The story of one of the most important families in English medieval history, who were always loyal to the crown. In the reign of Edward I, when asked Quo Warranto - by what warrant he held his lands - John de Warenne, the 6th earl of Surrey, is said to have drawn a rusty sword, claiming 'My ancestors came with William the Bastard, and conquered their lands with the sword, and I will defend them with the sword against anyone wishing to seize them'. John's ancestor, William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, fought for William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He was rewarded with enough land to make him one of the richest men of all time. In his search for a royal bride, the 2nd earl kidnapped the wife of a fellow baron. The 3rd earl died on crusade, fighting for his royal cousin, Louis VII of France? For three centuries, the Warennes were at the heart of English politics at the highest level, until one unhappy marriage brought an end to the dynasty. The family moved in the highest circles, married into royalty and were not immune to scandal. Defenders of the Norman Crown tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. AUTHOR: Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history her whole life. She has studied history academically and just for fun - and even worked as a tour guide at historical sites. She writes the popular blog, www.historytheinterestingbits.com, concentrating on stories from medieval history. Defenders of the Norman Crown is her fourth non-fiction book. Sharon's previous works include Ladies of Magna Carta and Heroines of the Medieval World. Sharon regularly gives talks on women's history, she is a feature writer for All About History magazine and her TV work includes Australian Television's 'Who Do You Think You Are?'
