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Family and Community Historical Research Society Newsletter, Volume 22, November 2021

This book represents an important landmark in scholarship of the period immediately preceding the Norman Conquest of England, as well as the decade following it. The author questions nationalist myths, revealing that the English often colluded with the Normans, as well as working with them within the system. There was as much of this "collusion" as any kind of resistance.

NetGalley, Joanna Arman

For my part, it is a book that has left me some curiosities to deepen (and it is good) even if I did not find it as brilliant as the previous one, always published by Frontline Books, on the decoding of the Bayeux Tapestry.

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Omne Ignotum Pro Magnifico

I think you need to approach this book with an open mind, otherwise you may not enjoy it and at times find it too frustrating to continue. That said it’s not a bad book, it's quite good and brings a new perception on the Norman conquest. It’s definitely worth a read, though I think it’s a bit like marmite, some will enjoy the book whilst others will find it frustrating simply because of the subject matter.

Irregular Magazine | Spring Issue 2021

Arthur C Wright's fresh look at how things panned out before and after the invasion provides new and fresh evidence that should not be overlooked. Brilliant.

Books Monthly

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book for the simple fact that it has given me another way of thinking about the Norman Conquest. "English Collusion and the Norman Conquest" is well-written and interesting, but it leaves plenty for your imagination - which is something that I hadn't expected, but it worked for me! I would like to read more by this author - particularly on the same subject.

NetGalley, Dawn Lewis

Having seen the 21st century failures in ‘regime change’ I have long wondered how the Normans got away with it after Hastings. This book asks us to consider that they had ‘friends’ – the English. It constructs a very believable hypothesis that the Normans needed English (Anglo-Saxon) cooperation to maintain control of a kingdom that they had acquired by good fortune rather than strategic predestination. At the core of the cooperation was a strong desire to end centuries of invasion, principally by Vikings, and the corresponding drain on manpower and resources, not least the continuous bribes to induce the invaders to go away (until the next time).
It is supported by a rational explanation of the workings of pre conquest English learning and social structure that anticipated its leverage by William to broaden the regime’s tax revenues and thereby to lay the foundations for unqualified loyalty to the king. The keystone of the policy was hereditary rights to property (rather than it returning to the crown on death) which enriched both Norman and Saxon nobility and which offered a clever balance of rights and obligations that were clearly defined. Underpinning it was an understanding that cheating the King had consequences. This is a really fascinating book and recommended.

Michael McCarthy. Battlefield Guide

Michael McCarthy