The Geographic Origins of the Norman Conquerors of England

Abstract

Descended from Vikings, the Norman armies of the eleventh and twelfth centuries spread out from their home in Northern France on a quest to conquer and explore new lands beyond their duchy.1The most famous of these quests was the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. After many months of planning and preparation, this quest climaxed on Saturday, October 14, 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. Here, the Normans crushed the Anglo-Saxon rulers of England with the power and might of their knights. While much has been written about this epic battle, few studies have focused squarely on the importance of some of the more fundamental characteristics of the primary combatants themselves—the Norman knights. In an attempt to partially address this deficiency, this study focuses on one particular aspect of this armed cohort: its geographic origins. Following a discussion of Duke William’s leadership role and the Norman Army’s organization at Hastings, the studymoves to focus squarely on the as yet unexamined geographical allegiances of the Norman knights and how this might shed light on both the motivation of the combatants and their ultimate success in mobilizing the resources required to win at Hastings.

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