Hereward the Wake and Rebellion, 1070-1071

What was the rebellion of Hereward the Wake?

After the Harrying of the North, Hereward the Wake began a rebellion in the Fens of East Anglia, supported by the Danes who had returned to England.

When was the rebellion of Hereward the Wake?

Hereward the Wake was active against the Normans in 1070, which is when the uprising at Ely occurred.

Who was involved in the 1070 uprising?

The 1070 uprising in Ely was another Anglo-Viking uprising.

• ❖ King Sweyn led his Danish fleet back to England.
• ❖ He made an alliance with a local rebel leader called Hereward the Wake.

Why did Hereward the Wake rebel?

Hereward had been a local thegn who fought abroad, before coming home to find that his land had been given to a Norman lord.

• ❖ The Bishop of Peterborough had been replaced by a Norman called Turold.
• ❖ Hereward and the other East Anglian rebels fought a guerrilla war against the Normans.

Where was the 1070 rebellion?

The rising in 1070-1071 was centred in Ely, in the Fens of East Anglia.

How did William deal with guerrilla warfare during the rebellion of Hereward the Wake?

William had a number of methods for dealing with the guerrilla tactics of the rebels.

• ❖ He responded rapidly with a large force to stamp out resistance.
• ❖ He put trusted supporters in place to keep control of areas, once rebellions had been stamped out.
• ❖ He established castles in troubled areas.
• ❖ Ultimately, he decided that the remaining Anglo-Saxon lords needed to be removed from power.
• ❖ As a sign of desperation, however, William was said to have employed a witch to curse Hereward.
• ❖ As he had in 1069, William paid large sums of money to the Danish invaders to go away.

How did William deal with discontent during the rebellion of 1070?

William dealt with unhappy troops by offering them more rewards for their service. He raised the money and land for this by further taxation and land confiscation.

How did William deal with Edgar Aetheling after the rebellion of 1070?

Edgar Aetheling had a better claim to the throne than William. William countered this by paying special attention to royal ceremonies and celebrations. He made sure that he was seen in public as the king.

What happened in Ely during the rebellion of 1070?

From 1070-1071, William had to deal with the combined force of the Danes, Hereward the Wake and Earl Morcar.

• ❖ In 1070 and 1071, the Danes and Anglo-Saxon rebels raided Peterborough Abbey, and the Danes sailed away with its wealth.
• ❖ Hereward was joined by Earl Morcar, and they prepared to defend Ely.
• ❖ The Normans managed to retake Ely, possibly by bribing monks to show them the way through the marshes.
• ❖ Morcar was captured and imprisoned for life. Hereward escaped and was never heard of again.