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This third volume of Edward A. Freeman’s six‑part study presents a scholarly, documentary‑driven account of the Norman conquest, beginning with a prefatory note that explains the author’s reliance on a freshly surveyed battlefield plan of Senlac. Freeman acknowledges the contributions of military engineers, local aristocrats, and academic advisers, then launches into a tightly organized chronology that starts with the death of Edward the Confessor and the election of Harold, moving through the intricate diplomatic manoeuvres of William of Normandy. The opening pages list detailed chapter headings, showing the work’s exhaustive scope, from the political fallout of Edward’s passing to the negotiations, councils, and foreign alliances that preceded the decisive battles of 1066.
Written in a nineteenth‑century academic voice, the text combines meticulous footnote‑style references with a narrative that reads like a learned history lecture. Its dense, formal prose and emphasis on primary sources will appeal to serious students of medieval England, historians of warfare, and readers who enjoy a rigorous, source‑based exploration of the Anglo‑Saxon to Norman transition.
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The appearance of this volume has been delayed for a considerable time in order to obtain for it a special advantage, namely an accurate military ground-plan of the battle-field of Senlac. For this my best thanks are owing to Colonel Sir Henry James, R.E. and to Captain Edward R. James, R.E. I had, on June 2nd, the great advantage of a final examination of the battle-ground in company with Captain James and Mr. Bryce. My account of the battle was then already printed, but I am glad to say that our examination led only to one or two small changes which I have made in the Additions and Corrections. Captain James has had the kindness to put my ideas of the battle, as drawn from the original writers, into scientific military shape. He is not responsible for my historical view of the battle, neither am I responsible for such purely military points as the extent and arrangement of the palisade. The relative position of the different divisions in the two armies seems beyond doubt, but the extent of ground occupied by each division must be matter of pure conjecture. The one absolutely certain point is the position of the English Standard and the fact that it was against that point that the main attack under William himself was made.
Besides my great obligations to Sir Henry James and Captain James, I am no less indebted to His Grace the Duke of Cleveland for the free and repeated access which he has allowed me to all parts of the battle-field, a large part of which lies within his private grounds at Battle Abbey. Without this kindness on his Grace’s part no satisfactory account of the battle could have been written. I owe deep thanks also to my two companions at Stamfordbridge, Archdeacon Jones and Mr. J. R. Green, of whom Mr. Green also accompanied me on one of my visits to Senlac, as well as to many of the places described in Normandy and Maine. I have also to thank Mr. Dawkins for much valuable advice with regard to the map of the Campaign of Hastings, and M. Le Gost-Clerisse of Caen for his kind and valuable guidance to the field of Varaville. Neither must I forget the good-humoured readiness which Mr. H. O. Coxe has so often shown in verifying references in the Bodleian Library, and the benefit of unrestrained resort on all questions to Professor Stubbs may be taken for granted at every stage of every undertaking of mine. And there are others whose names cannot well appear in print to whom I am also indebted for much ready and zealous help in many ways.
SOMERLEAZE, WELLS, June 30th, 1869.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XI. THE ELECTION OF HAROLD. January 5th–April 6th, 1066.
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