NetGalley ARC | Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey

 

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoy Connolly's books quite a bit, so I snatched this one up the moment I found it on NetGalley. It did not disappoint.

Despite my vast knowledge of the periods in which the family lived, I knew remarkably little about them, except where they may have been mentioned in relation to other larger-than-life figures from the same eras.

William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, came to England's shores with William the Bastard and the family never looked back. For his loyalty, William was given so much land, he became one of the richest men, EVER. Following his exploits, his descendants made their marks in various ways as well. It is no surprise that the Warennes were close to the royal families as well, so close as to marry into said families, even. And though they acquired much, they also gave generously to the Church and did all that was expected of such a prominent family.

Connolly is a favorite of mine due to careful scholarship and exhaustive research. I know whenever I read one of her books, there will plenty of endnotes and further reading to peruse. Even so, readers who enjoy these types of books as a hobby will not be put off, as Connolly keeps her work both academic and accessible - not always an easy feat.

And not only does she bring the family to life through their many marriages, wars, and other escapades, she plants the reader firmly in the period as well. That's 300 years of Anglo-Norman/Plantagenet history (though, of course, my Plantagenets lasted another hundred years beyond the fall of the Warennes). The centuries were not easy, yet the Warennes hung on and prospered.

They would not, however, survive the reign of Edward III and like all good things (depending on your point of view), must come to an end. Yet before that happened, Connolly takes the reader on quite a ride, following the family that was so close to the crown, you wouldn't have been surprised if they'd been able to grab ahold of it. I imagine at times it was hard to remain loyal, given the history.

I have no real complaints, though if you've read my previous reviews of books like this, you would know I love maps and diagrams, to show who owned what and where. I have always found them helpful, especially when dealing with the Anglo-Normans, with families holding land on both sides of the Channel.

This is an excellent addition to our collective knowledge of the time and highly recommended.