Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Edgar Aethling & the Rebellions in the North, 1069 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Why did Edgar Aethling Threaten William's Rule of England? - Timeline & Summary
![Timeline of events in 1069-1070, including uprisings in York, the arrival of Anglo-Saxon and Danish armies, the killing of Earl Cumin, and William paying Danes to leave.](https://cdn.savemyexams.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=auto,width=3840/https://cdn.savemyexams.com/uploads/2024/01/northern-rebellions-timeline.png)
Edgar Aethling was one of the claimants for the English throne in 1066. Edgar was King Edward's great-nephew. This meant he was a closer blood relative to the king than William. Edgar did not fight in the battles of 1066 as he was only a teenager. After the Battle of Hastings, Edgar made a weak attempt to stand up against William. He soon submitted to William at Berkhamsted. By 1069, Edgar had grown and wanted to claim the English throne. He had gained the support of Anglo-Saxon earls and Malcolm III of Scotland. His supporters were from the Danelaw and the borderlands of Scotland. These areas were unruly and defiant to William. Edgar also based himself in the North, far away from William's forces. His growing support base made Edgar a threat to Norman rule in England. |
What Caused Rebellions in the North in 1069?
William removed Gospatric from his position in Northumbria
William replaced Gospatric with one of his supporters named Robert Cumin
In January 1069, Cumin marched an army to the North
He attacked towns and villages on his way northwards
Cumin arrived in Durham at the end of January
Bishops warned Cumin to not attack the residents of Durham
Cumin allowed his troops to attack people and property in Durham
Northumbrians captured Cumin's troops and murdered them in the streets
The rebels set fire to the house that Cumin had taken refuge in and killed Cumin
Cumin's murder encouraged other rebels to fight against Norman rule
Edgar Aethling and the Uprising in York
![Flowchart depicting events in York. Rebels kill Norman governor. Edgar Aethling joins rebels to attack York. William scatters rebels. FitzOsbern ordered to construct castle.](https://cdn.savemyexams.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=auto,width=3840/https://cdn.savemyexams.com/uploads/2024/01/uprising-in-york-flow-diagram-1.png)
William's Reactions to the Uprising in York
Similar to Edwin and Morcar's rebellion, William sent a large army to York
This showed William's ability to raise and deploy an armed force quickly against rebels
William ordered FitzOsbern to construct a castle in York
William continued to use castles in areas of disobedience
Castles were a symbol of Norman power
Despite the uprising, William left the North to travel to Winchester for Easter
Leaving FitzOsbern in charge of the North showed the trust William had in him
William's attendance of public ceremonies was important
Events such as the Easter service at Winchester allowed him to present his power as king
Exam Tip
Students struggle to remember the differences between Edwin and Morcar's rebellion and the rebellions of the North. While Edwin and Morcar did travel to the North, they were not based in York. The two earls also surrendered when William's forces arrived in Warwick, much further south than York. The Northern rebellions were much more successful than Edwin and Morcar's.
Why did King Sweyn Invade England in 1069?
King Sweyn of Denmark decided to invade England in the summer of 1069
Sweyn raised a large invasion force
His fleet arrived on the East Coast of England in September 1069
King Sweyn's invasion of England, 1069 | |
---|---|
Short-term causes | Long-term causes |
Sweyn may have identified an opportunity to side with Edgar Aethling to increase Denmark's riches and power | Vikings had raided England for centuries. Viking invaders landed on the East Coast as this was the closest to Scandinavia |
Recent rebellions led Sweyn to believe that William was vulnerable. An invasion would have a greater chance of succeeding | Hardrada's death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. His death created an opportunity to become the most powerful leader in Scandinavia |
The Anglo-Danish Attack on York, 21st September 1069
In mid-September, during their raids on the East Coast, the Danes met Edgar's troops. This meeting was significant because:
Danes had support in the Danelaw
This increased the support for this rebellion
Edgar Aethling became a powerful threat
A union between Edgar and Sweyn gave Anglo-Saxons a strong cause to rally behind
An Anglo-Danish force marched to York
They arrived on 21st September 1069
What happened in York on 21st September 1069?
The Normans set York on fire
Historians believe the Normans accidentally set the city on fire in an attempt to move citizens away from the approaching army
As the fire damaged the fortifications, the Normans started an open fight with the Anglo-Danish troops
The Normans lost the battle
Around 3,000 Norman soldiers died in the conflict
The Danes looted the city
The army destroyed the Norman castle in York
Events after the Anglo-Danish victory at York
The Danes sailed down the Humber to Lincolnshire
Marshland surrounded Lincolnshire
William would struggle to attack the Danes on land in this terrain
The Danes were much better sailors so William did not attempt an attack by sea
The Anglo-Saxons scattered across England
William received reports of rebellions in Devon and the Marcher earldoms of Shrewsbury and Chester
William tried to track down the rebels
As soon as his army arrived, the rebels fled
Movement of Anglo-Danish rebels
![Map illustrating the movements of Anglo-Saxon rebels and Danish forces in England, with key locations: York, Lincoln, London, Chester, and Shrewsbury marked.](https://cdn.savemyexams.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=auto,width=3840/https://cdn.savemyexams.com/uploads/2024/01/northern-rebellions-map.png)
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the rebellions in the North in 1069
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of the rebellions in the North was the involvement of Edgar Aethling (1). Edgar joined the rebels in York in February and combined with the Danes in September to attack Norman soldiers (1).
Exam Tip
Ensure you make your details as specific as possible to access all two marks. The details of this example include the months of the uprisings.
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
How did William Resolve the Northern Rebellions?
William was more afraid of the Danish aspect of the rebellion
Sweyn could gain the support of the Danelaw
A large proportion of the population was Anglo-Danish
As a result, William resolved the rebellion by:
Paying Sweyn a large sum of money to leave England with his troops
Anglo-Saxon leaders had paid Viking invaders to leave in the past
Enacting revenge on the North through the Harrying of the North in the winter of 1079-1080
The Harrying of the North stopped future uprisings from the North as, if the Danes returned, there were no crops or people to support their raiding campaigns
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