The Struggle for Mastery: The Penguin History of Britain 1066-1284 [Paperback]

David Carpenter (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0140148248 | ISBN-13: 978-0140148244 | Publication Date: March 29, 2005

Drawing upon vast amounts of fresh research, David Carpenter’s remarkable new book brings to life medieval Britain in the tumultuous period between the Norman conquest of England and the English conquest of Wales under Edward I. This epoch saw a profound reshaping of Britain, as Norman and Anglo-Saxon peoples were molded together into a new identity, and the development of a powerful parliamentary tax-based state enabled England to dominate the rest of Britain at the end of the thirteenth century. Yet as Carpenter’s wide-ranging narrative makes clear, during this time England was also linked in an entirely new way to continental Europe, leaving plenty of space for the ambitions of Britain’s other rulers, namely the princes of Wales and the king of Scots, to emerge.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A magnificent book that can be recommended ahead of any of its competitors. (History Today)

About the Author

David Carpenter is a professor of medieval history at King’s College, London.
David Cannadine is the director of the Institute of Historical Research, University of London. His books include History in Our Time and Aspects of Aristocracy, both available from Penguin.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (March 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140148248
• ISBN-13: 978-0140148244
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent--Thorough and Readable, June 26, 2007

By 

Patricia Brogan (MInneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Struggle for Mastery: The Penguin History of Britain 1066-1284 (Paperback)

Carpenter's survey of post-Conquest Britain somehow manages to be both very detailed and very broad. As expected, he focuses mainly on the political and religious aspects of the period, but he is careful to include social history (including discussions of slavery, the peasantry, queenship and chivalry)where it impinges on those subjects. The result is magnificently clear narrative of this complicated and turbulent era. Four chapters of purely social history round out the story: two at the beginning discuss the peoples and economy of Britain, and two near the end summarize "The Structures of Society" and the "Church, Religion, Literacy, and Learning." Within the main body of the text he provides short overviews of Welsh and Scots power structures and history. These are especially welcome additions, and though he generally includes only the details that help make sense of Anglo-Norman actions, he writes these sections from a Welsh or Scottish perspective.

Surprisingly, the most gripping parts of the book concern subjects that might be thought dry. Carpenter excels at dealing with abstractions. His description of the legal system, which changed several times throughout the period and eventually gave rise to both common law and the Magna Carta, is actually thrilling. His discussions of the economy, feudal rights and obligations, and the importance of the castle to medieval politics are fascinating. Of course, all this comes at a price: he doesn't have room for much in the way of anecdote, and a few subjects that ought to make for exciting reading (the civil war between Stephen and Empress Matilda, the reign of Henry II)are a little flat. Sometimes, maddeningly, he refers to good stories (Matilda's daring escapes, "notorious" clerical crimes, the romantic intrigues of Nest, a Helen of Wales) and then refrains from telling them. Other chapters in history fare better; his coverage of William I, William Rufus, and Henry I was especially lively and satisfying. The small sacrifices he makes to narrative cleanliness don't detract from the work's readability; it's compelling throughout--it's just what's compelling that gets you.

There are a few more serious omissions, or rather near-omissions. The crusades get little attention, and I would have liked to hear more about the major female players. Still, he covers everything at least briefly--in itself a staggering achievement. In short, this is a thorough introduction to the period, an engrossing read, and a fine update on contemporary medieval scholarship. Indispensable.