Hildebrand

…Yes, Hildebrand is awake to sin and the English are sleeping. And obviously this is great news for William. who is unbelievably ruthless, but also unbelievably pious. And it's the combination of the two that throughout this period makes the Normans so terrifying and effective.…

…But Hildebrand's own conscience is clear because he thinks that a reformed, cleansed, purified England is a prize well worth fighting for. He sees it as a bog of sin, that needs to be drained. And if William can affect this, then William will not only have served the cause of the reformers in Rome, but also of the sin-steeped English themselves.…

…To equate the English with infidels... and to sanction the overthrow of an anointed king is a massive, massive deal. And Hildebrand himself acknowledges this. He writes to William, there are many among my brothers who revile me for this judgment and charge me with laboring to bring about a terrible sacrifice of human lives. So that would be your take, I gue…