Conquered: the last children of Anglo-Saxon England

The defeat of Harold Godwinson by the Normans in 1066 resulted in the end of the rule of Anglo-Saxons in England. In her book, Conquered, Eleanor Parker explores what happened to the children of some of the Anglo-Saxon families close to power at the time of the Conquest. How did the arrival of the Normans change their ambitions and their lives plus the lives of future generations?

The author examines what happened to five families after the Conquest basing her account on the limited records available at the time. The records include several versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles plus extracts from church records and books written at the time. People discussed in the book include Hereward, Margaret of Scotland, grandchildren of Gytha and Godwine, Waltheof and Eadmer of Canterbury.

Many of the families remained in England but some tried for a new life in different countries. For Margaret's family unrest in England meant exile overseas where she was born and lived until returning to England with her brother. After the Conquest the family sought refuge in Scotland where Margaret eventually married King Malcolm III. Some years later Margaret and Malcom's daughter, Edith (Matilda) married Henry I of England, the son of William the Conqueror. This was one case where being part of the old regime was an advantage as the Normans attempted to further establish their rule of England.

In some of the chapters the information provided appeared disjointed as the author used a variety of texts, when available, to tell the story. However this is an interesting book to read by those interesed in this period of British history.