August 1144. Osbern de Lench is known far and wide as a hard master, whose temper is perpetually frayed. After his daily ride to survey his land, his horse returns to the hall riderless, and the lifeless body of the lord is found soon after. Was it the work of thieves, or something closer to […]
Lost and found: remembering William Marshal, the Greatest Knight
Historian and novelist Elizabeth Chadwick writes for Historia about the life of William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, soldier, statesman and regent of England, to mark the 800th anniversary of his death in 1219,
Matilda: The greatest king England never had
Catherine Hanley writes for Historia about Empress Matilda, the greatest king England never had.
The Normans: Conquest Through Adaptation
Ruadh Butler explains how Norman military prowess relied on adopting and adapting ideas from conquered cultures. Thanks to a 12th century ancestor I find myself an Irishman bearing an English version of a Norman word for a Frankish court position as a surname. While identity in Ireland always makes an interesting subject, the background to the […]