William the Conqueror

Hilaire Belloc is perhaps the premier popular historian. His works are beautifully crafted and almost poetic. And this, his ode to William, the Conqueror, is no exception. Herein, Belloc teaches us that William's conquest of England was really the exercise of a legitimate claim to the throne through heredity and, more importantly, represented a struggle between half-Christianized Danes and the great Catholic tradition of England and Normandy. With this great act, culminating in the epoch making Battle of Hastings, William's line established England in a Catholic tradition that was to survive until Ann Boleyn turned the head of the weak will Henry VIII and became the pivot of the English Reformation, a topic also wonderfully dealt with by Belloc in "How the Reformation Happened". Belloc's writings are to savored, reflected upon, and quoted by his many fans. Prolific though he was, we always wish that he had written even more, and that his great works were more available. This particular work is made available through TAN publishers of Rockford, Illinois, a great little company that needs and deserves much support. Take care, and God bless.

I don't see how anyone who isn't a serious history fan would like to read this. It is another Belloc masterpiece, although, not his best. It is only 76 pages and could be about 15 pages shorter. It would make a great teaching aid.However, it is very lacking in the footnotes or bibliography.

I found this incredible tome of knowlege to be a quote-soakedand fact-packed adventure through Willy's hood. The "guy" got his ships from monks, sailed 'cros the channel because he be illegitimate, and laid a"bunch" down on Harold Godwinson because he be wastin' his time warrin with Vikings.