Hereward the Wake & the Rebellion of Ely, 1070-1071 (Edexcel GCSE History)

How did Hereward the Wake Compare to Other Anglo-Saxon Rebels? - Summary

Hereward the Wake had similarities with the other Anglo-Saxon rebels of this period. One key similarity is the motivation for rebelling. Hereward lost his family land to a Norman lord. This is similar to the reduction of land experienced by Edwin and Morcar, whose earldoms shrunk due to the new Norman aristocracy. In the eleventh century, land equalled power and wealth. The loss of land was a strong motivating factor to rebel against King William.

Hereward's rebellion had some distinct differences. Hereward was a thegn, not an earl. This meant he had less power in the Anglo-Saxon hierarchy. This allowed Hereward to connect to the people better than Edwin and Morcar. He developed a strong bond with his fellow rebels. Hereward did not surrender to William's forces. Edwin and Morcar ended their rebellion when William's forces marched northwards.

East Anglia under William the Conqueror

• East Anglia is an area of East England

  • East Anglia was part of the Danelaw

• Within East Anglia is a region called the Fens

  • In the eleventh century, the Fens were marshland with islands

  • The Fens were challenging to navigate without local knowledge

  • The marshlands meant that the Fens were ideal for defence

    • Anglo-Saxon rebels and the Danes used their knowledge and sailing ability to hide in the Fens from William's forces

• In the middle of the Fens was the Isle of Ely

  • Ely is formed on higher ground, surrounded by marshland

Who was Hereward the Wake?

• Hereward the Wake became a key rebel against William

  • He was a local thegn in Ely

  • He collaborated with King Sweyn of Denmark and other East Anglian rebels

Why did Hereward the Wake oppose King William?

Hereward & Guerrilla Warfare

• In 1070, King Sweyn sent a Danish fleet to England 

  • The fleet established a base in Ely

• Sweyn formed alliances with local rebels, including Hereward the Wake

  • Hereward was using guerrilla warfare tactics against the Normans already

    • Hereward and his rebels attacked the Normans by surprise and then merged back into the local population

The attack on Peterborough

• In 1070, Hereward and the Danes raided Peterborough Abbey

  • Hereward intended to hide the treasures from the Normans

  • The Danes took the treasure and sailed back to Denmark

How did William respond to guerrilla warfare?

• Raising an army quickly

  • Large forces dealt with more serious outbreaks of violence

  • William's forces searched rebel hideouts

• Building castles

  • Castles were a symbol of Norman power

  • William placed trusted followers in charge of unruly areas

Why did the Rebellion of Ely Fail?

• In 1071, Morcar joined Hereward and his rebels

  • Morcar had attempted a failed uprising against William in 1068

  • He had escaped William's court in 1071

    • Morcar had heard that William was planning to arrest him and his brother, Edwin

• Hereward and Morcar attempted to defend the Isle of Ely from Norman attack

  • William's troops built a mile-long wooden bridge over the marshland to reach the Isle of Ely

    • When William's troops used the bridge, it collapsed

    • Many of William's soldiers drowned due to their armour

• The Normans bribed local monks to direct the soldiers safely through the marshland

  • William defeated Hereward and Morcar and captured Ely

  • William captured Morcar

    • Hereward escaped. William never detected or captured Hereward

    • Morcar's brother, Edwin, died in 1071 when his own troops attacked and killed him

• The defeat of the rebellion of Ely ended large-scale Anglo-Saxon rebellions

How did William defeat Anglo-Saxon rebellions?

• Keeping his troops loyal

  • Marching, especially during the winter, frustrated his troops

    • William ensured he rewarded his followers with land and money from taxes and the Church

• Eliminating threats to his power as king

  • The Harrying of the North removed a base for rebels

  • He discredited Edgar as the 'real' King of England

    • William showed his royal power by celebrating ceremonies

  • William ensured he paid Danish raiders to return home

    • This helped William eliminate the threat of the rebellions in the North in 1069

• Punishing his enemies

  • William imprisoned Morcar for the rest of his life after the Rebellion of Ely