Empires of the Normans: Conquerors of Europe

Medievalist Roach (Aethelred the Unready) examines in this expert if somewhat stilted account the profound impact of the Normans on European history. A Viking war band that settled in the northern reaches of the Seine River in 911, the Normans famously conquered England in 1066. Roach gives due consideration to those events, but also spotlights lesser-known aspects of Norman history, including their presence in southern Italy, Sicily, and North Africa; the role of Norman forces in Byzantine Asia Minor and the Crusades; and their influence on Welsh, Scottish, and Irish culture. Throughout, he highlights how the Normans retained their nomadic warrior heritage, exploiting opportunities created by regional disputes in Italy and serving as mercenaries for Byzantine general George Maniakes and others. Though the Normans quickly adopted the language and culture of those elites whom they conquered, they also managed to maintain their collective self-identity by passing down names and customs to later generations. Roach is a lucid explainer of dynastic history, but he mars the narrative with an overreliance on clichés (“But just as things were looking up, clouds gathered”). Still, this is a well-informed and comprehensive introduction to the Norman legacy. (Aug.)