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Year 10
Edexcel

The uprising against Earl Tostig Godwinson

I can explain what the uprising against Tostig in 1065 reveals about who held power in Anglo-Saxon England.

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New
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Year 10
Edexcel

The uprising against Earl Tostig Godwinson

I can explain what the uprising against Tostig in 1065 reveals about who held power in Anglo-Saxon England.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Tostig Godwinson was made the earl of Northumbria, part of the Danelaw.
  2. Earl Tostig's actions made him very unpopular.
  3. In 1065, there was an uprising against Tostig.
  4. King Edward ordered his other earls to put down the rebellion.
  5. Harold Godwinson ignored Edward's order and Tostig Godwinson was exiled.

Common misconception

Harold Godwinson would help his brother Tostig.

Harold’s ambitions to be king meant he did little to help his brother Tostig. If Harold became king, he would want to avoid making enemies of Mercia and Northumbria. He wanted to show the Witan that he was loyal to England, beyond his family.

Keywords

  • Uprising - an uprising is an act of opposition, sometimes using violence, by many people in one area of a country against those who are in power

  • Danegeld - Danegeld was a tax raised to give to the Danes (Vikings) to prevent further invasions

  • Housecarls - housecarls were the elite soldiers that guarded important people

  • Nobles - nobles were people with a high rank in Anglo-Saxon society: earls, bishops, thegns

Create a map outlining the causes and events of the uprising. Have students place markers for key locations like Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, and York, discussing the strategic importance of each.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime
  • 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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A is someone who writes a record of historical events.
Correct Answer: chronicler, chroniclers
Q2.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened.
1 - Edward becomes king of England.
2 - Edward proposes William of Normandy as his successor.
3 - Godwin clashes with Edward’s Norman advisers.
4 - Godwin and his sons are returned to their earldoms.
Q3.
A person expected to inherit the throne after the monarch has died is known as a .
Correct Answer: successor, Successor
Q4.
Why was Harold visit to Normandy in around 1064 significant?
Correct answer: It showed Harold as a trusted adviser to the king.
Correct answer: It boosted William’s claim to the throne.
Correct answer: Normans would use the incident to damage Harold's as an oath-breaker.
It showed that Harold did not hold ambitions for power.
Q5.
In which country did Harold and his brother Tostig lead a series of successful military campaigns in the 1060s?
Correct answer: Wales
England
Scotland
France
Q6.
In which year did Harold Godwinson become Earl of Wessex?
1060
Correct answer: 1053
1055
1057

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words with their definitions. Write the correct letter in each box.
Correct Answer:Danegeld,a tax raised to give to the Vikings to prevent further invasions

a tax raised to give to the Vikings to prevent further invasions

Correct Answer:Housecarls,the elite soldiers that guarded important people.

the elite soldiers that guarded important people.

Correct Answer:Nobles,people with a high rank in Anglo-Saxon society: earls, bishops, thegns

people with a high rank in Anglo-Saxon society: earls, bishops, thegns

Q2.
This keyword is an act of opposition, sometimes using violence, by many people in one area of a country against those who are in power.
Correct Answer: uprising, Uprising
Q3.
In which year was there an uprising against Tostig?
1060
1064
Correct answer: 1065
Q4.
Why was Tostig Godwinson very unpopular?
Tostig had stolen land from Scotland.
Correct answer: He murdered two of his rivals in 1064.
Correct answer: Tostig introduced new taxes that included the Danegeld.
Q5.
What happened to anyone who was suspected to be a supporter of Tostig?
They were held hostage.
They were made to support the armed rebels.
Correct answer: They were killed.
Q6.
Which of the following statements accurately describe the outcome of the uprising against Earl Tostig.
Harold Godwinson helped his brother Tostig, sending in an army.
Correct answer: Harold Godwinson was sent by Edward to negotiate with the rebels.
Correct answer: Edward exiled Tostig.
Correct answer: Harold’s ambitions to be king meant he did little to help his brother Tostig.

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