BBC History Magazine

BBC History Magazine aims to shed new light on the past to help you make more sense of the world today. Fascinating stories from contributors are the leading experts in their fields, so whether they're exploring Ancient Egypt, Tudor England or the Second World War, you'll be reading the latest, most thought-provoking historical research. BBC History Magazine brings history to life with informative, lively and entertaining features written by the world's leading historians and journalists and is a captivating read for anyone who's interested in the past.

BBC History Magazine

WELCOME

MEET THE NORMANS • Follow the rise of England’s conquerors from roving Scandinavians to dukes of northern France and expansionists dominating swathes of Europe

The Normans • Marc Morris traces their story from Viking settlement in northern France to the loss of Normandy by King John

WHO WERE THE NORMANS? • How did a group of rowdy itinerant Scandinavians come to dominate swathes of Europe for more than two centuries? Alex Burghart tackles the big questions about the origins of the Normans and their enduring influence

NORMANS throughout Europe • Besides invading England, the Normans also headed south and east. As Judith Green reveals, they won success in southern Italy and Sicily, had territorial ambitions in Turkey, and played a prominent role in the crusades

Norman influence in Europe • They reshaped political geography and were a driving force in the crusades

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FEMALE POWER behind the thrones • History tends to focus on kings, warriors and bishops – but a number of 11th-century women were hugely influential in war, state and church. Leonie Hicks introduces a quartet of powerful Norman women

THE CONQ UEST • Meet the key characters in the invasion drama, and discover how events in England and Normandy set the scene for the Conquest of 1066

ENGLAND BEFORE 1066 • Ryan Lavelle visits England in 1065 and finds a country undergoing change yet feeling the pull of its history

The rise of the Godwins • Defined by political rivalry, the Godwin family briefly became royalty

THREE BATTLES THAT LOST ENGLAND • Having taken the crown – by fair means or foul – Harold Godwinson’s first and only year as England’s king was derailed in three momentous battles. Frank McLynn leads us through the events of 1066, which brought the Anglo-Saxon era to a traumatic end

BAYEUX UN RAVELLED • It is the most significant and widely studied record of the tumult of 1066, yet its threads still hold mysteries for the modern historian. Gale R Owen-Crocker unravels the stories behind some of the tapestry’s key scenes

WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR HEROOR VILLAIN? • Was the Norman invader a great leader who ushered in a new civilised era for England – or a greedy brute who terrorised the Anglo-Saxons? Nicholas Vincent offers his interpretation of the Conqueror’s true character

THE FAMILY OF THE CONQUEROR

The forgotten kingdom • William of Normandy sailed across the Channel and conquered England in 1066 – or at least that’s how the story goes. Here, Sophie Thérèse Ambler and James Morris reveal how one northern stronghold remained untouched for another 26 years

IMPACT INVAS OF ION • Explore the turbulent aftermath of the Conquest and trace the transformation of England’s political, social, physical and religious landscape under the new Norman regime

CASTLES of the CONQUEROR • When William the Conqueror invaded England he introduced a startling new military tactic. Marc Morris explains...