Whether it is Hollywood drama or scholarly accuracy, historical
retellings are all we can use to satisfy the “What happened?” question. In 1066-The Year of the Conquest, David
Howarth manages to provide the best of both worlds.
Howarth skillfully depicts the intrigue and suspense of
every event of the conquest. He highlights the fateful decisions made by Harold
Godwinson, William of Normandy, King Edward the Confessor, and all the other
key players. He stresses the incredible timing of the events, which cascaded
down on poor Harold like a waterfall of bad luck. He even delves into Harold’s
and William’s relationships with women, which adds a powerful sentimental pang
to this otherwise grim, masculine tale.
For the stingy scholars, his descriptions are drawn straight
from a plethora of original sources. The research is not only complete, but
even-handed as well. Both the Norman and Saxon points of view are presented (no
small feat since most of the Saxon points of view died with Harold at Hastings
or soon thereafter). Howarth even goes so far as to draw from original Norse
sources, so the Norwegian element of the story is as strong as the others.
By linking high drama with solid facts, Howarth’s readers
not only learn “what happened” during that amazing time in history, but gain a
real sense of the players and their motives. Harold, William, Tostig, Harald,
and many more historical figures become real people with real problems and
ambitions. The end result is an enjoyable, educational read for all.
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