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 4, dedicated to the reign of William (1066–1087), describes his rule, examining it in micro-periods in terms of the political and religious aspects of the conquest of England. William's relationships with his foreign and domestic neighbours are analysed and the realm's stability during this time is assessed.