Rebellion

Together, these grievances made rebellion attractive: Edwin and Morcar hoped to recover their position, while opposition to taxes, land seizures and brutality gave other people reasons to join them. Edgar offered an alternative ruler whom the brothers hoped would restore their power.

In medieval Britain, c.1250–c.1500, crime ranged from stealing food to murder and rebellion. Many offences would still be recognisable today, but others reflected medieval inequalities and the power of the monarch and landowners. Rules about hunting, for example, protected rights that were not shared equally by everyone.