{"product_id":"armies-of-the-normans-9111194-9781399047401","title":"Armies of the Normans 9111194","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Norman story began in 911, when a frightened French king (Charles III the Simple') gave land on the Channel coast to the Viking leader Rollo in return for adopting Christianity and helping repel other Viking marauders. Rollo and his fellow Norsemen (hence Normandy' and Normans') adopted all the trappings of feudalism, evolving from pagan ship-borne raiders to archetypal Christian knights and builders of castles. However, they seem to have lost none of their ferocity and adventuring spirit. As well as Duke William's famous cross-Channel conquest, Norman forces (often mercenaries) conquered territories in Spain, Sicily, Malta, Italy and Albania and formed the hard core of the early Crusades. Bohemond captured Antioch from the Turks and set up a principality that endured almost two centuries.Gabriele Esposito discusses the armies of the Normans in all these theatres, incorporating not only the Norman knights but the various feudal levies, local auxiliaries and mercenary contingents th","brand":"Pen \u0026 Sword Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48738868527447,"sku":"9781399047401","price":21.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781399047401.jpg?v=1720050429","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/armies-of-the-normans-9111194-9781399047401","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}