43:
433:
494:
396:
480:, the first record of this technique being used in England. However, the siege ended by negotiation rather than conquest; according to Orderic, the gates were opened and the townspeople, preceded by their clergy carrying sacred books and relics, pleaded for clemency. All the sources agree that William's terms were generous, in return for the city's fealty, with the
305:
408:, the traditional force of English militia infantry, which besides increasing the size of his force, would have been a test of loyalty for his new subjects. On William's march through Dorset, he took the opportunity to pillage the towns which he perceived were supporting Exeter; the damage inflicted at
448:
as surety. There are two interpretations of this encounter; firstly that two parties had emerged in Exeter, one hoping for a peaceful settlement, and the other, led by Gytha, being determined to resist, while the second possibility was that this was a bluff by Gytha who was playing for time, hoping
403:
King
William celebrated Christmas in London and then began his move towards Exeter. The fact that he took the unusual step of campaigning in the depths of winter is indicative of William's determination to deliver a pre-emptive strike against the Godwinsons. For the first time, William supplemented
367:
In March 1067, William had returned to
Normandy in triumph, but there news arrived of events in Exeter. According to Orderic, some Norman soldiers that William had sent across to England ended up in Exeter where they were badly treated; they were stated to have been blown off course by bad weather,
517:
who had sworn fealty to
William for his earldom, may have supported the rebels at Exeter, and was deprived of his earldom for this. In any case, William subsequently marched his army into Cornwall in a show of strength, before returning to Winchester to celebrate Easter. The garrison of Exeter was
372:
from the city. When the reply came from Exeter, it was made clear that the citizens not only declined to swear allegiance to
William or to allow him to enter their city, but also refused to pay any taxes beyond those that were customary, probably in reference to the severe taxes imposed after the
449:
for the timely arrival of her grandsons with an Anglo-Irish army. Whatever the intention, when
William and his army arrived at the East Gate of Exeter, he found it closed against him and the walls crowded with armed men. In response to this afront, he had one of the hostages
484:
adding that he agreed to their previous request to pay tax only at pre-Conquest levels. William also prevented his soldiers from claiming their traditional right of looting the surrendered city, posting reliable guards at the gates to ensure its safety.
379:. Orderic relates that William said that he would not accept subjects under those conditions and he returned to England in December 1067. Other threats to Norman rule at that time included the revolt of
557:, who was killed in the action. A second incursion into Devon was mounted by Harold's sons in 1069, this time from the south coast, but Exeter remained loyal to William and refused to support them.
549:
in 1051. She never returned to
England. The sons of Harold did not arrive until later in the year; the citizens of Bristol closed their gates to them and they were later defeated at
505:
was built inside the northeast of the city wall. William's unusual generosity of terms at Exeter may have been due to the need to bring the West
Country under his control. Antiquary
472:, the siege lasted for eighteen days and William's army suffered large losses, presumably in direct assaults At some stage in the battle, Gytha escaped from city by boat along the
162:
476:, together with some of her supporters, indicating that William's army was not supported by ships. Orderic states that William eventually managed to breach the walls by
1458:
368:
but were possibly on a reconnaissance mission. This, together with evidence that Exeter was soliciting support for an uprising, caused
William to issue a demand of
1549:
1200:
155:
1350:
1149:
1554:
464:
The various accounts of the details of the siege are divergent on some points and difficult to reconcile. According to the D Version of the
148:
1584:
1355:
787:
The
Parochial History of Cornwall, Founded on the Manuscript Histories of Mr. Hals and Mr. Tonkin; with Additions and Various Appendices
265:
lasting eighteen days, the city surrendered to
William under generous terms and allowed the Normans to consolidate their hold over the
1559:
1137:
1116:
1091:
1070:
1049:
1028:
1004:
962:
941:
912:
891:
870:
849:
1468:
216:
17:
353:
349:
345:
574:
444:. Here, William was met by a delegation of prominent Exeter citizens, who pledged their submission to William and handed over
1579:
1330:
1325:
1193:
42:
1473:
1391:
360:
states that she sent messages to other towns and cities in the region asking for support and was in contact her nephew,
320:
in October 1066, Duke William of Normandy marched on London and accepted the surrender of the leading English nobles at
1516:
1448:
387:, but the defiance of Exeter with the connected threats of the Danes and Harold's sons was the most pressing matter.
