Guillaume and the Normans at school

Perception and reception of the figures of William the Conqueror and the Norman epic in the educational environment in France and England.

History is in perpetual mutation, and so is its teaching. This renewal is reflected both in the texts, the manner of teaching, and the iconography.

How, over time, have texts and images been conveyed? How have they structured the imagination of schoolchildren and influenced their perception of the ancient world?

Like any science, history is not linear; it progresses in knowledge and approaches subjects from new perspectives. Even if events can be considered from a factual point of view (dates, characters, places…), the conceptions and angles of attack evolve.

The history of William the Conqueror and the Normans does not escape this movement. This is especially true since the notion of "conquest" implies different, even antagonistic, visions of events depending on whether one views them from the perspective of the victor or the vanquished. However, this scientific evolution naturally appears in the pedagogical and educational discourse.

The libraries of Fécamp offer an exhibition that explores how, over time, the figures of William the Conqueror and the Normans have been presented in French and English school environments, through various documents related to the educational world (textbooks and school materials, student work…).