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Review: Defenders of the Norman Crown by Sharon Bennett Connolly

17 October 2021 By John Paul Davis

Who were the Warenne Earls of Surrey? As good as forgotten now, for 300 years they were at the heart of English history, as medieval historian and novelist John Paul Davis learned when reading Defenders of the Norman Crown, Sharon Bennett Connolly’s history of the once-prominent family. He reviews it for Historia. Defenders of the […]

At the heart of English history: the Warenne Earls of Surrey

30 May 2021 By Sharon Bennett Connolly

The Warennes, Earls of Surrey from the Norman Conquest until 1347, may not be as familiar to us as some other great medieval families. But, as historian Sharon Bennett Connolly tells Historia, for three centuries they were at the heart of English power and had an important role in the politics of their day. As […]

Defenders of the Norman Crown by Sharon Bennett Connolly

30 May 2021 By Editor

In the reign of Edward I, when asked Quo Warranto – by what warrant he held his lands – John de Warenne, the sixth Earl of Surrey, is said to have drawn a rusty sword, claiming: “My ancestors came with William the Bastard, and conquered their lands with the sword, and I will defend them […]

Historia extract: Lionheart by Ben Kane

15 May 2020 By Ben Kane

We’re very pleased to publish a specially-chosen extract for Historia from Ben Kane’s newest book, Lionheart, ahead of its publication on 28 May, 2020. And if you enjoy reading this preview, there’s more Lionheart news to come. 1179. Henry II is King of England, Wales, Ireland, Normandy, Brittany and Aquitaine. While they reign supreme, there […]

Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior by Catherine Hanley

12 March 2019 By Editor

A life of Matilda – empress, skilled military leader, and one of the greatest figures of the English Middle Ages. By Catherine Hanley

Matilda: The greatest king England never had

7 March 2019 By Catherine Hanley

Armoured queen fighting helmeted men in battle

Catherine Hanley writes for Historia about Empress Matilda, the greatest king England never had.

The Normans: Conquest Through Adaptation

24 May 2017 By Ruadh Butler

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 […]

After Hastings

5 July 2016 By James Aitcheson

This year marks the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, one of the most famous events in British history. On 14 October 1066, English and Norman armies each numbering in the thousands clashed at the site now occupied by Battle Abbey in East Sussex, in a fierce struggle for the English crown that ended […]

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Dead in the Water by Mark Ellis

19 May 2022

Widows of the Ice by Anne Fletcher

15 May 2022

Privilege by Guinevere Glasfurd

12 May 2022

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Editor’s Picks

Building better humans? Eugenics and history

1 September 2021

Historia Q&A: Rachel Hore

3 April 2018

Historia Interviews: Tom Williams and Paul Fraser Collard

13 December 2016

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Historia Magazine is published by the Historical Writers’ Association. We are authors, publishers and agents of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. For information about membership and profiles of our member authors, please visit our website.

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