Hereward the Wake & the Rebellion of Ely, 1070-1071 (Edexcel GCSE History)

How did Hereward the Wake Compare to Other Anglo-Saxon Rebels? - Summary

East Anglia under William the Conqueror

• East Anglia is an area of East England

  • East Anglia was part of the Danelaw

• Within East Anglia is a region called the Fens

  • In the eleventh century, the Fens were marshland with islands

  • The Fens were challenging to navigate without local knowledge

  • The marshlands meant that the Fens were ideal for defence

    • Anglo-Saxon rebels and the Danes used their knowledge and sailing ability to hide in the Fens from William's forces

• In the middle of the Fens was the Isle of Ely

  • Ely is formed on higher ground, surrounded by marshland

Who was Hereward the Wake?

• Hereward the Wake became a key rebel against William

  • He was a local thegn in Ely

  • He collaborated with King Sweyn of Denmark and other East Anglian rebels

Why did Hereward the Wake oppose King William

A flow diagram showing why Hereward the Wake became a rebel to William the Conqueror

Hereward and Guerrilla Warfare

• In 1070, King Sweyn sent a Danish fleet to England 

  • The fleet established a base in Ely

• Sweyn formed alliances with local rebels, including Hereward the Wake

  • Hereward was using guerrilla warfare tactics against the Normans already

    • Hereward and his rebels attacked the Normans by surprise and then merged back into the local population

The attack on Peterborough

• In 1070, Hereward and the Danes raided Peterborough Abbey

  • Hereward intended to hide the treasures from the Normans

  • The Danes took the treasure and sailed back to Denmark

How did William respond to guerrilla warfare?

• Raising an army quickly

  • Large forces dealt with more serious outbreaks of violence

  • William's forces searched rebel hideouts

• Building castles

  • Castles were a symbol of Norman power

  • William placed trusted followers in charge of unruly areas

Why did the Rebellion of Ely Fail?

• In 1071, Morcar joined Hereward and his rebels

  • Morcar had attempted a failed uprising against William in 1068

  • He had escaped William's court in 1071

    • Morcar had heard that William was planning to arrest him and his brother, Edwin

• Hereward and Morcar attempted to defend the Isle of Ely from Norman attack

  • William's troops built a mile-long wooden bridge over the marshland to reach the Isle of Ely

    • When William's troops used the bridge, it collapsed

    • Many of William's soldiers drowned due to their armour

• The Normans bribed local monks to direct the soldiers safely through the marshland

  • William defeated Hereward and Morcar and captured Ely

  • William captured Morcar

    • Hereward escaped. William never detected or captured Hereward

    • Morcar's brother, Edwin, died in 1071 when his own troops attacked and killed him

• The defeat of the rebellion of Ely ended large-scale Anglo-Saxon rebellions

How did William defeat Anglo-Saxon rebellions?

• Keeping his troops loyal

  • Marching, especially during the winter, frustrated his troops

    • William ensured he rewarded his followers with land and money from taxes and the Church

• Eliminating threats to his power as king

  • The Harrying of the North removed a base for rebels

  • He discredited Edgar as the 'real' King of England

    • William showed his royal power by celebrating ceremonies

  • William ensured he paid Danish raiders to return home

    • This helped William eliminate the threat of the rebellions in the North in 1069

• Punishing his enemies

  • William imprisoned Morcar for the rest of his life after the Rebellion of Ely