The Harrying of the North

Question 1

When was the Harrying of the North?

Answer 1

Winter of 1069-70

Question 2

Who had fled north in 1068?

Answer 2

Edwin, Morcar and Edgar Aetheling

Question 3

What did Edgar need in order to challenge William for his claim?

Answer 3

Military support

Question 4

Who supported Edgar’s claim?

Answer 4

King Malcom of Scotland

Question 5

Why did King Malcolm support Edgar?

Answer 5

He had recently married Edgar’s sister

Question 6

Who was murdered by a group of English rebels?

Answer 6

The Norman Earl of Northern Northumbria- Robert of Commines

Question 7

When was Robert of Commines murdered?

Answer 7

January 1069

Question 8

Who’s house was set on fire in January 1069?

Answer 8

Bishop of Durham

Question 9

Where did Edgar attack?

Answer 9

York city

Question 10

Who invaded the north of England and joined Edgar’s army?

Answer 10

Danish Vikings with 240 ships

Question 11

When did the Vikings invade to help Edgar?

Answer 11

Summer 1069

Question 12

Who did the Vikings join?

Answer 12

Earls Edgar Aetheling and Waltheof

Question 13

Who did the combined rebel army defeat?

Answer 13

A Norman army outside York and they captured York castle

Question 14

How did William get rid of the Vikings?

Answer 14

Paid them to abandon the English army and return to Denmark

Leaders Edgar and Waltheof were scattered

Question 15

Why did William need to teach the north a lesson?

Answer 15

Seek revenge for the death of Robert of Commines and send a message to the Saxons and Vikings that rebellions were not acceptable

Question 16

What land did William cover?

Answer 16

From the Humber to the Tees River

Question 17

What did William do to the north?

Answer 17

Deliberately laid waste to huge areas of land around York

Ordered the slaughter of all livestock, the burning of all crops and the salting of the land

Question 18

What was the Harrying of the North?

Answer 18

William’s response to the Northern rebellions

Question 19

What were the immediate consequences?

Answer 19

Farmers’ loss of income and starvation of peasants across the region

Question 20

In the Domesday Book, was what % of Yorkshire was recorded as waste? (Meaning it’s was unpopulated and not used for farming)

Answer 20

80%

Question 21

When was the Domesday Book written?

Answer 21

1086

Question 22

What had William removed?

Answer 22

The threat of rebellion in the north once and for all- he faced little trouble from Yorkshire again during his reign

Question 23

How many were killed?

Answer 23

100,000

Question 24

What did the Harrying of the North not mark however?

Answer 24

The end of rebellions against William elsewhere in the country

Question 25

What did some resort to?

Answer 25

Cannibalism

Question 26

What did William decide to replace the English aristocracy with in 1070?

Answer 26

Normans