Start here
The Life and Times of William the Conqueror
William's path from a young Duke of Normandy to King of England in 1066, and the main changes Norman rule brought to the English crown, land and church.
Power and Work
Norman and Angevin Kings
Rulers from William the Conqueror to the Angevin kings.
The Life and Times of King John
King John's reign from 1199 to 1216: the loss of Normandy, clashes with the barons and the Church, and why chroniclers remembered him so harshly.
The Life and Times of King Philip II
Philip II of France, the Capetian rival of the Angevin kings, who took Normandy and other lands from John and greatly strengthened the French crown.
The Life and Times of Richard the Lionheart
How Richard I became a legendary hero in popular memory, and what historians can reasonably say about his actual rule, absences and reputation as a soldier.
The Life of Richard the Lionheart
Richard I on the Third Crusade: the journey east, the capture of Acre, the march to Arsuf, the failed push for Jerusalem and his dealings with Saladin.
The Life of Richard the Lionheart: A King who Fought in the Crusades
Richard I's journey home from the Third Crusade, his capture in Austria, the huge ransom, and how England was governed while its king was away.
The Life of William the Conqueror: A Norman King who Changed History
How William's Normans settled England after 1066: castle building, land granted to Norman lords, and the lasting effect on English society and government.
Related topics
More in power and work
Feudalism and Knighthood How feudal ties and the knightly code organized medieval rule. Farming and Trade Fields, guilds, markets and the hardship of famine. Heraldry and Coats of Arms Shields, symbols and the heralds who kept track of them. Knights and Warfare The knightly code, honor and how medieval battles were fought. Kingship and Law How kings ruled and how law and justice worked. Battles and Campaigns Famous battles and what they changed. Tournaments and Chivalry Mock battles, jousts, knightly orders and the ideals behind them. Sieges and Weapons How castles and towns were attacked and defended, and the arms used. Kings and Rulers Profiles of medieval monarchs and nobles and the politics around them. Late Medieval Monarchs English and French kings of the later Middle Ages. Magna Carta The charter of 1215, its clauses and its legacy. Chivalry and Honor The ideals of knightly conduct, honor and loyalty, and how they changed. Feudal Society and Estates Feudalism, the manor and the three estates of medieval society. Economy and Commerce Trade, guilds, money and the movement of news and goods. Justice, Trials and Punishments How medieval courts judged crimes, from ordeals and duels to fines and executions. Manor, Serfdom and Tithes The rural system of manors, unfree peasants and church dues. Peasants Revolts Rural risings and what they demanded, with the real dates and places. Ireland, Scotland and Wales Medieval life and politics on the Celtic fringe of Britain and Ireland. Crafts and Workshops The trades that made cloth, metal, bread and books in medieval towns.