The Harrying of the North, 1069-70
I can describe the features of the Harrying of the North and explain its causes and impacts.
The Harrying of the North, 1069-70
I can describe the features of the Harrying of the North and explain its causes and impacts.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- William’s control of the North was threatened by rebellions.
- William aimed to destroy the spirit of rebellion and ensure that no future rebellion could support itself in the North.
- Norman soldiers systematically killed rebels and destroyed food across Yorkshire – later known as ‘Harrying the North’.
- The resulting famine caused as many as 100 000 people to vanish from the records.
- There were no further uprisings in the North, but William was criticised for excessive brutality.
Common misconception
In the medieval period it was expected that rulers would be ruthless in killing anyone who opposed them.
Rulers were expected to be just and merciful in the medieval period, and Willian faced criticism across Europe for his brutality in crushing opposition in the North of England.
Keywords
Systematically - when something is done systematically it is done in a way that is done according to an agreed set of methods or organised plan
Scorched-earth - a scorched-earth policy is the act of an army destroying everything in an area such as food, buildings, or equipment that could be useful to an enemy
Famine - a famine is a situation in which there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death, or a particular period when this happens
Refugee - a refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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