'Brutal Slaughter' How did William gain full control? 1067-71

'Brutal Slaughter' How did William gain full control? 1067-71

1. 1. Reasons to rebel

   • revenge
     • e.g. Gytha - death of her son
   • Pride
   • Loss of land
     • E.g. Edwin & Morcar
   • Tax
     • high - esp in 1st 2 yrs
   • Numbers
     • Saxons way outnumber Normans - reasonable chance of success

2. 2. First uprisings 1066-1068

   • Edric the Wild's rebellion Aug 1067
     • 1st rebellion
     • Previously a powerful thegn
     • Lived as outlaw - raided Norman lands
     • Rebellion not serious
       • William stays in Normandy.
       • Raids continue for yrs but no real threat
   • William's attempts to avoid rebellions Dec1066-March 1067
     • Coronation Dec 25th 1066
       • William wanted to wait but persuaded would increase his authority
       • Chaos - nearly causes rebellion
     • Built castles e.g. Norwich.
     • Sold back lands to some English Earls/thegns,
     • Edgar, Edwin & Morcar formally surrender to William
     • Loyal Normans put in charge of rebellious areas.
       • South East - Bishop Odo (William's half brother)
       • East Anglia - FitzOsborn (William's BFF)
     • End of march - Will returns to Normandy. Takes Edgar, Edwin & Morcar as hostages
   • Exeter Rebellion Feb 1068
     • (I) Organised by Gytha, Harold Godwinson's mother
       • Wants revenge
       • Powerful figurehead
       • Was plotting with Irish and Danish
     • (II) William leads army
       • Defenders refuse him entry - he gouges out eyes of hostage
       • Shows he is taking it seriously
     • (III) William lays siege to city - digs tunnels under walls.
       • Survive 18days then surrender - plea for peace
     • (IV) William pardons rebels - makes promises
       • won't punish people
       • Won't plunder city
       • No extra taxes
       • Gytha has lands taken away
     • Builds castle (Rougemont) to keep control
       • Further castles built at Totnes, Okehampton, Launceston
       • Destroys houses to do this
   • William's approach? Basically peaceful and patient

3. 3. Rebellions in the North 1068-70

   • (I) Summer '68 Challenge to William
     • Message to Will - North will fight if he sets foot there.
     • William marches North with army.
       • Builds Castles
         • Warwick
         • Nottingham
         • York
         • Edwin and Morcar surrender - William pardons them
       • Whilst this going on Harold's sons invade from Ireland - land at Bristol
         • People of Bristol fought them - loyal to William!
     • Edwin, Morcar & Edgar organise revolt
   • (III) Winter 1069
     • Gytha persuades Danish king to invade
       • Sends huge invasion fleet
         • Others use opportunity to rebel
           • Edric the Wild - attacks Shrewsbury
           • Uprising in Devon & Cornwall - attack Exeter
             • Exeter remains loyal to William
     • William's plan
       • 1. Pay the Danish soldiers to leave
       • 2. Wear his coronation crown in York minster
       • 3. Destroy the land (Harrying of the North)
     • Harrying of the North
       • 100,000 killed
       • Ploughs salt into land
       • Famine - led to canibalism
       • Long lasting impact - still wasteland 16 yrs later when Domesday bk writen
   • (II) Spring 1069
     • 2nd rebellion in North
       • William crushes in bloody battle
   • William's approach? Swift and brutal

4. 4. Rebellions in the East 1070-71

   • (i) Changes to the Church
     • Stigand replaced as Archbish of Cant.
       • Lanfranc took over his job
     • Priests & monks replaced by Normans
     • Ordered monasteries to provide soldiers - William need funds to fight.
   • (ii). Danish invaders return
     • Attack Ely - in East Anglia.
     • Danish King arrives with reinforcements
   • (iii). Hereward the Wake
     • Raided Peterborough Abbey - angry that English Abbot to be replaced by Norman
     • Joined forces with Danish.
     • Others join his rebellion - Edwin & Morcar
   • (iv) William's response
     • Meets Danish King - negotiates
       • Danes leave
     • Marches army to Ely
       • Uses boats - blocks supplies/ reinforcements getting to Hereward
       • Gets witch to curse from tower
         • Hereward sneaks out - burns tower & witch!
       • Managed to take control of Ely
         • Morcar and leaders imprisoned
         • rebels eyes gouged out or hands cut off
         • Rebellion against William is over
   • William's approach? A bit of everything - brutality, negotiation, patience and speed.