William the Conqueror

A landmark reinterpretation of the life of William the Conqueror—a pivotal figure in British and European history

"[The] definitive biography of the man who forever changed England with his invasion of 1066.”—Tony Barber, “Best books of 2016," Financial Times

In this magisterial addition to the Yale English Monarchs series, David Bates combines biography and a multidisciplinary approach to examine the life of William the Conqueror. Using a framework derived from studies of early medieval kingship, he assesses each phase of William’s life to establish why so many trusted him to invade England in 1066 and the consequences of this on the history of the so-called Norman Conquest after the Battle of Hastings and for generations to come.

A leading historian of the period, Bates is notable for having worked extensively in the archives of northern France and discovered many eleventh- and twelfth-century charters largely unnoticed by English-language scholars. Taking an innovative approach, he argues for a move away from old perceptions and controversies associated with William’s life and the Norman Conquest. This deeply researched volume is the scholarly biography for our generation.