Description

This work by Augustin Thierry (1795-1856) on the Norman conquest of England was first published in French in 1825, the two-volume translation into English following in 1847. Thierry employed a relatively new technique in historiography, as he consulted only original texts and documents, and insisted upon interpreting the sources in as much detail as possible. He was adamant that the events, ideas and political positions he chronicled should be interpreted in their own terms and not subjected to a limited nineteenth-century perspective. Volume 1 briefly outlines English history in the Roman and Viking period before concentrating on the period 1048-1137. The author also shares some of his reflections on the challenges of writing history with his readers. Volume 2 deals with England in the period 1137 to 1196, but also considers the consequences of the Norman conquest on Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France.