Henry of Huntingdon was a guy who lived during a very important period in history; fortunately he knew how to write and had the good sense to write everything down. The period immediately after the Norman invasion was probably one of the most important in the history of England, since the old monarchial system of the Anglo-Saxon dynasties was ousted and forcefully replaced with this new Norman government system, which was a mixture of French ideals together with a Viking heritage (Normandy means “north man” since the Vikings actually bought Normandy from France a century or two before).
Henry of Huntingdon lived during the reigns of William II, Henry I, and Stephen, and so was able to provide a unique firsthand insight into these kings and what life was like in England during the second century of the second millennium. Translated by Diana Greenway, along with helpful notes, The History of the English People is a unique primary source for any avid historian.
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Originally published on October 14th, 2002.
Originally published in the Long Beach Union.
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