Gone Medieval: "After 1066: The Harrying of the North"

Podcast: Gone Medieval (History Hit)
Host: Dr. Eleanor Janega
Guest: Dr. Levi Roach, historian of Anglo-Saxon and Norman England
Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by medieval historian Dr. Levi Roach to explore the tumultuous years following the Norman Conquest, focusing especially on William the Conqueror's brutal campaign known as the Harrying of the North (1069–1070). The conversation challenges the common narrative that England’s story ends at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, delving into the rebellions, reprisals, and deep societal changes that shaped medieval England’s landscape and identity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Immediate Aftermath of 1066

• William’s Position: With King Harold dead, William’s path to the throne was open but fraught with uncertainty.
• Submission of the English: Many magnates submitted to William out of pragmatism, seeing resistance as deadly but always holding out hope for the "calculus" of power to change. (06:01–10:09)
  • Quote: "You can win a kingdom by the sword, but you can't rule it continually by the sword." – Matt Lewis (09:19)
• Edgar the Aetheling: As a legitimate heir, he remained a lightning rod for resistance, though initially hampered by youth and lack of support.

2. Early Rebellions and Norman Consolidation

• Southwest Revolt (1067): Centered on Exeter, led by the Godwin family—brutally but efficiently suppressed. William's approach combined quick action, negotiation, and castle building. (10:09–13:33)
  • Quote: "William does...is he seems to get wind of [rebellion] quite quickly and he moves very, very swiftly and nips it in the bud." – Matt Lewis (11:22)
• Castles as Instruments of Control:
  • Castles, new to England, symbolized Norman dominance and incentivized loyalty among William’s men, cascading profound architectural and social changes. (13:33–15:28)
  • Quote: "They're every bit as much visual as they are strategic...We are in control." – Matt Lewis (14:18)

3. England’s Regional Divides: The North and West

• The North (north of the Humber) had historically been resistant to royal authority. Its political and cultural independence, plus proximity to Scotland, made it a hotbed for rebellion. (16:26–18:44)
  • Gives context to why the north was historically more difficult to subdue than the south.

4. Escalating Rebellions (1068–1069)

• Catalysts:
  • Disaffected English nobles (e.g., Edwin and Morcar) and increasing intervention by the Danish and Scottish monarchies.
• Strategy:
  • William responded with rapid return from Normandy and fortification but became increasingly ruthless.
  • Quote: "Whenever he goes back, that now is your chance, [for rebellion]..." – Matt Lewis (20:36)

5. Edgar the Aetheling: The Perennial Threat

• Edgar, as a descendant of royal blood, courted foreign support (notably at the Scottish and even Swedish courts). His ongoing efforts represented a real if diminishing threat to Norman hold on England. (22:03–30:06)
  • Quote: "Any rebellion that gets big enough under his aegis...that's why the Scottish monarch is on board." – Matt Lewis (24:24)

6. The Harrying of the North (1069–1070)

• Breaking Point: After several major rebellions, including the killing of Norman officials and the landing of a Danish fleet, William’s patience snapped, leading to the infamous Harrying. (30:47–37:56)
  • Systematic destruction: slaughter of people and livestock, burning of settlements, destruction of the agricultural base, and even desecration of York Cathedral.
  • Massive and lasting devastation: Some accounts cite up to 100,000 deaths by starvation; Domesday Book later shows dramatic depopulation and economic collapse in northern regions.
  • Quote: "This is really the politics of terror...He wants the people to suffer." – Matt Lewis (34:02)
  • Quote: "He wears his crown in York with the city burning around him...That really is the image." – Matt Lewis (36:22)
  • After this, major large-scale resistance effectively ceased.

7. Hereward the Wake: Romance and Reality

• Hereward's resistance in the Fenlands lacked noble backing and posed no real threat, yet has become a romanticized symbol of English opposition. (37:56–39:42)
  • Quote: "Who the hell is Hereward? ...He's not a previous Earl...a bit of an interesting coda." – Matt Lewis (38:02)

8. Was the Harrying Genocide?

• Modern definitions and the extent of intent are debated, but scholars agree it went far beyond military necessity, aiming to terrorize and permanently disable the region. (42:22–43:55)
  • Quote: "There's no question that William is trying to disenfranchise the English, but he's not trying to exterminate the entire English population...That is the intention of these actions. They are brutal, they are nasty." – Matt Lewis (42:29)

9. Securing Control: Aristocracy and Ecclesiastical Power

• Systematic replacement of English nobility and bishops with Normans and loyal Francophones. (44:23–46:33)
  • The vast majority (>90%) of aristocrats displaced.
  • Quote: "By the time we have Doomsday survey that's complete, but actually a lot of it's done by the early 1070s, really." – Matt Lewis (44:48)
• Massive cathedral-building further cemented Norman presence; churches became a visual and cultural parallel to castles. (46:24–50:53)
  • Quote: "The Romanesque cathedral is then the alternative. And again, a bit like the castle, the very first one is actually Westminster..." – Matt Lewis (48:33)

10. Lasting Legacies

• The Norman Conquest, especially the aftermath, created stark and lasting changes:
  • Replacement of elites, legal structures, language, and lasting north–south divides.
  • The north was effectively "colonized," and relations with the rest of England irreversibly altered. (54:07–56:02)
  • Quote: "There's never been a regime change as stark...well over 90% of the aristocracy. It is extraordinary." – Matt Lewis (54:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On submission after Hastings:
  "We're not going to win this by resistance at this moment. ...Offering William our allegiance is our best bet, since the alternative is probably death."
  – Matt Lewis (08:24)
• On the brutality and effectiveness of the Harrying:
  "This is the politics of terror...He wants the people to suffer. ...And for the most part, they don't cross him thereafter."
  – Matt Lewis (34:02, 37:23)
• On the visual legacy of conquest:
  "If the military might was the castle, the Romanesque cathedral is then the alternative."
  – Matt Lewis (48:33)
• On the enduring north–south divide in England:
  "The north is almost colonial England...there is this one. And it's certainly, it's perhaps luck of the draw that the southwest rebels first, but...when the north comes knocking, you know where to go."
  – Matt Lewis (55:23, 56:02)
• On William’s image:
  "There's never any suggestion that there's going to be a cult of William. You know, Edward the Confessor becomes a confessor. St. William, nobody thinks is a saint. William is a bad man and he wants you to know he's a bad man."
  – Matt Lewis (52:35)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Submission after Hastings: 06:01–10:09
• Exeter Rebellion & Castles: 10:09–15:28
• England’s regional divides: 16:26–18:44
• Rebellions escalate in north/Edgar Aetheling: 20:36–30:06
• Harrying of the North in detail: 30:47–37:56
• Hereward the Wake: 37:56–39:42
• Genocide debate: 42:22–43:55
• Replacement of English elites & cathedrals: 44:23–50:53
• Legacies & north–south divide: 54:07–56:02

Episode Tone

Playful, direct, and occasionally wry, with an undercurrent of seriousness regarding the violence and trauma of conquest. Dr. Janega’s questions balance curiosity and skepticism, while Dr. Roach delivers clear historical analysis peppered with candid analogies and jokes.

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a vivid and unsparing look at the consequences of the Norman Conquest beyond the battlefield. From tactical ruthlessness to the transformation of landscape, society, and identity, Dr. Roach and Dr. Janega make it clear that 1066 was not an end, but a beginning—with reverberations still felt in England’s north-south divide and cultural memory today.
Be sure to catch the next episode for an exploration of the Domesday Book!