Edward Augustus Freeman (1823–1892) was Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, and one of the pre-eminent historians of his generation. Politics was a constant interest for Freeman, who was also a regular contributor to the Saturday Review. While he wrote on a variety of historical topics, from ancient Greece to the German Federation, and had a great interest in architecture, this six-volume work, published between 1867 and 1879, was his magnum opus. Freeman reconsiders how the history of the Conquest is understood and examines its causes and results. Volume 2 examines the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042–1066), which Freeman identifies as the first stage in the Anglo-Norman political struggle. Encompassing an analysis of military events and political characters, this volume also provides a thorough account of William the Conqueror's early years in Normandy.