Harrying of the North: Encyclopedia II - Harrying of the North - Background

Harrying of the North - Background

After the abdication of Edgar the Aetheling (whom William had never recognised anyway) from the kingship of England in December 1066, the population of northern England found themselves bereft of the state protection which a king provided, for William's victory had not been secured there. Due to their mixed Anglo-Scandinavian ethnicity, they preferred as their kings members of the House of Munsö of Sweden or the Fairhair Dynasty of Norway, or the Anglo-Saxon House of Wessex. Despite their never having sworn allegiance to him, William considered the northerners rebels as they were within the realm of King Edward, whom he regarded as his direct predecessor.

The situation in Northumbria was secured by William by the quick appointment Copsi, a native who had done homage to William, as earl. The appoitnment did not last as Copsi was murdered by Osulf, son of Earl Eadulf III of Bernicia, whose family had long been rulers of Bernicia and at times Northumbria also. When the usurping Osulf was killed, his cousin, Cospatrick, bought the earldom from William. He was not long in power before he joined the Aetheling in rebellion in 1068. With support of Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and Morcar, the deposed earl of Northumbria, Edgar rebelled against the new king and was defeated immediately. He fled to the court of King Malcolm III of Scotland and their married his sister Margaret to the Scotch king in return for assistance. This he received and he began to plot with the king of Denmark, Sweyn II, a nephew of King Canute. In 1069, he and his allied forces invaded again to claim the crown to whicht he old Witan had once elevated him. It was at this time that, on 28 January, the rebels converged on Durham and murdered the newly-named earl Robert de Comines, a Norman who ignored the advice of William's ally, the bishop of Durham, Ethelwin.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Background", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki