The Rebellion in East Anglia
The Rebellion in East Anglia
Blog Article
After the death of King Harold II at Hastings and the subsequent coronation of William the Conqueror, East Anglia became a hotbed of rebellion. The region was known for its stubborn resistance to Norman rule, and Hereward the Wake emerged as one of the principal leaders of this resistance. His personal grievances with the Normans, compounded by the Norman seizure of his family's lands and the oppressive taxes imposed upon the Anglo-Saxons, likely fueled his desire to fight back.
Hereward’s resistance began in earnest around 1070, when he returned to England after a period of exile in Flanders (modern-day Belgium). According to some accounts, Hereward was aided by a small band of followers, including both Anglo-Saxon outlaws and disaffected Englishmen who shared his hatred of the Normans. They operated from the dense marshes and waterways of the fens, using the environment to their advantage and making it difficult for the Norman forces to hunt them down.
The Siege of Ely
Perhaps the most significant and famous episode of Hereward’s rebellion was his involvement in the defense of the Isle of Ely, a marshy island in the Cambridgeshire fens. Ely became a key stronghold for the Anglo-Saxons who refused to submit to William's rule, and it was here that Hereward and his forces made their final stand.
In 1071, a large Norman army under the command of William's forces besieged Ely, hoping to crush the last remnants of Anglo-Saxon resistance. However, Hereward’s group put up a fierce fight. They were joined by other rebels, including a number of English nobles and even some disaffected Norse mercenaries, who were probably sympathetic to the cause due to their own grievances with the Normans.
According to legend, Hereward played a central role in the defense of Ely, leading his troops in skirmishes with the Norman forces. The rebels were able to use their knowledge of the swampy terrain to launch surprise attacks, avoiding direct confrontation with the far superior Norman forces. However, after months of resistance, the Anglo-Saxons eventually succumbed to the siege when the Norman army managed to infiltrate their defenses.
The fall of Ely marked the final major resistance to William’s conquest in England, and the defeat effectively ended Anglo-Saxon hopes of a revival of their independence. Some accounts suggest that Hereward managed to escape before the final surrender, though other reports claim that he was killed in battle. shutdown123