow and patient scholar that we owe so much of what we actually know. The rest of Douglas' oeuvre is out of print. How sad this is for the state of our knowledge on these subjects! Read Howarth and other practitioners of "popular history," that lesser art, for enjoyment, or for an imaginative return to the sights and smells of a lost time. But buy and read this book, and those like it, to be elevated to a greater state of understanding. "William the Conqueror" is a masterpiece. REVIEW: William the Conqueror overcame enormous odds and political challenges to succeed his father as Duke of Normandy and his cousin, Edward the Confessor, as King of England. Only by defeating the upstart Harold Godwinson in 1066 at the battle of Hastings was William able to claim his throne. From the moment he attained his majority to the time of his death, William was forced to defend his realm in both Normandy and England from multiple opponents. Despite this rather pressing distraction, William is credited with many non-military achievements, not the least of which is the eager and successful sponsorship of ecclesiastical reform and the completion of the remarkably extensive social survey, Domesday Book. David C. Douglas has presented a substantial volume detailing the life and times of the Conqueror in admirable style. Discussing social, economic, ecclesiastical, cultural and military events with equal aplomb, Douglas brings the reader an in-depth, nearly digestible account of an epic era in European history. As can be expected of any comprehensive attempt at such a biography, recitation of the names, titles, landholdings and shifting objectives of various and sundry aristocrats, both clerical and lay, can send the reader into a bit of a fog. However, this happens seldom enough to allow this book's excellent formulation and pace to shine through. REVIEW: Sure, it's like, forty years old, but it still sets the standard in William the Conqueror scholarship. Here are answers, or at least well-phrased hedges about the most important questions surrounding William's life and conquests: Did William introduce feudalism to England or adapt existing social structures? Was his victory in the Battle of Hastings attributable more to the exhaustion of the English after fighting off the Norwegians or more to William's superior conquest? and so forth. Douglas has read the primary sources in English and French (and Latin, and Italian, etc), he has read the secondary sources. He has, in short, done his homework. I mean, how many books have you read that have quotes from reviewers on the back that say, "the author has set about to self consciously create a masterpiece on the subject... and he has succeeded”. The funny thing about this book is that even though it is supremely scholarly, it is also suitable for the general reader. REVIEW: David C. Douglas does an excellent job in his attempt to portray the events of William the Conqueror's life. He performs the task of drawing the many aspects of his life together in a very precise manner. The amount of research done had to be tremendous considering all the information you come across in the book. I found the descriptions of the ecclesiastical revival in Normandy and subsequently England to be very fascinating. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the life behind the legend that is William the Conqueror. REVIEW: "William the Conqueror" is quite fascinating, it's a sort of English/Norman/French who's who in the late 11th century, and you get a great feel for the major players and their vacillating loyalties. This is fantastic stuff. William was able to overcome (what I feel to be) more than insurmountable odds at the beginning of his rule to change the entire face and future of the English monarchy. We can only wonder what might Europe be like today had Harold been victorious at Hastings (he almost was!), and what impact it could have on us. REVIEW: A Classic in any genre! David C. Douglas has made a contribution to literature of monumental proportions. No mater if you are a seasoned historian or will never read another book about European history again. I beg of you to make this the one. The story of a young Duke overcoming insurmountable odds, conquering a nation, and changing the course of history. Hollywood could not write a better script. And David C. Douglas could not have written a better book. I always ship books Media Mail in a padded mailer. This book is shipped FOR FREE via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). All domestic shipments and most international shipments will include free USPS Delivery Confirmation (you might be able to update the status of your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site and free insurance coverage). A small percentage of international shipments may require an additional fee for tracking and/or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about a little wear and tear to the book in transit, I would suggest a boxed shipment - it is an extra $1.00. Whether via padded mailer or box, we will give discounts for multiple purchases. International orders are welcome, but shipping costs are substantially higher. Most international orders cost an additional $12.99 to $33.99 for an insuredshipment in a heavily padded mailer, and typically includes some form of rudimentary tracking and/or delivery confirmation (though for some countries, this is only available at additional cost). There is also a discount program which can cut postage costs by 50% to 75% if you’re buying about half-a-dozen books or more (5 kilos+). Rates and available services vary a bit from country to country. You can email or message me for a shipping cost quote, but I assure you they are as reasonable as USPS rates allow, and if it turns out the rate is too high for your pocketbook, we will cancel the sale at your request. ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per book (for each additional book after the first) so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers. Most of the items I offer come from the collection of a family friend who was active in the field of Archaeology for over forty years. However many of the items also come from purchases I make in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) from various institutions and dealers. Though I have always had an interest in archaeology, my own academic background was in sociology and cultural anthropology. After my retirement however, I found myself drawn to archaeology as well. Aside from my own personal collection, I have made extensive and frequent additions of my own via purchases on Ebay (of course), as well as many purchases from both dealers and institutions throughout the world - but especially in the Near East and in Eastern Europe. I spend over half of my year out of the United States, and have spent much of my life either in India or Eastern Europe. In fact much of what we generate on Yahoo, Amazon and Ebay goes to support The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as some other worthy institutions in Europe connected with Anthropology and Archaeology. I acquire some small but interesting collections overseas from time-to-time, and have as well some duplicate items within my own collection which I occasionally decide to part with. Though I have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, my primary interest is in ancient jewelry. My wife also is an active participant in the "business" of antique and ancient jewelry, and is from Russia. I would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from me. There is a $2 fee for mailing under separate cover. Whenever I am overseas I have made arrangements for purchases to be shipped out via domestic mail. If I am in the field, you may have to wait for a week or two for a COA to arrive via international air mail. But you can be sure your purchase will arrive properly packaged and promptly - even if I am absent. And when I am in a remote field location with merely a notebook computer, at times I am not able to access my email for a day or two, so be patient, I will always respond to every email. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE." TRANSLATE Arabic Chinese French German Greek Indonesian Italian Hindi Japanese Korean Swedish Portuguese Russian Spanish

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