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Reading Norman History Books In Order

NORMAN Dynasty Reading List (Books In Historical Order)

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The Norman Dynasty was one of profound change in England. This Norman dynasty reading list are books in historical order as a part of my English Reading Series.

What follows is a suggested Norman dynasty reading list in proper historical order to satiate your thirst for English Norman history.

The Norman Dynasty in England began in 1066 when William “The Conqueror” (Duke of Normandy) invaded England as a rival claimant to the Anglo-Saxon dynasties that had been in possession of England as early as the 6th century.

In fact, the name England literally means ‘land of the Angles.’ The Angles were one of 3 invading tribes from across the North Sea: Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.

The Norman Dynasty ended with the great English king Henry I. His line was not to pass to a male heir, instead it passed on to his daughter Matilda, aka “Empress Maude.” She married Geoffrey Plantagenet (of Anjou) and literally gave birth to the Plantagenet Dynasty which took its name from her husband.

After much strife and a civil war, their line continued via their son Henry II who married the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine. Ok, let’s get to the lists!

The Norman Dynasty List of MONARCHS (see Genealogy Chart at the end of this article)

  • William The Conqueror (reign 1066-1087)
  • William II “Rufus” (reign 1087-1100)
  • Henry I “Beauclerc” (reign 1100-1135)
  • Matilda “Empress Maude” (reign 1141 through ‘The Anarchy’)
  • Stephen and Matilda (non-agnatic reign 1135-1154)

Your Norman Dynasty Reading List (BOOKS In Historical Order)

  1. 1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry by Andrew Bridgeford
  2. Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I by Tracy Borman
  3. William Rufus (English Monarchs Series) by Frank Barlow
  4. Henry I (English Monarchs Series) by C. Warren Hollister
  5. The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream by Charles Spencer
  6. Queens of the Conquest: England’s Medieval Queens, Book One by Alison Weir

1066: Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry Andrew Bridgeford cover norman dynasty

#1.
1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry
by Andrew Bridgeford

YEAR: 2005
PAGES: 354
ISBN: 9780802777423
LINK: Family History Foundation Review

I start this reading list with a book not directly about the Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror as would be expected, but rather an eye-opening book on the Bayeux Tapestry.

This book covers William the Conqueror, his Norman family as well as the Anglo-Saxon kings contemporaneous to him.

The importance is that this book does all the explaining about the battles and characters and such, yes you’ll get all that, but also provides such a rich cultural context to the Normans and English that it is the perfect starting point.

Below are a few more titles should you wish to have options for reading Norman dynasty books in order. NOTE: While I love Marc Morris as an author, his The Norman Conquest was a fairly bland and unimaginative read for me (sorry Marc).


Queen of the Conqueror by Tracy Borman - norman dynasty books

#2.
Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I
by Tracy Borman

YEAR: 2012
PAGES: 336
ISBN: 9780553808148
LINK: AbeBooks Link

This book covers the life of Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror. It is a compelling read by an author who has written a magnetically poignant book about a royal woman descended from King Charlemagne! Not many other authors have even attempted to touch her life, I classify this as a must-read.

NOTE: Tracy Borman’s review of Sara Cockerill’s Eleanor of Aquitaine biography is on her front cover – that is lending a fairly hefty degree of credibility to this book. If you didn’t know, Tracy Borman is one of the Chief Curators for the Royal Historic Palaces in the UK and has appeared on numerous BBC shows and other documentaries.


William Rufus frank barlow

#3.
William Rufus (English Monarchs Series)
by Frank Barlow

YEAR: 2000
PAGES: 512
ISBN: 9780300082913
LINK: AbeBooks Link

Frank Barlow’s book covers the life of William II “Rufus.” Although notoriously harsh towards William Rufus, it is nonetheless a valuable read.

Below is an alternative to Frank Barlow’s book entitled King Rufus: The Life and Mysterious Death of William II of England by author Emma Mason. I have not read it but it does look intriguing. If you have read it, please leave a comment in the comments section below and tell me how you liked it.

King Rufus by Emma Mason - norman dynasty books

Henry I by C. Warren Hollister Norman dynasty Books

#4.
Henry I (English Monarchs Series)
by C. Warren Hollister

YEAR: 2003
PAGES: 588
ISBN: 9780300098297
LINK: AbeBooks Link

This book covers Henry I, his wife Matilda of Scotland, his daughter the Empress Matilda, as well as Geoffrey Plantagenet of Anjou.

