Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Submission of the Earls, 1066 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why was the Submission of the Earls Important for William? -Summary
Ensuring that all the Anglo-Saxon earls submitted to William's rule was important for the success of the Norman Conquest. The battles of 1066 had destroyed the power of the house of Godwin. Tostig died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge and William's army killed Harold at the Battle of Hastings. This still left powerful Anglo-Saxon earls. For example, Morcar ruled Northumbria. Northumbria was a large earldom with a defiant Anglo-Danish community. William could not function as king without the support of the earls. Earls and thegns fulfilled key government roles in English society. When the earls surrendered to him, William did not punish them. He wanted to build a system of loyalty and mutual benefit between himself and the earls. The submission of the earls was the first step in securing England under William's leadership. |
What Happened After the Battle of Hastings?
The remainder of Harold's army fled to London
William waited in Hastings to see if the Anglo-Saxon earls would surrender to him
No earls came
Harold's widow, Edith, escaped to Chester for her safety
The Witan declared Edgar the Aethling the new King of England
Key figures in England supported Edgar's appointment, such as:
Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Ealdred, the Archbishop of York
Edwin and Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria
The people of London wanted to fight against William
William brought the south coast under his control
He sent troops to capture Winchester
Winchester housed the Royal Treasury
He secured the coastline
William wanted to ensure his ships could come over from Normandy with reinforcements and supplies
William and his army rested to recover from illness
William and some of his men were ill for a month in Dover
If Edgar and the Anglo-Saxon earls attacked at this stage, it is likely that they would have won
The Duke of Normandy Marches to London
William led his troops to London
He needed to force the Anglo-Saxon earls to surrender
William's army destroyed homes and farms on their journey to London
Towns quickly surrendered to William's forces to avoid any more destruction
London was very different to the other towns on William's route
London was a fortified town
This would protect the residents from William's attacks
They would not willingly surrender to William
Instead of heading straight to London, William led his soldiers to Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted was roughly 30 miles northwest of London
William wanted to draw the earls away from the fortifications of London
Worked Example
Describe one feature of William's actions after the Battle of Hastings
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of William's actions after the Battle of Hastings was the destruction he caused to South England (1). William ordered his army to burn homes and farms on the route to London (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, 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.
Why did the Earls Submit at Berkhamsted?
When William arrived, Edgar the Aethling, Edwin and Morcar were at Berkhamsted
All three submitted to William
They swore oaths of loyalty to William
They gave William hostages as a guarantee of their oath
William accepted the earls' submission
He assured them that he would act like a 'gracious lord' to them
The positions of William and the Anglo-Saxon earls
Historians debate how strong the earls' position was
Some sources state that Stigand had already surrendered to William at Wallingford
This meant that the earls lost the support of the Church
Other sources show that William forced Edwin and Morcar to submit twice: once at Barking and again at Berkhamsted
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question based on this section could ask you to explain why the earls submitted to William. There are multiple reasons, as shown above. However, the key arguments are:
William's strategy of destruction made the Anglo-Saxons afraid of him
The earls had lost their best soldiers at the Battle of Hastings
William had captured the royal treasury, cutting Edgar's ability to pay the earls for their support
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 surrender to William. Avoid repeating the point again. Explain how this factor caused William to have power over the earls and Edgar the Aethling
L - Link your explanation back to the question by stating how significant this factor was to the earls' decision
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