| The Danish fleet raided the East coast of England, looking for support. Locals in the fenlands offered their help. | ||
| King
Swein Estrithsson of Denmark
arrived with his fleet and made
an alliance with local
people.
The rebels, led by Hereward the Wake with his new Danish support, launched a raid on Peterborough from Ely. However, King William soon made an agreement with the Danes and they sailed home. King William realised that without Danish support, the rebels weren't very strong. William sent Norman forces to attack Ely, but they weren't ready for the marshland. Unable to find their way, many Normans slowly drowned. |
||
| Hereward's
rebels gained new forces when some of the Northern Earls joined the rebellion.
These were Edwin and Morcar who had begun rebellions
in the north in 1068
King William approached Ely in force. He wasn't going to fail this time! He was determined to stamp out the resistance. He forced the local monks to tell him the way through the marshland onto the island. William captured the Northern Earls, and is said to have made an agreement with Hereward. Yet nobody really knows what happened to him ... |
In 1075, William faced his most dangerous challenge yet... |
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