Uploaded November 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
After 10 years of mistreatment by their earl, in 1065, the people of Northumbria decided to take matters into their own hands. They marched on York, killing Earl Tostig of Northumbria's housecarls and servant and declaring him an outlaw, leaving King Edward in a sticky predicament.
#GCSEHistory #GCSERevision #AngloSaxons
***---Useful resources---***
Quizlet Flashcards: quizlet.com/_5n9w6o
Practice exam-style questions:
- Describe two features of the Danelaw
- Describe two features of the earldom of Northumbria
- Describe two features of the rising against Earl Tostig in 1065
- Explain why there was a rising against Earl Tostig in 1065.
You may use the following in your answer:
- the Danelaw
- taxation
You must also use information of your own. 12 marks
- ‘The main reason for Harold Godwinson not backing Tostig Godwinson after the Northumbrian rising in 1065 was that he wanted to be king and saw Tostig as a rival to the throne’.
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. 16 marks
Revision Notes:
Reasons for the Rising
- Tostig Godwinson became Earl of Northumbria in 1055 after the death of Earl Siward
- Northumbria was important as it guarded the border with Scotland, was very large & had a long history of Viking attacks & settlement
- As it was far from the king’s southern power base & association with Vikings, it was the obvious entry point for further Viking invasions
- Northumbria very different from Wessex
- Much of it was part of the Danelaw
- Meant there were some different laws and customs
- People in the Danelaw used lots of words borrowed from the Scandinavian languages of the Vikings
- Southerners like Tostig would probably have found it difficult understanding the Northumbrians
- Tostig ruled for 10 years
- October 1065, there was an uprising against Earl Tostig
- The uprising was led by important Northumbrian Thegns
- Several reasons for the rising:
- Tostig’s friendship with Malcolm III (King of Scotland) meant he didn’t defend Northumbria from Scottish attacks
- 1061, while Tostig was away, Malcolm invaded & caused much destruction, Tostig did not retaliate, instead, he agreed peace terms
- Tostig had been unjust, imposing new laws (from the south) & abusing his power to get rid of rivals
- Tostig’s enemies complained that he falsely accused people of crimes in order to take money and land from them
- Tostig taxed Northumbria too heavily - Danelaw areas were not used to heavy taxation so the Northumbrians resented this greatly
- Tostig had ordered the assassination of high-born Northumbrian rivals while they were his guests
- Tostig was a southerner and Northumbria had always been governed by northerners
- The southern Anglo-Saxon kings had generally left the north to govern itself
FOR FULL NOTES FOLLOW LINK: quizlet.com/_5nb54n
***---Social Media---***
Twitter: twitter.com/alongtimeago_YT || @alongtimeago_YT
instagram.com/alonglongtimeago || @alonglongtimeago
facebook.com/alongtimeagoYT
After 10 years of mistreatment by their earl, in 1065, the people of Northumbria decided to take matters into their own hands. They marched on York, killing Earl Tostig of Northumbria's housecarls and servant and declaring him an outlaw, leaving King Edward in a sticky predicament.
#GCSEHistory #GCSERevision #AngloSaxons
***---Useful resources---***
Quizlet Flashcards: quizlet.com/_5n9w6o
Practice exam-style questions:
- Describe two features of the Danelaw
- Describe two features of the earldom of Northumbria
- Describe two features of the rising against Earl Tostig in 1065
- Explain why there was a rising against Earl Tostig in 1065.
You may use the following in your answer:
- the Danelaw
- taxation
You must also use information of your own. 12 marks
- ‘The main reason for Harold Godwinson not backing Tostig Godwinson after the Northumbrian rising in 1065 was that he wanted to be king and saw Tostig as a rival to the throne’.
How far do you agree? Explain your answer. 16 marks
Revision Notes:
Reasons for the Rising
- Tostig Godwinson became Earl of Northumbria in 1055 after the death of Earl Siward
- Northumbria was important as it guarded the border with Scotland, was very large & had a long history of Viking attacks & settlement
- As it was far from the king’s southern power base & association with Vikings, it was the obvious entry point for further Viking invasions
- Northumbria very different from Wessex
- Much of it was part of the Danelaw
- Meant there were some different laws and customs
- People in the Danelaw used lots of words borrowed from the Scandinavian languages of the Vikings
- Southerners like Tostig would probably have found it difficult understanding the Northumbrians
- Tostig ruled for 10 years
- October 1065, there was an uprising against Earl Tostig
- The uprising was led by important Northumbrian Thegns
- Several reasons for the rising:
- Tostig’s friendship with Malcolm III (King of Scotland) meant he didn’t defend Northumbria from Scottish attacks
- 1061, while Tostig was away, Malcolm invaded & caused much destruction, Tostig did not retaliate, instead, he agreed peace terms
- Tostig had been unjust, imposing new laws (from the south) & abusing his power to get rid of rivals
- Tostig’s enemies complained that he falsely accused people of crimes in order to take money and land from them
- Tostig taxed Northumbria too heavily - Danelaw areas were not used to heavy taxation so the Northumbrians resented this greatly
- Tostig had ordered the assassination of high-born Northumbrian rivals while they were his guests
- Tostig was a southerner and Northumbria had always been governed by northerners
- The southern Anglo-Saxon kings had generally left the north to govern itself
FOR FULL NOTES FOLLOW LINK: quizlet.com/_5nb54n
***---Social Media---***
Twitter: twitter.com/alongtimeago_YT || @alongtimeago_YT
instagram.com/alonglongtimeago || @alonglongtimeago
facebook.com/alongtimeagoYT
