ONE cannot write biographies, in the usual sense of the
word, of Saxon and Norman kings, and there are no
portraits of them to show us at all clearly what they looked
like. This book was therefore bound to be different in its aim
from those on the kings in modern centuries. I hope I have
made clear in the introduction what is attempted; to which
must be added that although there are a number of pictures of
kings among the illustrations, not one was meant to be a
portrait in the modern sense. They are, I hope, none the less
interesting; but inevitably they need more explanation than a
collection of portraits, and fairly full notes have been provided,
distributed between the List of Illustrations and the captions.

The text is a rendering, tel quel, of some of what I have
learned over the years from pupils, friends and teachers.
A few of my many debts must be specially noted. What I owe
to Mr. H. E. Walker cannot be easily summarised: what
I say about the origins of Wessex (see page 216 ) and the
Bayeux Tapestry draws heavily on his suggestions and insight.
My wife and Dr. H. Mayr-Harting read the whole book in
manuscript, and the latter has also read it in proof; both have
suggested improvements and eradicated many errors and
infelicities, though they are not to be reproached for those
which remain. I have also had generous help and advice from
Dr. P. Chaplais, Mr. J. V. H. Eames, Professor M. Gluckman,
Mr. P. Hunter Blair, Dr. E. Peters, Mr. A. Thompson and
from the publishers.

I am very grateful to the following for granting permission
for extracts to be quoted: to Mrs. Marjorie Chibnall and
Messrs. T. Nelson and Sons Ltd. for the extracts from John of
Salisbury's Historia Pontificalis; to Professor Dorothy White-
lock, and Messrs. Eyre and Spottiswoode Ltd., for the extracts
from English Historical Documents, vol. I; to Professor F.
Barlow and Messrs. Nelson for the extracts from The Life of
King Edward the Confessor; to Dr. Margaret Murray and

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