The Normans (The Peoples of Europe) - Hardcover

"A masterly work, the most elegant and concise account of Norman history currently in print." Times Literary Supplement "Lucidly written, based on up-to-date literature and above all, on an intimate knowledge of the sources, Marjorie Chibnall's latest book is an absolute must for the novice reader as well as for the seasoned Anglo-Norman specialist." History "Chibnall has produced a very engaging and informative general study of the Normans." History "A marvellous overview of the Normans written by a preeminent scholar of the Anglo-Norman realm ... While much of the Norman story is well known, Chibnall's study brings it all together in one graceful package. Her emphasis on the kingdom of Sicily is a useful corrective to our usual concentration on the Anglo-Norman realm. Equally valuable is her emphasis on kinship networks and the importance of the church within Norman society. This attempt to present a balanced view of the Norman world may be the single most valuable quality to this work. The Normans is an excellent introduction for the student of this remarkable people." Albion

This book examines the emergence of the Normans, their characteristics as a group, and their various achievements in war, culture, and civilization. The Normans were a product of history rather than a natural ethnic or regional group. This book explores what they believed made them a distinct people and how they constructed their identity. Marjorie Chibnall examines the enigma of the Northmen who first settled around the Seine estuary and built a principality that took their name and became the springboard for wider expansion and the conquest of England. The book moves on to study the rise of Normandy, and the integration and influence of other groups including the Saxons, the Franks and new Scandinavian leaders. The Normans' remarkable warfare and maritime successes are revealed in detail including their conquest of England, infiltration of Wales and Scotland, and assimilation in Ireland: and their campaigns in the South of Europe including southern Italy and the Mediterranean region. The book also examines the development of Norman culture: the writing of their own history: Norman myth: and their achievements in bringing together various racial and cultural elements to form a single people. This book provides the most comprehensive examination of the Normans available and will be invaluable for students and all those interested in European history.