1066: The Battles of York, Stamford Bridge and Hastings (Battleground Britain)

Rating:
Summary: Good Book, lots of useful diagrams and photo's
Review: Peter Marren contributes to the 1066 body of literature by giving us this nice concise book. This book can be used as a deeper introduction to people vaguely familiar with the events or to those who wish to have a more pictorial view of the sites. He publishes some (currently) new insight on the Battle of Hastings, showing Harold may not have been the passive commander most writers of that battle have accused him of being. Interesting material to anyone who's read the more well known books. My feeling is that Tetlow's "Enigma of Hastings" has probably the best but this is a great companion, especially to those who are planning a visit.

He gives the reader more insight to the Battle of York (aka Battle of Fulford Gate) that affects the Battle of Stamford Bridge much the same way Stamford Bridge affected the Battle of Hastings. He gives insight to the weaponry used and tries to give insight to the personalities involved. I also like that he publishes the names of all those who are documented to have fought in the Battle of Hastings.

I visited the battlefields in the past year and Mr. Marren includes some great, accurate diagrams and photos of the sites. I wish I'd had this book with me. They represent the areas very well and this book would be an enormous help to those planning a visit. He includes photo's of battles re-enactors whose physical appearance... well, you can tell they're not professional soldiers. In fairness they're included to show the probable battledress.

Marren doesn't bog the story down with too many details and while that's a strength it's probably the biggest weakness too. You want to know more. But, unfortunately there just isn't much source material and that which is available does not have the Anglo-Saxon point of view. Marren also doesn't delve too much in the political aftermath of Hastings but that's fine in this context.

Marren also states that had Harold won Hastings, England would have had serious problems due to the enormous loss of life in the three battles. Excellent point that leaves the reader believing another invading force would have had it easy. This is a good book.

Rating:
Summary: The best historical over view of 1066 yet.
Review: The author does an amazing job in this book of 170 pages. He takes 4 historical characters who are each unbelievably interesting (Harold Godwinsson, Tostig Godwinsson, Harald Hardrada, and William of Normandy) along with 3 major battles (York, Stamford Bridge and Hastings) and folds it all together with the other important events and characters at the time and comes out with a winner of a book!!!

Even if you know little about the year 1066 (which the author correctly points out is sorely neglected in history education), this will help you to TRULY understand it and will leave you hungry for more about the story. I've read no fewer than 10 books about the year and the characters involved and still this book put it all into perspective for me. The diagrams and photos of the actual sites (overlayed with which armies were where) was a fantastic visual reference that I had been missing until now. He also talks about the Bayeux Tapistry in amazing detail. You leave this book able to picture how they dressed, how they were armed, where things took place and how the "historians" of the time captured the tale (along with notes of probable bias). There was no right or wrong discussed - just what likely happened and why it likely happened. This is one of the true "what if's" of history. At any moment one simple change of fate - the weather, a word, where someone stood in battle - so much of English history would be dramatically different. I'm a lover of all things about Harold Godwinsson. There's something moving about him - even all of these years later. But despite that bias on my part - I think the book was as acurate as possible, as thorough as possible and yet enjoyably short and organized and to the point. This is a must have for anyone who enjoys a true story that's really better than any fiction out there.