The lovely folk at Amberley have a habit of sending me review copies of their history books and I'm always delighted to read them.
Those who know me and my historical preferences and sympathies might be surprised that I said "Yes please" to the offer of a copy of this book. You might also think that the title shows some bias, calling William of Normandy a bastard, rather than the Conqueror.
However, there is no bias, but the title accurately reflects the real and ongoing problem faced not only by William but also his children. William was, indeed, illegitimate, and his succession to the dukedom of Normandy was never a given. Even as a child, he had guards sleeping in his bed, protecting him at all times.
We pretty much all know what happened in 1066, and that England fell under his boot. Things were far from settled, even then, and William had uprisings to deal with.
Where things got a tad messier though, was when his sons came of age. Robert, William (Rufus) and Henry all expected a chunk of inheritance from their father, but it was tricky. You'd think England would be the prize catch but no, the 'family' lands in Normandy were more of a prize than some conquered country.
Robert rose up against his father and I was at times reminded of the travails of Henry II, who had similar tussles with his adult sons - a point made by the author here.
This a very accessible account of the lives, careers and fortunes of William's sons, full of interesting insights. The author points out that the Normans, though reference is often made to their 'Viking' heritage, were no "better or worse in a fight than any other Frenchman" and that at Hastings they fought like the Franks whereas it was the English who fought more like the Vikings of old.
Henry's shrewd character comes across particularly well, and the author notes that as soon as his father died, Henry secured the pre-weighed coinage that would come to him, knowing that no land would.
As I've already hinted, this is not a period which I've researched in any great depth, but the author uses primary sources, and analyses them, so I'm confident that the history is sound.
His writing style is conversational, and I found it an easy, but satisfyingly detailed read. There are maps aplenty, the colour plates are numerous and informative, and the author has also included a timeline and three useful and interesting appendices, including a touching letter from Stephen of Blois to Adela, his wife (daughter of William).
Available Amberley Books, from Amazon and from all book shops.
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