audiobook 1066: The Year of the Conquest by David Howarth in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. 1066 was a pivotal year in the history of Great Britain as the Normans launched the last successful of British soilBy C. M MillsTo live in 1066 was a challenging experience. David Howarth; experienced English historian takes the reader on a time journey back to the medieval world. England was a small and prosperous country on the edge of the European continent. The land was at peace for most of the century. Ninety percent of the country was rural. Most people lived out their short lives in small villages which were inhabited by families for generations. The forest covered much of the landscape;hunting and agriculture put food on their humble tables. Howarth focuses on the dynastic struggle between Harold the native born English king against the invasion launched in October by William the Conqueror. William was a fierce warrior who believed he was the rightful heir to the British throne. He believed that Harold had assured him that when old King Edward Confessor died the Norman would be crowned king. When this did not occur Wlliam ivaded from his home in Normandy. The Battle of Hastings led to William';s triumph and the death in battle of Harold. Harold had earlier defeated an invasion launched by Tostig and the King of Norway in Yorkshire. That invasion was defeated. This short book is a brief introduction to one of the most important invasions in history. It will whet your appetite to learn more. Well done and well written.;0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good historical readBy Miss MarpleThe book itself is a wonderful read for historians. I'm a great fan of Howarth ; who makes history interesting and relevant. My own mistake was in not paying attention to the order details -- book is very small (print too small). I'm going to be on the look out for an actual full size hardback.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A bizzare World indeedBy B. Eibisch1066 By David HowarthI'm into modern military history and have grown used to the highly organized cut and thrust of modern decisive strategy and tactics; concentrated firepower; tanks; artillery; strategic bombing; and novel weaponry.Imagine yourself 1000 years ago; before the advent of gunpowder or its military uses; where a long range weapon is a long bow or crossbow and the main weapon is a sword and your main protection a shield and helmet. Imagine you're a King in a world where expressed religious thoughts of the various bishops could mean the difference between public support for your kingship or rejection. Understanding an era when Church and State are one. A time when the Church; could make or break you; depending on its political reasoning in Rome. Think of the goings on in a world where an oath uttered was not binding but an oath uttered over the relic of some or other long dead Saint was binding and some people may have relics hidden under the table and you didn't know and weren't informed. Imagine launching a quest for conquest by amphibious landing when your society; largely illiterate; although from Viking beginnings hadn't built a sailing war boat for about 200 years; your sailing is subject to weather being kind to your project but you have no meteorologist; a world where your army is a loose assembly of knights and thugs errant with various loyalties and obligations; mainly to themselves and you need to maintain control. Where your army has a debt of service under fealty provisions but after an allotted time can just pack up and leave for home and the harvest. Imagine a world where you could conquer a whole nation with as little as 5;000 troops and the sound of your major battle in Hastings; causing the death of thousands; couldn't even be heard two or three hills away. Imagine awaiting God's wrath upon your head and sensing that you couldn't really do much about this?This is the story of 1066. This world; its motivations; methods and events are so far removed from our understandings of such things as to feel as though from another planet. A place where; Kings and Nobility; are not much more than landed warlords; thugs and protection racketeers; an "upper class" who have an avaricious desire for adding lands to more lands.If you're into a bit of history of this era; then this is a good book. The author uses about 20 different "source" documents; many written much later than the events that they describe and largely propagandistic in style. Written language is in an easy reading style and the author has done much thinking on the validity of various comments from the "source" documents. As contrasted with our age; the modern reader whilst thinking about what has just been read in this book would be thinking an incredulous; "What??" This is certainly an interesting book and well worth your time if you're into such studies. Other book titles that may appeal to you and amplify this story are; "The year 1000; what life was like etc" and although a little later a book simply titled "1215". There are of course a whole lot more of books about this era e.g. "Life in a medieval Castle" etc. that can be found on .