The Normans (Elite, 9)

Informative about the Norman’s

One of the stronger volumes in the series. Well written, informative and comprehensive, with an especially strong focus on the Norman experience in Sicily/Southern Italy. The plates are exceptional, although the black-and-white photographs are characteristically dreary.

good read

This book has served as an introduction to Norman history for me. The text is very informative and covers the Norman armies and arsenal from the Crusading Kingdoms to Ireland, and from Sicily to Saxon England. Do not listen to what the previous review said about the plates, they are excellent, depicting the Normans at the sites of their various campaigns. There are plates depicting Norman castles and ships, a Norman warrior courting a noble-lady, and the climatic Battle of Hastings.

If you love dark age history then you will love this book. The pictures are very detailed and well done.

Good stuff

This title was first published in 1987 and while it remains mostly good as an overview and a general introduction to the Normans, it shows its age and contains a number of inaccuracies and questionable statements. However, most of the main points are nevertheless made and the largely superb plates from Angus McBride help mitigate at least some of these limitations.First, David Nicolle’s text is at times outdated. This is particularly the case at the beginning of the book, in the first section dealing with “the Norman Legacy” where the simplistic opposition between “tamed Vikings” or “provincial Frenchmen” is almost a caricature. They also reflect debates that are over thirty years old and these are somewhat obsolete given the numerous publications that have taken place on Norman identity.A similar point can be made about the importance of the Normans in British and European history, with the author stating that it “is denigrated or at least accepted only grudgingly, be the English-speaking world.” This was true up to the early eighties and reflected “pro-Saxon” views going back to Victorian times, but historians’ perspectives have largely changed since then, including those of British historians (see the works of Marjorie Chibnall or David Bates, just to mention these two, among many others).Then there are some inaccuracies, omissions and questionable statements. I was very surprised to learn that, according to the author, the first Normans “arrived probably as armoured infantry” in Ireland. On the contrary, they arrived with their horses and it is this heavy cavalry that allowed them to gain the upper hand despite their small numbers.Also, the statement that the majority of the population of the Byzantine province of Langobardia (roughly modern Apulia in Southern Italy) was “Italian” with the exception of Greek-speaking inhabitants around Otranto is simply anachronistic. There was no such thing as an “Italian” during the 11th century. Instead, they seem to have been mostly Lombards, with a number of other minorities settled in the major ports during Byzantine rule (such as an Armenian community in Bari, for instance).There are about a dozen other strange and questionable statements across the book. One of these states that “the principality of Antioch was never able to fully establish itself in the mosaic of Middle Eastern states”. The exact meaning of this statement is unclear. A similar statement could also be made for any of the other Crusader States to the extent that their existence was threatened and depended upon the links and reinforcements coming from the West. In the case of Antioch, it also depended upon keeping good relations with the large Armenian populations within the principality and to the North of it, and, up to 1180, on avoiding antagonising the Byzantine Empire.In a second, even stranger, statement, David Nicolle comments that the Norman military elite were not “able to integrate themselves into Syrian society.” This, however, largely misses the point. First, one could wonder whether there was such a thing as a “Syrian society”, with this expression implying some sort of unity or common culture that is at odds with the previously mentioned “mosaic of Middle Eastern States”, some of which were Latin, while others were Arminian, Byzantine, Sunnite or Shiites (the Assassins). Second, the “Franks” were always a minority in all of the Crusader States, an d they remained so, even in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, throughout the existence of Outremer. Third, there is hardly any mention of “Normans”, whether knights or not, after the middle of the 12th century in the sources, simply because they did “integrate” and became largely indistinguishable from other Franks. Fourth, the fact that five more Princes of Antioch were names Bohemond after the death of Count Bohemond’s son in 1130 (Bohemond II) shows a sense of dynastic continuity but this does not allow the author to conclude that “feelings of Normanitas nevertheless remained strong in Antioch.”Having mentioned these flaws and illustrated them through a few examples, it is also fair to mention that David Nicolle does make most of the main points.One of these is the Normans’ adaptability, although, contrary to the author, I am not at all sure that it is this that “set them apart from the Vikings” since these exhibited something similar whether in Russia, in the Hebrides or in Ireland. Another point, related to the previous one, but that the author could have emphasised more is that virtually all of the so-called “Norman armies” were in fact heterogeneous forces, with Normans from Normandy only making up a portion of the total force. Even at the battle of Hastings, the “Normans” could have made up no more than half the army, alongside numerous Flemish and Bretons, but also warriors (both cavalry and infantry) from Maine, Anjou and even as far away as Burgundy. This was even more the case for the Normans in South Italy and Sicily where Lombards, Greeks and other Frankish knights (plus Muslims in Sicily) made up most of their forces.Then there are the rather gorgeous plates. One, is particular (plate I describing the Normans in the East), is perhaps my personal favourites. It shows two Normans, one as an ex-byzantine mercenary and the other as an Italo-Norman Crusader, with the third character being Oshin the Hethoumian, one of several Armenian officers serving in the Byzantine Army who continued to hold against the Turks the provinces and fortresses where they had been stationed well after most of Asia Minor had been lost to the Byzantines. One of the most interesting is the armours of the two milites as they tend to complement their mail shirts with borrowed bits and pieces, whether the (byzantine) scale leather armour or lamellar armour. Both are worn on top of the mail shirt, probably to offer better protection against arrows from horse archers. The illustration of the two knights is derived from the carvings of a Church in Southern Italy.However, and contrary to David Nicolle’s assertion, it is somewhat unlikely that the lamellar armour comes from Sicily. It certainly does reflect Moslem influence, but this is much more likely to the Turkish since lamellar armour reflected Turkish-Iranian influences. The point here is that rather reflecting the kind of equipment with which these knights might have left Southern Italy for the East, the carvings, done to commemorate their deeds, are much more likely to reflect the kind of armour they might have been wearing on their return.Three and a half stars, rounded down to three stars.

