William of Malmesbury finishes Gesta Regum

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The English monk and librarian completed the major portion of his Gesta Regum Anglorum, the best Latin narrative history of English kings since Bede. His even-handed treatment of conqueror and conquered would shape English historical writing for two centuries. William drew on a remarkable range of sources, interviewing travelers, reading charters, and visiting libraries across England to produce a history that remains indispensable to modern scholars.