The History of the Norman Conquest of England facts for kids
The History of the Norman Conquest of England: Its Causes and Its Results is a huge, six-book series. It was written by Edward A. Freeman between 1867 and 1879. The books are all about the Norman Conquest, a very important event in English history.
When the books first came out, experts thought they were a big deal. But many readers found them too long and full of too many small details. Some historians also thought Freeman's views were too biased. He often praised the Anglo-Saxon way of life and government. He seemed to think it was better than the feudal system that came after the Conquest. Even so, Freeman's ideas have had a lasting impact on how we understand this time in history.
Contents
Writing the History Books
How the Books Were Created
Edward Freeman first thought about the Norman Conquest when he was a student at Oxford. He wrote an essay about it in 1846. Later, in 1859 and 1865, he wrote long reviews of other history books. These books were by Sir Francis Palgrave and were also about the history of England and Normandy.
Freeman decided to write his own history of the Conquest. He thought it would be popular because the 800th anniversary of the Conquest was coming up. He believed he knew the subject so well that writing the book would be easy. He started working on the History on December 7, 1865. He told a friend that he could write this book better than anyone else. This was because he had studied the topic for 20 years.
Publication Timeline
Freeman planned to finish his history quickly. But he decided to go into much more detail about the early reasons for the Conquest. This meant he couldn't finish the book by the 800th anniversary.
- The first book came out in 1867. It covered history up to the death of Harthacnut.
- More books followed in 1868, 1869, and 1871. These books focused on the reigns of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson, and William the Conqueror.
- A book in 1876 looked at what happened after the Conquest.
- The final book, with an index, was published in 1879.
Freeman also released two updated versions of his work later on.
Who Was the Book For?
Freeman wanted his History to be read by everyone. This included both experts and regular people. He wrote that he wanted the main story to be easy to understand for "girls and curates." At the same time, he wanted the detailed notes to satisfy top historians like Gneist and Stubbs.
He used many old documents and books that had been published over the past 80 years. He also read works by other historians from his time. These included Augustin Thierry, Sharon Turner, Sir Francis Palgrave, and J. M. Lappenberg. However, Freeman did not look for new, unread documents himself. He preferred to use his own large collection of books.
Freeman also talked with other scholars. These included J. R. Green, James Bryce, and especially William Stubbs. Both Freeman and Stubbs greatly admired each other's work. There was even a funny rhyme about them:
See, ladling butter from alternate tubs
Stubbs butters Freeman, Freeman butters Stubbs.
Freeman's Skills as a Historian
Historian Frank Barlow described Freeman's strengths. He said Freeman knew many languages, including Anglo-Saxon. He was also interested in old buildings and could sketch them well. Freeman was involved in politics, which he thought helped him understand history. Most importantly, he had huge energy for his work.
Marjorie Chibnall added that Freeman knew more about medieval writings than anyone else. But Barlow also pointed out some of Freeman's weaknesses. He could be stubborn and argumentative. He also didn't care much about topics he thought were not important to his study of 11th-century England. These included religion, philosophy, and most arts.
Other Books by Freeman
After his big History, Freeman wrote other books. He published a two-book series called The Reign of William Rufus in 1882. He also wrote simpler books for younger readers about the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods.
- Old English History for Children came out in 1869. He had thought about writing this book even before starting his big History.
- A Short History of the Norman Conquest was published in 1880.
- William the Conqueror came out in 1888.
In 1974, J. W. Burrow made a shorter version of The History of the Norman Conquest of England.
Main Ideas in Freeman's Work
Freeman's Strong Beliefs
Edward Freeman had very strong beliefs. He shared these ideas with great energy in his History of the Norman Conquest and other books. He believed that people who spoke Indo-European languages, like Greeks, Romans, and Germanic peoples, were superior. He also thought they were related. He believed the English nation was purely Germanic.
He said that the Anglo-Saxon invaders of England had mostly killed or driven out the original Celtic people. However, he did admit that "the women would doubtless be largely spared." This small exception actually weakened his argument about racial purity. Still, his idea that the Anglo-Saxon people were racially pure greatly influenced later writers.
Praising Anglo-Saxon Culture
Freeman loved Anglo-Saxon social and political systems. He greatly admired his heroes from that time. These included Alfred the Great, Earl Godwin, and Harold Godwinson. He also started to admire William the Conqueror more and more. This was because William tried to keep some Old English ways of government after the Conquest.
Freeman trusted Anglo-Saxon historical writings more than Norman ones. He thought the Norman writings were too flattering to the Norman kings.
History as a Cycle
Freeman learned from Thomas Arnold that history often repeats itself in cycles. Freeman applied this idea to early medieval history. He made a strong claim that the first parliaments in England, during the reigns of Henry III and Edward I, were similar to the Anglo-Saxon Witenagemot. The Witenagemot was a national council.
He believed that England's government had changed and grown through the Conquest period. It was not completely replaced. This meant that a clear line connected the old Witenagemot to the democracy of Victorian times.
The Conquest as a Turning Point
Because of these ideas, Freeman saw the Norman Conquest as a "turning point," not a complete end or beginning. He emphasized this point often. He wrote that the Norman Conquest did not wipe out the English government, laws, language, or national life. Instead, it was a major change that led to new developments.
