Revolt of the Earls
Encyclopedia
The Revolt of the Earls in 1075 was a rebellion of three earls against William I of England
(William the Conqueror). It was the last serious act of resistance against William in the Norman Conquest.
(daughter of William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford
and Adelissa de Tosny) and Ralph de Guader
, Earl of East Anglia
in 1075. They married just the same.
Then, in William's absence, Ralph, Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford
(his new brother-in-law), and Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northumberland began the revolt; but it was plagued by disaster. Waltheof soon lost heart and confessed the conspiracy to Archbishop of Canterbury
Lanfranc
, who urged Earl Roger to return to his allegiance, and finally excommunicated him and his adherents, and then to William, who was in Normandy
.
Roger, who was to bring his force from the west to join Ralph, was held in check at the River Severn
by the Worcestershire fyrd which the English bishop Wulfstan
brought into the field against him. Ralph in the meantime encountered a much superior force under the warrior bishops Odo of Bayeux and Geoffrey de Montbray
(the latter ordered that all rebels should have their right foot cut off!) near Cambridge
and retreated hurriedly to Norwich
, hotly pursued by the royal army. Leaving Emma to defend Norwich Castle
, Ralph sailed for Denmark
in search of help. He eventually returned to England with a fleet of 200 ships under Cnut and Hakon
, but they failed to do anything effective.
Meanwhile, the Countess
held out in Norwich until she obtained terms for herself and her followers, who were deprived of their lands, but were allowed forty days to leave the realm. The Countess retired to her estate in Brittany, where she was rejoined by her husband.
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
(William the Conqueror). It was the last serious act of resistance against William in the Norman Conquest.
Course
The revolt was caused by the king's refusal (in his absence - he had been in Normandy since 1073) to sanction the marriage between EmmaEmma de Guader, Countess of Norfolk
Emma de Guader was the wife of Ralph de Guader and the daughter of William Fitz-Osbern, who, as the Lord of Breteuil and later 1st Earl of Hereford , was a cousin and close adviser of William the Conqueror...
(daughter of William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford
William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford
William FitzOsbern , Lord of Breteuil, in Normandy, was a relative and close counsellor of William the Conqueror and one of the great magnates of early Norman England...
and Adelissa de Tosny) and Ralph de Guader
Ralph de Guader
Ralph de Gael was the Earl of East Anglia and Lord of Gaël and Montfort...
, Earl of East Anglia
Earl of East Anglia
The Earls of East Anglia were governors of East Anglia during the 11th century. The post was established by Cnut in 1017 and disappeared following Ralph Guader's participation in the failed Revolt of the Earls in 1075.-Ealdormen of East Anglia:...
in 1075. They married just the same.
Then, in William's absence, Ralph, Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford
Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford
Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford , succeeded to the earldom of Hereford and the English estate of William Fitz-Osbern in 1071.- Disobeying King William :...
(his new brother-in-law), and Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northumberland began the revolt; but it was plagued by disaster. Waltheof soon lost heart and confessed the conspiracy to Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
Lanfranc
Lanfranc
Lanfranc was Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Lombard by birth.-Early life:Lanfranc was born in the early years of the 11th century at Pavia, where later tradition held that his father, Hanbald, held a rank broadly equivalent to magistrate...
, who urged Earl Roger to return to his allegiance, and finally excommunicated him and his adherents, and then to William, who was in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
Roger, who was to bring his force from the west to join Ralph, was held in check at the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
by the Worcestershire fyrd which the English bishop Wulfstan
Wulfstan
Wulfstan may refer to:*Wulfstan, ealdorman of Wiltshire , died 802*Wulfstan of Hedeby, 9th century merchantman and traveller*Wulfstan , Archbishop of York...
brought into the field against him. Ralph in the meantime encountered a much superior force under the warrior bishops Odo of Bayeux and Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , a right-hand man of William the Conqueror, was a type of the great feudal prelate, warrior and administrator at need....
(the latter ordered that all rebels should have their right foot cut off!) near Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and retreated hurriedly to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, hotly pursued by the royal army. Leaving Emma to defend Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle is a medieval royal fortification in the city of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. It was founded in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of...
, Ralph sailed for Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in search of help. He eventually returned to England with a fleet of 200 ships under Cnut and Hakon
Hakon
Hakon is a village in Hkamti Township in Hkamti District in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma. It is located to the north of Janhtang and east of Tekti in a heavily forested part of the country.-External links:*...
, but they failed to do anything effective.
Meanwhile, the Countess
Emma de Guader, Countess of Norfolk
Emma de Guader was the wife of Ralph de Guader and the daughter of William Fitz-Osbern, who, as the Lord of Breteuil and later 1st Earl of Hereford , was a cousin and close adviser of William the Conqueror...
held out in Norwich until she obtained terms for herself and her followers, who were deprived of their lands, but were allowed forty days to leave the realm. The Countess retired to her estate in Brittany, where she was rejoined by her husband.
Results
- Ralph was deprived of all his lands and of his Earldom.
- Roger was tried before the Great Council, deprived of his lands and earldom, and sentenced to perpetual imprisonment; but he was released, with other political prisoners, at the death of William IWilliam I of EnglandWilliam I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
in 1087. - Returning to England with William, Waltheof was arrested, and after being brought twice before the king's court was sentenced to death. On the 31st of May 1076 he was beheaded on St. Giles's Hill, near WinchesterWinchesterWinchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. He is said to have been a man of immense bodily strength, weak and unreliable yet devout and charitable, and so was regarded by the English as a martyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, and miracles were said to have been worked at his tomb at CrowlandCrowlandCrowland or Croyland is a small town in south Lincolnshire, England, positioned between Peterborough and Spalding, with two sites of historical interest.-Geography:...
.