Rebellions in the North

Matilda:

• William had brought Matilda over from Normandy to London to show his confidence that England was safe

• Matilda’s coronation service was held by Archbishop of York Ealdred (1068)

• It was full of Norman and English lords- he preserved the status of English lords who had stayed by his side

• Documentation of the coronation was both in English and Latin

Reasons to rebel

• Revenge

• Pride- hatred of foreigners ruling over them

• Dispossession- loss of land

• Disrespect for French lords- they were accustomed to English ways so the English didn’t respect them

• Taxation- William imposed 2 heavy taxations on the English during his first 2 years of reigning as king

• Loss of status- many earls lost their land to Norman lords but remained in their positions → loss of status= loss of land

• Distance- fringes if the cihntry were more difficult to control compared to the East

• Numbers- the Norman’s were outnumbered compared to the English

  Summer 1069

• Summer of 1068- the people of the north threatened to fight William if he ever set foot on their land → gathered an army

• William’s promise for his daughter to marry Earl Edwin was not kept

• Archbishop of York tried to persuade the rebels to hold back

• William began building a castle at Warwick after knocking down houses that belonged to the Abbot of Coventry

• More castles were built at York, Cambridge, Nottingham, Lincoln and Huntingdon → Edwin and Morcar surrendered to William

• E.g. Clifford’s tower in York was built. Y the Normans to establish control over the north → York was the capital of the North meaning that by establishing a castle, William could gain control and security of the north

• Harold’s sons came from Ireland and wanted to set up a base in Bristol but the English fought with them → the English drove out the sons of their former king → encouraged William

  Spring 1069

• Robert of Comines was made the new earl of Northumbria

• End of January 1069- Robert brought an army on Durham → the people who fought back all died

• Edgar invaded York once again→ William built a second castle

Devon invasion- June 1069

• Harold’s sons came back from Ireland with a fleet of 60 ships

• Brian of Brittany (William’s.commander in the south west) marched an army to fight the sons near Appledore

• 1700 men died in battle

Yorkshire invasion- September 1069

• Fleet of over 250 ships

• Archbishop of York died of shock upon hearing the Danes’ arrival

• Svein sent his brother Asbjørn with an army

Winter if 1069