Lars Brownworth - The Normans: From Raiders to Kings

THE NORMANS

From Raiders to Kings

LARS BROWNWORTH

The Normans: From Raiders to Kings

First published in the United Kingdom in 2014 by Crux Publishing Ltd.

ISBN: 978-1-909979-03-1

Copyright Lars Brownworth, 2014

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About the Author

Lars Brownworth is an author, speaker, broadcaster, and teacher based in Maryland, USA. He has written for the Wall Street Journal and been profiled in the New York Times, who likened him to some of historys great popularizers. His books include Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization, and the forthcoming The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings.

For more information about Lars, please visit www.larsbrownworth.com

About the Book

There is much more to the Norman story than the Battle of Hastings. These descendants of the Vikings who settled in France, England, and Italy - but were not strictly French, English, or Italian - played a large role in creating the modern world. They were the success story of the Middle Ages; a footloose band of individual adventurers who transformed the face of medieval Europe. During the course of two centuries they launched a series of extraordinary conquests, carving out kingdoms from the North Sea to the North African coast.

In The Normans, author Lars Brownworth follows their story, from the first shock of a Viking raid on an Irish monastery to the exile of the last Norman Prince of Antioch. In the process he brings to vivid life the Norman tapestrys rich cast of characters: figures like Rollo the Walker, William Iron-Arm, Tancred the Monkey King, and Robert Guiscard. It presents a fascinating glimpse of a time when a group of restless adventurers had the world at their fingertips.

For Nils, whose curiosity provided the spark

A Whos Who of the Norman World

Adelaide(c. 1075 - 1118) Third wife of Roger I and mother of Roger II. Regent for her son from 1101 - 1112

Alexius Comnenus(c. 1056 - 1118) Byzantine emperor at the time of the First Crusade. Defeated attempts by Robert Guiscard and Bohemond I to invade the empire

Bernard of Clairvaux(1090 - 1153) Cistercian Abbot and dominant figure of the early 12th century.

Bohemond I(c. 1058 - 1111) Eldest son of Robert Guiscard; founded the Principality of Antioch

Charles the Fat(839 - 888) Frankish king who attempted to stop Viking raids by allowing them to settle in Normandy

Christodulus(d. 1131) First admiral of Norman Sicily under Roger II

Constance(1154 - 1198) Sister of Roger II; inherited Sicily when William the Good died

Count Roger(c. 1031 - 1101) Youngest of the Hauteville brothers; conquered Sicily and consolidated Norman rule of the island. Also known as the Great Count

DrogodeHauteville(c. 1010 - 1051) Younger brother of William Iron-Arm who succeeded him as Duke of Apulia and Calabria

Edward the Confessor(c. 1003 - 1066) Anglo-Saxon king of England who died without a clear successor

Emma(c. 985 - 1012) Sister of Duke Richard II; wife of Ethelred the Unready and mother of Edward the Confessor

Ethelred the Unready(c. 968 - 1016) Anglo-Saxon king who tried to stop Viking raids by bribing them. Father of Edward the Confessor

Frederick I Barbarossa(1122 - 1190) Holy Roman Emperor; invaded Italy in an attempt to conqueror Sicily

Frederick II Barbarossa(1194 - 1250) Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily and Jerusalem; Son of Henry VI and grandson of Roger II. Nicknamed the wonder of the world.

GeorgeManiaces(d. 1043) Byzantine general who employed Norman mercenaries in an attempt to conquer Sicily

George of Antioch(d. 1151/2) Succeeded Christodulus as admiral; helped establish a Norman presence in North Africa

Godwin(Earl of Wessex, c. 1001 - 1053) Powerful advisor to Edward the Confessor and father of Tostig and Harold

Gregory VII(c. 1015 - 1085) Reforming pope who offered Robert Guiscard legitimacy in exchange for protection against Henry IV

HaraldHardrada(c. 1015 - 1066) Viking King of Norway; invaded England in 1066 and died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge

HaroldGodwinson(c. 1022 - 1066) Last Anglo-Saxon king of England. Killed by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings

Henry IV(1050 - 1106) Holy Roman Emperor who tried to invade Rome while Robert Guiscard was occupied by Byzantium

Henry VI(1165 - 1197) Holy Roman Emperor and husband of Constance; conquered the Norman Kingdom of Sicily

Maio of Bari(d. 1160) Favorite of William the Bad; most powerful figure in Sicily until his assassination

Manuel Comnenus(1118 - 1180) Last strong Byzantine emperor of the 12th century; campaigned against Roger II

Margaritus(1149 - 1197) Admiral of Sicily under William the Good; nicknamed the new Neptune

Pope Leo IX(1002 - 1054) Led a great anti-Norman coalition to expel the Normans from southern Italy; captured by Robert Guiscard at the Battle of Civitate

Pope Urban II(c. 1042 - 1099) Launched the First Crusade to recover Jerusalem for Christendom

Raymond of Toulouse(c. 1041 - 1105) Main rival to Bohemond I for leadership of the First Crusade

Richard the Fearless(933 - 996) Son of William Longsword; first Duke of Normandy

Richard the Lionheart(1157 - 1199) Norman king of England who visited Sicily en route to the Third Crusade

Richard II(c. 962 - 1026) Second Duke of Normandy; also known as Richard the Good

RobertGuiscard(c. 1015 - 1085) Half-brother of Drogo; conquered much of southern Italy and was elected Duke of Apulia and Calabria. Known as The Crafty

RoberttheDevil(c. 1009 - 1035) Third Duke of Normandy, father of William the Conqueror

Roger Borsa