It might seem surprising, but King William successfully used an English army to crush an English rebellion in the west. In early 1068, resistance to Norman rule centred on Exeter in Devon. This opposition was led by Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, the wealthy mother of the defeated King Harold Godwinson.
Gytha flatly refused to swear loyalty to William or pay the newly increased Geld Tax. Her strategy was to hold the fortified city of Exeter until her three grandsons (Godwin, Edmund, and Magnus) could arrive from Ireland with reinforcements. She also sought alliances with other towns and her nephew, King Sweyn II of Denmark.
In response, William marched his forces through the winter. To intimidate the region and prevent the uprising from spreading, his army ruthlessly pillaged the Dorset towns of Dorchester, Shaftesbury, and Bridport along the way.
When William reached Exeter, he began an 18-day siege. His army uniquely consisted of Norman cavalry fighting alongside the English fyrd, which he deployed as a deliberate test of English loyalty. To force a surrender, William ordered a hostage to be blinded in full view of the defenders, though the rebels initially fought back fiercely, even making rude gestures from the walls.
During the siege, the Normans used mining for the first time in England, digging beneath the city walls to undermine their foundations. Eventually, Exeter negotiated a conditional surrender rather than face total destruction.
William was surprisingly lenient, promising not to harm the citizens or plunder the town, and keeping taxes at their pre-conquest levels. However, to guarantee future control, he immediately ordered the construction of Rougemont Castle. Gytha managed to escape by boat down the River Exe to the island of Flat Holm, eventually fleeing to permanent exile in Flanders.
Understanding the geography of the Welsh border explains why the Mercian resistance was so difficult for the Normans to pin down. The rebellion in this region was led by Eadric the Wild, a powerful Anglo-Saxon with vast estates in Shropshire and Herefordshire.
Eadric refused to submit to Norman rule following the invasion. His anger was fuelled by illegal land grabs committed by Richard fitz Scrob, a Norman based at Hereford Castle, as well as the oppressive rule of William's regents, Bishop Odo and William FitzOsbern.
Realising he could not fight the Normans alone, Eadric formed a crucial alliance with two Welsh princes, Bleddyn and Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn. In August 1067, these combined forces launched an assault on the Norman garrison at Hereford. Although they could not capture the castle itself, they severely damaged the surrounding town and escaped back into the Marcher Lands with massive amounts of stolen treasure.
By 1069, the rebellion flared up again. Eadric, his Welsh allies, and new rebels from Cheshire burned the town of Shrewsbury and laid siege to its castle. King William was forced to march to the West Midlands personally, decisively crushing the combined rebel army at the Battle of Stafford in late 1069.
Eadric finally surrendered in 1070. Demonstrating his pragmatic approach to former enemies who submitted, William integrated Eadric into his own forces, taking him on military campaigns to Scotland and France in 1072.
You can strip a nobleman of his land, but taking away his pride is often what sparks a revolt. In the summer of 1068, two of the most powerful remaining Englishmen, Edwin (Earl of Mercia) and Morcar (Earl of Northumbria), launched their own uprising against the King.
Both men had deep personal grievances. William had broken a promise to let Edwin marry one of his daughters, while Morcar was furious that parts of his earldom had been handed over to Norman loyalists like Copsi and Maerleswein. These personal insults were combined with widespread national anger over the heavy Geld Tax, the brutal actions of William's regents, and the construction of dominating castles.
The brothers gathered a formidable group of allies, including Edgar Aetheling, Waltheof, and the Welsh prince Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. However, William reacted with terrifying speed. He marched his army rapidly northwards, securing his supply lines by building new motte-and-bailey castles at Warwick and Nottingham.
Faced with William's overwhelming force and rapid advance, the rebellion completely collapsed before a single major battle could be fought. Edwin and Morcar surrendered at Warwick.
William initially pardoned the brothers but kept them as heavily guarded hostages at his court. Meanwhile, Edgar Aetheling fled to safety in Scotland under King Malcolm III. Following this revolt, William built a new castle at York and began shifting away from leniency toward the brutal "scorched earth" tactics he would later use to devastate the North.
To fully describe these events, you must be able to sequence them accurately:
Students often confuse the outcomes of different rebellions; remember that Exeter ended with William offering surprisingly generous terms, unlike his later ruthless campaigns in the North.
When asked to 'Describe' these uprisings, examiners expect a chronological narrative that includes specific locations (like Warwick or Nottingham) and named individuals, rather than vague statements about 'angry Englishmen'.
Make sure to highlight the significance of the Welsh alliance in Mercia, as this cross-border support made Eadric the Wild's rebellion significantly more dangerous and harder for the Normans to suppress.
For top marks, explicitly mention that William used the English fyrd at the Siege of Exeter as a deliberate test of their loyalty to his new regime.
Geld Tax
A land tax originally used by Anglo-Saxon kings, which William heavily increased to pay for his military occupation.
Fyrd
The traditional English militia or part-time army, made up of peasants and lower-level landowners.
Mining
A siege tactic where attackers tunnel under a city's walls to weaken the foundations and cause the wall to collapse.
Rougemont Castle
The fortification built by the Normans in Exeter immediately following the 1068 rebellion to ensure control of the city.
Thegn
A member of the Anglo-Saxon noble class, below the rank of earl, who acted as a local landowner and warrior.
Marcher Lands
The militarised border region between England and Wales where William established specific earldoms to defend against raids.
Put your knowledge into practice — try past paper questions for History B
Geld Tax
A land tax originally used by Anglo-Saxon kings, which William heavily increased to pay for his military occupation.
Fyrd
The traditional English militia or part-time army, made up of peasants and lower-level landowners.
Mining
A siege tactic where attackers tunnel under a city's walls to weaken the foundations and cause the wall to collapse.
Rougemont Castle
The fortification built by the Normans in Exeter immediately following the 1068 rebellion to ensure control of the city.
Thegn
A member of the Anglo-Saxon noble class, below the rank of earl, who acted as a local landowner and warrior.
Marcher Lands
The militarised border region between England and Wales where William established specific earldoms to defend against raids.