3. Suppression of rebellions in William's consolidation of power (I)

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  • Created by: Alasdair
  • Created on: 14-06-17 20:52
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  • 3. Suppression of rebellions in William's consolidation of power
    • The Welsh Borders
      • 1067-69
      • Welsh borders never loyal to crown despite Harold's ultimate victory
      • 1067 saw Herefordshire thegn, Eadric 'the Wild' revolt along Welsh border
        • Had English followers and Welsh princes
      • Rebels unable to take control of border areas and were forced to fall back into Wales
        • Did manage to secure significant amount of booty
      • Rebels launched further attacks in 1069 reaching Cheshire and Stafford
      • Rising was checked nu castles which William had built
      • Ultimate castle at Shrewsbury which held rebels at its gates but commanders in Mercia were unable to completely suppress unrest and William was forced to deal with it in person, inflicting what contemporary writers called 'an easy victory' on rebels
      • Unrest had been nuisance rather than threat to William but had taken time to deal with
    • Exeter
      • 1068
      • Areas furthest away from William's power base in London were less willing to accept William's rule
      • Exeter besieged in 1068
      • William had been in Normandy, city had allied itself with other towns, built up its defences and persuaded some of foreign traders in city to help in its defence
      • Citizens refused to swear fealty to King or let him into city
        • Although they agreed to continue making payments that predecessors had made
      • Army William raised was significant as contained both Normans and Englishmen but did not persuade city to surrender
      • It held out for 18 days as William's forces were unable to storm or undermine walls
      • Once siege was over, William built castle on highest ground within city and left behind garrison with half-brother, Robert of Mortain as Earl of Cornwall
    • South West
      • William used journey back from Exeter to London as opportunity to subdue Bristol and Gloucester
      • Later in year, three illegitimate sons of Harold attacked Bristol where they were defeated and driven away
        • Not a serious challenge but a nuisance and further evidence of range of challenges William faced in establishing his rule
      • William felt need to assert himself so decided to undertake a series of marches through midlands and east in 1068, taking major settlements of Warwick, Nottingham, York, Lincoln and Cambridge.
        • Rides often accompanied erection of castles which were raised at Lincoln, Huntingdon and Cambridge

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