Dear Mr Cornwell, I thought I might ask if you have had a chance to catch Professor Robert Bartlett’s series on BBC 2 “The Normans”? I am no an expert on these matters but what fascinates is that England was, by 1066, a defined functioning nation and William, with, perhaps 10,000 men, imposed Norman rule on the nation that Alfred created. If you have not I would recommend. Yours sincerely, James D