William I (Penguin Monarchs)

On Christmas Day 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, was crowned in Westminster as the first Norman king of England. It was a disaster: soldiers outside, mistaking shouts of acclamation for treachery, set the surrounding buildings ablaze. To later chroniclers, this event was seen as an omen of the catastrophes that lay ahead.

A Reign of Seismic Change

During the reign of William the Conqueror, England underwent greater and more profound changes than at any other point in its history. Marc Morris's concise and gripping biography delves into the sources of the time to offer a fresh perspective on the man who reshaped England like no other. Key events and transformations included:

• The sweeping away of old ruling elites, replaced by Norman governance.
• The crushing of enemies, both at home and abroad—even within his own family.
• Devastation across swathes of the country, leaving a lasting impact on the land and its people.
• A redrawing of the nation's map, consolidating unprecedented power in the hands of the king.

The Domesday Book: A Lasting Legacy

Towards the end of his reign, William undertook a monumental survey of his newly conquered lands. Known as the Domesday Book, it was compared by his subjects to the last judgement of God. This act symbolized the complete transformation of England—a nation irrevocably changed under William's rule.