This book was truly very good when it was published in 1987! In just over 60 pages you would get more information than the one you’ve received regarding the Normans in a general History course (at least in Portugal). In all movies they were the villains and all mentions were related to Britain. Even English historians till the eighties demonstrated animosity toward Normans!And then David Nicolle published this eye opening book which I’ve read with enthusiasm! The full importance of the Normans came quickly to light with their influence not only in the France-English affair, but also in Italy, Sicily, the principality of Antioch and their relations with other super-powers such as the Byzantine Empire. It was an entire new world!Obviously this book is dated, and many of the issues that Nicolle debated are now solved and much investigation developed since that time. But this is still a quite useful introduction to the Normans, their political system, the strategic expansionism, their values, their equipment, tactics and fortifications. Even considering some mistakes or debatable interpretations.There are also images of manuscripts, carvings, line drawings of weapons and fortifications, photographs and other visual sources which are extremely valuable and important for illustrating the author's words regarding influences and the mix heritage of late Italo-Norman armies.The color plates by Angus McBride are truly astonishing and each figure has references regarding the used sources making them valuable visual resources. They include: A scene inside a castle in early 11th century Normandy (with a Norman Bishop accompanied by a monk addressing a Norman Miles and a Flemish Serjeant; a dramatic double page scene from the battle of Hastings, 1066, where William removes his helmet to prove he is alive and well (this image was the cover of the boxed wargame "War Law", the battle system version of Rolemaster RPG); an inside castle view where an Anglo-Norman Woman is being courted by a squire when an angry Norman knight arrives; the Fall of Normandy showing a Norman knight, a Breton serjeant and a Welsh auxiliary (all late 12th cent.); an Anglo- Norman knight fighting a Gaelic Irish warrior and a Hebridean warrior; an anfibean disembark operation in mid XII th Cent. with a Siculo- Norman knight charging covered by a Sicilian infantry archer and a Neapolitan infantryman; an Italo-Norman nobleman, an extremely protective Siculo- Norman guardsman and a scilian levy staff slinger, all from late XII th cent.;The Normans in the East, where Oshin the Hethoumian, flanked by a Norman ex-Byzantine mercenary, receives an Italo- Norman Crusader; Fighting men from the Principality of Antioch, including a Knight (1268), Norman-French Crusader (c. 1250-60) and a Turcopole (c. 1270); Several forts and fortifications, including Mirville, Abinger and Hedingham; Several Norman Ships, including a mediterranean transport, a Norman-French warship, a Siculo-Norman wargalley, the "Mora" (Duque William's flagship) and profiles of several ships for comparison purposes.Highly recommended as an introduction to the Norman influence in medieval Europe…and a great artistic display of one of the best military illustrators ever.

Ery informative and well illustrated book on norman soldiers. Would recommend to historians and model soldier enthusiast. Usual high standards of osprey books with informative text to accompany excellent illustrations. Highly recommend.

geweldig naslag werk voor de Normandische periode van de 9e eeuw tot de 11e. plaatjes iets gedateerd maar zien er goed uit.

Très bon ouvrage qui couvre la richesse et la diversité normande est bien décrite. Bravo.

Come ogni volume monografico di questo editore, non c'è il rischio di rimanere delusi. Ricco di dettagli, illustrazioni e descrizioni, permette a chi è appassionato del periodo spunti e approfondimenti dettagliati. E' un agile volumetto che si legge rapidamente, se conoscete l'inglese.

Not much I can add to this. It’s up to the normal Osprey standard and I have many many of them. I always consider Osprey as a starting place for further research. And have been collecting them since the 70s. Won’t hear anything bad said about them.