1. Anglo-Norman Comprehensive Academic Years 1066-75
Name of student: __________________________
Subject
Effort (1-5)
Academic Grade (1-9)
Comments
Revolt of Edwin and Morcar 1068
Northern Rebellions
Hereward the Wake
The Revolt of the Earls 1075
Form Tutor Comment Overall

2. The Rebellions of 1066-75 Under William Info Sheet
Revolt of Edwin and Morcar 1068
In 1068, Edwin, Morcar and Edgar the Aetheling left London and fled north to gather support for a rebellion. Edwin seemed to be upset that he hadn’t been able to marry one of William’s daughters and Morcar seems to have been upset at being replaced as Earl of Northumbria.. Morcar and Edwin went to their lands in the north and Edgar went to Scotland to gather support.
As soon as William heard of the potential for trouble he marched with his army to meet the northern rebels, stopping to build castles such as one in the Mercian city of Warwick which cut Edwin and Morcar from Edgar and Scotland in the north and so they submitted to William once again. They were forgiven.
Edgar stayed in Scotland for the time being.
Northern Rebellions
Edgar resented the Norman rule and wanted to claim the throne. He had fled to Scotland. Edgar waited for his chance. It came when the people of Durham rebelled and even defeated a small Norman armed force sent to fight them. They burned the Norman leader(Robert Comyn) to death when he took shelter in the Bishop of Durham’s house by setting fire to the house. The rebels went next to York to attack the new Norman castle there, they couldn’t take the castle but they laid siege to it. Edgar came south to lead them.
William marched north to meet the rebels, burning, destroying and killing on his way through Northumbria to intimidate his enemy.
As news of William’s march reached the rebels, they melted away. Edgar the Aetheling fled to Scotland. William ordered another castle to be built in York. The English rebels seemed to be using guerilla factics which means causing damage to your enemy but avoiding serious battle. It is a common tactic for a weaker army to use, knowing they have little chance of winning a pitched battle. William returned south.
Rebellion broke out in the north once more in autumn Edgar returned from Scotland to lead the rebellion once more. This time the Danish Vikings were also involved.
This time rebels managed to seize York, destroy castles and slaughter all the Normans left in York by William. Some reports suggest the Danes helped, some suggest they stayed on their ships in the Humber.
William had two problems; the rebels in York and the Danes in the River Humber. He chose two different methods. Firstly, he took an army and marched straight at York, the English fled again (guerrilla tactics) just as they had done the first time. Secondly, he sent messengers to the Danish Viking ships and offered to pay the Danes to go away.. It worked, the Danes went away. The Anglo-Saxons had used this tactic before, however it usually led to the Vikings returning for more (like a school bully who had taken somebody’s dinner money). The Vikings did return in the following two major rebellions. William prevented any more northern rebellions by his harrying of the north. This involved killing everything his army found and salting the fields so that crops wouldn’t grow. An estimated 100,000 starved to death and that doesn’t count the ones who were initially murdered!
Hereward Rebellion
Revolt of the Earls 1075
The revolt was different to previous rebellions because it was carried led by Norman earls. The rebellion might have been timed because William was out of the country but he had left a capable regent in control, his Archbishop of Canterbury named Lanfranc. William’s half-brother Bishop Odo also lent his power and support to Lanfranc. The rebellion never really got going because Waltheof went and confessed everything to Lanfranc before any fighting actually took place. Lanfranc acted quickly, he sent letter to Roger to ask him to make peace with the King, after all the King had trusted his father but Roger ignored the request and tried to march to the east and meet with Ralph and his army who were marching west. Lanfranc again acted quickly and sent two royal armies north to stop the rebel armies from combining. The Danes did arrive, but they didn’t get involved, they simply pillaged York and sailed away with the valuables they took. Ralph managed to escape to Brittany where his family originated. Roger was captured, had his lands confiscated and put in prison for life. Waltheof, despite being the one whoi had informed Lanfranc of the rebellion, was beheaded. Maybe William had lost patience with English rebels.
William would face no more rebellions for the rest of his reign, which lasted until There were also no more English earls left; all of the English earls had been replaced by Normans or other supporters of William from northern Europe.
Hereward Rebellion
Herward rebelled on the Isle of Ely. King Swegen of Denmark joined him and together they raided Peterborough cathedral. Morcar joined in after that. The rebels held out on the island until William arrived with his army. His first attempt at building a bridge failed as the bridge collapsed and some of his men drowned. He sent a witch to curse the rebels and show them her bottom but the rebels burnt the tower . William finally defeated the rebels by either building another bridge or by bribing some monks to show his men a secret path through the marshland. Morcar was imprisoned. Nobody is quite sure what happened to Hereward. Other rebels had their eyes gouged out or limbs cut off in punishment to try to deter future rebellions.
The Lack of a Recognised English Leader. Castles. The lack of English Military Strength + Lack of Coordination. William’s Leadership