The importance of Henry I of England cannot be overstated. The reign he inherited was just one thing, but perhaps his best contribution was his marriage to Matilda “Edith” of Scotland thereby bridging the Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian genealogical lines in England.

Any book in the English Monarchs Series is something that you should grab immediately if you see it! There are 2 books from that series on this list for that reason. Although they are often lengthy, they are rammed with flawless facts and narrative.


The White Ship by Charles Spencer - norman dynasty books in order

#5.
The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream
by Charles Spencer

YEAR: 2021
PAGES: 337
ISBN: 9780008296803
LINK: Amazon Link

This book covers the children of Henry I, most prominently William Adelin, the heir and successor to the throne who died aboard the White Ship incident in 1120. This led directly to a war for succession known as “The Anarchy” in which Henry I’s daughter, Matilda (Empress Matilda, or Maude) became an unprecedented female claimant to the kingdom as the granddaughter of William the Conqueror.

As I’m typing this, Charles Spencer’s book isn’t even out yet! It has not even reached the “shelves” yet. I have mine on order and cannot wait to read his interpretation of “The White Ship” and its implications to the Norman royal family (bloodline) of Henry I.


Queens of the Conquest Alison Weir Cover

#6.
Queens of the Conquest: England’s Medieval Queens, Book One
by Alison Weir

YEAR: 2017
PAGES: 556
ISBN: 9781101966662
LINK: Family History Foundation Review

To round things out is Alison Weir’s first book in her series on England’s Medieval Queens. Queens of the Conquest touches on the wives of England’s conquest-era queens. So, for your Norman dynasty reading list of books in historical order, this book makes my final suggestion in order to capture the last leg of your Norman dynasty reading journey.

This book describes the war between Empress Matilda, her rivals Stephen and Matilda, and the impact this civil war had on the English population overall all the way up until 1154 and the succession of Henry II. It is marvelously detailed and will not disappoint.


Background Reading, for your Norman Dynasty Reading List

Why would you need to do any background reading, you may ask? Well, for one, English history didn’t simply start with the Normans.

So, if you would like to jump into my suggested reading list for Norman Dynasty books in order, you most certainly can do that – that’s what it’s there for.

However, if you would like a bit of background reading on the prior Anglo-Saxon dynasties to which the Normans gave the boot, then below are a few suggested books to read first. Or, you can just read my “Anglo-Saxon History Reading List of Recommended Books” post!!

To be fair, the Normans actually married into the ancient Anglo-Saxon lines, as William the Conqueror’s wife Matilda of Flanders was descended from King Alfred the Great of England (849-899) and Henry I’s wife Matilda’s (Edith of Scotland) maternal grandfather was Edward Aetheling (1016-1057).

Anglo-Saxon England by Frank Stenton

Anglo-Saxon England
by Frank Stenton

YEAR: 2001
PAGES: 765
ISBN: 9780192801395
LINK: AbeBooks Link


Anglo-Saxons: A history of the beginnings of England - Marc Morris

The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England, 400-1066
by Marc Morris

YEAR: 2021
PAGES: 452
ISBN: 9781643133126
LINK: Amazon Link


The Anglo-Saxon Age, C.400-1042 by D. J. V. Fisher

The Anglo-Saxon Age, c. 400-1042
by D.J.V. Fisher

YEAR: 1992
PAGES: 374
ISBN: 9780880298940
LINK: AbeBooks Link


1066 And All That (Folio Society)

1066 And All That: A Memorable History of England, comprising all the parts you can remember including 103 good things, 5 bad kings and 2 genuine dates (Folio Society)
by Walter Carruthers Sellar, R. J. Yeatman

YEAR: 1998
PAGES: 116
ISBN: 9780880298940
LINK: AbeBooks Link


Genealogy Chart, for your Norman Dynasty Reading List

Another way to approach this era is to visualize the Norman Kings and Queens of England in terms of their genealogy. This is also important as royal genealogies also double as monarchial lines of succession. This is definitely great for the visual learners!

Below is a chart which is associated with an article I wrote outlining and explaining the numerous “Matildas” and “Eleanors” that populate the Norman and Plantagenet era. You can read the article by following the link or by clicking on the chart below. It’s a fantastic read!

Norman, Angevin, Plantagenet Dynasties kings queens
Norman, Angevin, Plantagenet Genealogy

Norman Dynasty Reading List on YouTube

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2 Comments

  1. William August 26, 2021
    • F+H+F September 14, 2021

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