The sequel to 'After Rome'
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From the Vikings to the Normans tracks the history of the British Isles from the ninth century up to and including the Norman invasion. Seven chapters contributed by different historians discuss in turn the role of kingship, the influence of the Viking invasions, economic aspects, the growth of the aristocracy, the progress of Christianity, the written languages, and lastly the transformations of the late 11th century. A useful chronology is presented at the end.
Readers should be warned that From the Vikings to the Normans is a socio-cultural history manual. It provides a description of life and society (or rather societies) in Britain in the period. If this is what you are looking for, you will find this book interesting as well as scrupulous in its treatment of historical material. What this book does not, or barely does offer is a narrative. The authors make it clear that they don't consider the sources abundant enough to support doing this. This is not about battles and kings and succession crises, or at least not in their detail.
The multiple-contributor format also makes the chapters unequal. I found the chapter on Christianity and religious reform difficult to follow, for lack of knowledge of the wider background, in particular medieval church history, since this was the period in which the Church of England became more involved in European affairs and ideas. The Norman invasion and its aftermath are treated quite succinctly for their impact on British history, and readers interested in that will need to look further afield. Overall, this is a useful work on the social and cultural history of the period, but it may disappoint readers more interested in political events.
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