Battle for the Island Kingdom: England's Destiny 1000-1066

by Don Hollway

Overview

A rich history of the years leading up to 1066 when Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans vied for the English crown. A tale of loyalty, treason and military might.

In a saga reminiscent of Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom, Battle for the Island Kingdom reveals the life-and-death struggle for power which changed the course of history. The six decades leading up to 1066 were defined by bloody wars and intrigues, in which three peoples vied for supremacy over the island kingdom. In this epic retelling, Don Hollway (The Last Viking) recounts the clashes of Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, their warlords and their conniving queens.

It begins with the Viking Cnut the Great, forging three nations into his North Sea Empire while his Saxon wife Aelfgifu rules in his stead and schemes for England's throne. Her archenemy is Emma of Normandy, widow of Saxon king Aethelred, claiming Cnut's realm in exchange for her hand in marriage. Their sons become rivals, pawns in their mothers' wars until they can secure their own destinies. And always in the shadows is Godwin of Wessex, playing all sides to become the power behind the throne until his son Harold emerges as king of all of England.

But Harold's brother Tostig turns traitor, abandons the Anglo-Saxons and joins the army of the last great Viking, Harald Hardrada, where together they meet their fate at the battle of Stamford Bridge. And all this time watching from across the water is William, the Bastard, fighting to secure his own Norman dukedom, but with an eye on the English crown.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472858931
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	115,770
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Don Hollway is an author and historian. His first book, The Last Viking, is a gripping history of King Harald Hardrada which was acclaimed by bestselling author Stephen Harding, by Carl Gnam of Military Heritage magazine and by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post. He is also a classical rapier fencer. His work is also available at www.donhollway.com. He lives in Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

Author's Note

Dramatis Personae

Introduction: A New Millennium

Part One. The Vikings: AD 1001–1043

I. Normandy Invasion: 1001

II. Foreigners: 1002

III. Woe to King Aethelred: 1003–1009

IV. The Jomsvikings: 1009–1012

V. Hnefatafl: 1012–1014

VI. Sons of the Fathers: 1014–1016

VII. One King to Rule All: 1016

VIII. Viking England: 1017–1022

IX. Forging an Empire: 1022–1028

X. Kingdoms, Dukedoms, Heirdoms: 1028–1030

XI. Seeking Deliverance: 1030–1035

XII. Power Games: 1036–1037

XIII. Nadirs: 1037–1040

XIV. Harthacnut: 1040–1042

XV. Their Just Rewards: 1042–1043

Part Two. The Anglo-Saxons: AD 1042–1065

XVI. Edward Rex: 1042–1045

XVII. Comeuppances: 1045–1046

XVIII. Outcasts: 1046–1047

XIX. Val-ès-Dunes: 1047

XX. The Godwins: 1047–1049

XXI. William the Bastard: 1049–1051

XXII. Rebellion: 1051

XXIII. Heir to the Throne: 1051–1052

XXIV. The Return of the Godwins: 1052

XXV. Asserting Power: 1052–1053

XXVI. Wars in the North: 1054

XXVII. The Godwinsons: 1055–1056

XXVIII. War and Diplomacy: 1057

XXIX. Supremacy: 1058–1060

XXX. Fragile Peace: 1061

XXXI. Conquerors: 1062–1063

XXXII. Betrayals: 1064–1065

Part Three. The Normans: AD 1066

XXXIII. Challenge Accepted: Spring 1066

XXXIV. Opening Moves: Summer 1066

XXXV. Return of the Vikings: September 1066

XXXVI. Hastings: October 1066

Afterword: Domesday, 1066–1154

Sources

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

Index

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

11/20/2023

Historian Hollway (The Last Viking) chronicles in this brisk study the 66 tumultuous years culminating in the Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 CE. In the Middle Ages, the island now comprising England, Scotland, and Wales proved tempting to the Scandinavians and the French, Hollway explains; frequent invasions resulted in violent altercations, a rapid turnover in rulers, and the decimation of villages. The luckless Anglo-Saxon king Aethelred the Unready (better translated as “Ill-Advised,” according to Hollway) massacred Danes living under his rule—including the Danish king’s daughter, Gunhilde—on St. Brice’s Day in 1002 CE. Her brother, Svein Forkbeard, retaliated by sacking Essex. While the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings battled for control of the island, William the Bastard’s martial adeptness earned “great respect” from the Norman nobles and paved the way for him to inherit his father’s duchy in France. In 1066, Anglo-Saxon king Harold warded off a Viking incursion in the north co-led by his own disgruntled brother, Tostig. William’s appearance in the south cut celebrations short for Harold and his battle-worn army. Despite the outcome being well-known, Hollway’s suspenseful buildup during William’s rise as a credible threat to Harold pays off in his recounting of the epic battle. Throughout, Hollway explains frankly when source material may be questionable, and his footnotes clarify the path leading to the Norman Conquest. The result is an accessible and vibrant portrait of a turning point in world history. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

A great book both for those exploring the story behind the Norman Conquest for the first time, and for more knowledgeable readers who want to read a fresh account of it.” —Aspects of History

“Battle for the Island Kingdom is thoroughly enjoyable, and is recommended to anyone looking for a comprehensive and accessible history of the period.” —Military History Matters

“The story of England and how it came to be a Norman possession is an intricate and fascinating one. This is a very readable book which opens up this complex period.” —Battlefield

“Historian Hollway chronicles in this brisk study the 66 tumultuous years culminating in the Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 CE… The result is an accessible and vibrant portrait of a turning point in world history.” —Publisher's Weekly

“There's no need for fictional dragons when the real-life battle for thrones and empires is as thrilling as Hollway's …account of England's history leading up to the Norman Conquest of 1066… A deeply researched must-read for anyone interested in this contested era. Readers will be enthralled...” —Library Journal

“The second type of person who would love this book is pretty much everyone else. There is war, back-stabbing, polygamy, politics, poisonings, and a saint or two. What's not to love?... Hollway keeps everything clear and concise while telling a great story…. Just plain fantastic.” —History Nerds United

“Hollway's book is anything but dry. At every turn, he infuses his accounts with a novelist's flair…Hollway makes it feel so loud and headlong that the story feels both new and unpredictable… he's filled a long-lost era with color and life.” —Open Letters Review

“In his latest work on this era, the author [Hollway] brings this period to vivid life through engaging prose, a coherent narrative and a mind for the most minute yet interesting detail … This book is lively and easy to read.” —Military Heritage

From the Publisher

11/01/2023

There's no need for fictional dragons when the real-life battle for thrones and empires is as thrilling as Hollway's (The Last Viking: The True Story of King Harald Hardrada) account of England's history leading up to the Norman Conquest of 1066. Beginning with the ineffectual reign of the Anglo-Saxon king Æthelred—commonly known as the "Unready"—his book depicts the brutal politics of the early medieval era when Vikings and Normans attempted to seize and hold the English crown. Hollway fleshes out a memorable cast of characters, including the Viking king Cnut, the slippery Earl Godwin, and the noblewoman Emma of Normandy, widow of two kings and mother of several more. He also follows the life and early strains of a Norman duke's son, born out of wedlock, who would go on to conquer England as William I. Illustrating how the schemes and ever-changing alliances of these individuals were as much about survival as ambition, this narrative never lags. VERDICT A deeply researched must-read for anyone interested in this contested era. Readers will be enthralled with quotations from period accounts and insights into the harsh reality of the violent, often short lives of Anglo-Saxon, Viking, and Norman nobility.—Sara Shreve

Library Journal