This biography investigates the life and ecclesiastical influence of Lanfranc of Bec, the 11th-century Archbishop of Canterbury, to determine his role in the Norman transformation of the English Church. Margaret Gibson, a noted medievalist, utilizes primary source documents, including Lanfranc's own letters and contemporary monastic records, to construct a detailed portrait of his administrative and theological contributions. The work argues that Lanfranc was not merely a political appointee of William the Conqueror, but a sophisticated intellectual who fundamentally reshaped the structure and discipline of the English clergy.

Historians and medieval scholars frequently cite this work as the definitive academic study on Lanfranc's career and influence. Readers often note the scholarly density of the prose, which assumes a foundational knowledge of 11th-century European history.