The Carmen de Hastingae proelio of Guy, Bishop of Amiens

The Carmen de Hastingae proelio, or Song of the Battle of Hastings, is a Latin poem attributed to Guy, Bishop of Amiens, written in the immediate aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It serves as one of the few near-contemporary narrative accounts of the Battle of Hastings, composed to glorify the victory of William the Conqueror. The work is noted for its dramatic, often stylized depictions of the conflict and the individuals involved, providing a critical, albeit partisan, perspective that has been a cornerstone of medieval historiography for centuries.

This specific edition, published by the Clarendon Press in 1972, was edited by Catherine Morton and Hope Muntz. It represents a significant scholarly effort to provide an authoritative text and critical analysis for modern readers. The edition is widely respected for its meticulous research, which situates the poem within its eleventh-century political context while addressing the complexities of its authorship and transmission, ultimately helping to solidify the poem's place in the study of Anglo-Norman history.