Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
Edwin & Morcar's Revolt, 1068 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Edwin and Morcar's Relationship with William - Timeline & Summary
Edwin and Morcar had a poor relationship with William the Conqueror, King of England.
The brothers had supported Harold Godwinson as king at the beginning of 1066. Edwin and Morcar proved their loyalty to Harold at the Battle of Gate Fulford. They attempted to defend the North from Harald Hardrada and Tostig. Historians believe that the brothers did not fight to protect Harold at Stamford Bridge or Hastings.
William defeated Harold at Hastings. Edwin and Morcar planned to resist Norman rule. William marched on London, causing destruction. Out of fear, the two earls submitted to William at Berkhamsted. Some historians suggest that William forced Edwin and Morcar to submit twice. William did accept their submissions and promised to rule them fairly.
As Anglo-Saxon earls, Edwin and Morcar's power decreased during William's consolidation of power. They wanted to overthrow William and replace him with Edgar Aethling. They believed that Edgar would restore their earldoms to full strength.
What Caused Edwin and Morcar to Revolt Against William?
Reason | Why did this cause Edwin and Morcar to rebel? |
|---|---|
Resentment of William | William had promised that Edwin could marry his daughter. William went back on his word. Morcar hated that William had reduced his power in Northumbria |
Bad government | Odo of Bayuex and William FitzOsbern unlawfully took land from Anglo-Saxons. They also allowed their soldiers to sexually abuse Anglo-Saxon women without punishment. As earls, Edwin and Morcar wanted to protect their people from this treatment |
Taxes | William increased geld tax in December 1066. This policy was hated among the Anglo-Saxons. Edwin and Morcar knew that this money would only benefit Normandy, not England |
Castles | Castles were a symbol of Norman dominance in an area. William expected Edwin and Morcar to establish castleries, areas that had to provide equipment and soldiers to a castle. They were not under the earls' direct control. The lord of the castle, or the castellan, governed the castleries. Castellans were often Normans |
Loss of land | William had reduced Edwin's earldom of Mercia. William had granted Tostig's thegn Copsi the northern part of Morcar's earldom of Northumbria. William gave parts of Morcar's land in Yorkshire to Maerleswein, Harold Godwinson's steward. Anglo-Saxon earldoms lost power and wealth. Norman earls performed illegal land grabs to expand their territory |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question based on this section could ask you to explain why Edwin and Morcar revolted against William in 1068. There are multiple reasons, as shown above. However, the key arguments are:
Edwin and Morcar's resentment against William
The earls had lost a significant amount of land in their earldoms to Norman lords and earls
William raising the geld tax to benefit Normandy
This is a 12-mark question. Ensure you write three paragraphs that:
P - Make a point about the question
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made
E - Explain why this evidence caused the earls to rebel against William. Avoid repeating the point again. Explain how this factor caused Edwin and Morcar to launch a revolt and gain support from other earls
L - Link your explanation back to the question by stating how significant this factor was to the earls' decision
Key Events of Edwin and Morcar's Revolt
Worked Example
Describe one feature of Edwin and Morcar's revolt in 1068
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of Edwin and Morcar's revolt was the use of other nobility (1). Edwin and Morcar gained the support of Maerleswein, Waltheof, Gospatric and Edgar Aethling (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, the two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
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.
The Impact of Edwin and Morcar's Failed Revolt
Edwin and Morcar's revolt, 1068 | |
|---|---|
Short-term consequences | Long-term consequences |
The rebellion collapsed after Edwin and Morcar's surrender. William pardoned the brothers but forced them to remain in his court | Edwin and Morcar escaped William's court in 1071. They had heard that William wanted to place them in prison |
Edgar Aethling's escape to Scotland caused an uprising to occur in 1069 | The North of England became a centre for rebellion against Norman control. William needed to find a way to stop the North from rebelling against him |
The rebels were not united in a common cause. The earls acted in their own interests rather than representing the needs of all of the rebels | William's ability to raise an army and build castles deterred many earls from rebelling against William again |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Students often believe consequences are negative. A consequence is an outcome caused by an event. These outcomes can be positive or negative depending on the person's perspective. As the table above shows, Edwin and Morcar's revolt had mostly positive consequences for William.
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