1569:
1564:
258:
1483:
1259:
191:
1574:
1340:
1186:
344:
of resistance to Norman rule. Gytha had considerable wealth and hoped for the arrival of Harold's three sons,
537:, possibly in the hope of a rendez-vous with her grandsons' expedition from Ireland. Eventually, she went to
1488:
1396:
990:
972:
835:
337:
111:
976:
546:
432:
1463:
1453:
1310:
1223:
454:
450:
375:
211:
116:
839:
1371:
1269:
238:
201:
1528:
1478:
1422:
1401:
1238:
1014:
554:
519:
361:
221:
1300:
1264:
510:
453:
in full view of the city's defenders, although this did not diminish their resolve; according to
409:
317:
297:
or fortified settlement and the Roman walls were said to have been repaired and improved by King
196:
1386:
1305:
1254:
1133:
1112:
1102:
1087:
1066:
1045:
1039:
1024:
1018:
1000:
958:
937:
923:
908:
902:
887:
881:
866:
845:
523:
477:
469:
329:
186:
1127:
1106:
1060:
860:
1320:
1228:
994:
929:
785:
514:
502:
333:
284:
1504:
1432:
1335:
1290:
1233:
1209:
530:
357:
325:
309:
172:
34:
395:
1381:
986:
380:
493:
1543:
1509:
1345:
1295:
441:
421:
99:
978:
The History of the Norman Conquest of England, its Causes and its Results: Volume IV
440:
When William arrived in Exeter's environs, he made camp, probably at the village of
1417:
506:
384:
341:
266:
47:
Part of the Exeter's Roman city wall, repaired and defended by the English in 1068.
298:
1081:
952:
1523:
575:"Roman, Anglo Saxon and medieval defences called collectively Exeter City Walls"
497:
The surviving Norman gateway of Rougemont Castle, built shortly after the siege.
413:
321:
254:
538:
288:
1164:
1151:
534:
473:
457:, one of the men on the battlements responded by lowering his breeches and
933:
501:
William ordered the construction of a stone castle to dominate Exeter and
1427:
542:
417:
1376:
1020:
Anglo-Norman Studies XXXVIII: Proceedings of the Battle Conference 2015
550:
445:
279:
242:
245:
and loyal Englishmen westwards to force the submission of the city of
1315:
369:
246:
93:
68:
304:
954:
The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror's Subjugation of England
1178:
492:
436:
A 19th century depiction of Exeter's defences in the 11th century.
431:
394:
303:
262:
250:
140:
340:, took refuge in Exeter, which then became the main focus in the
458:
405:
293:
1182:
529:
Gytha and her entourage sailed from the siege at Exeter to the
144:
518:
initially commanded by William de Vauville but soon passed to
128:
Much of Exeter's population and allies from other local towns
545:, where she had earlier been exiled with her husband
1497:
1441:
1410:
1364:
1283:
1247:
1216:
996:
Law and Government in Medieval England and Normandy
659:
657:
655:
844:. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: The History Press.
131:Initially 500 Norman cavalry supported by English
1459:Coronations of William the Conqueror and Matilda
1132:. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing.
957:. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing.
291:in about 200 AD. It later became an Anglo-Saxon
399:Norman cavalry depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.
27:
1108:The Place of War in English History, 1066-1214
1083:The House of Godwine: The History of a Dynasty
533:where she established a base on the island of
1194:
799:
797:
734:
732:
257:resistance against Norman rule following the
156:
8:
636:
634:
632:
356:, who had gone to Ireland to raise an army.
1514:
883:The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare
1201:
1187:
1179:
1129:1066: A New History of the Norman Conquest
790:. J. B. Nichols and Son. pp. 202–203.
163:
149:
141:
41:
24:
999:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
383:in Herefordshire and a failed attack on
1041:The Norman Conquest: A New Introduction
566:
1111:. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press.
1023:. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press.
928:. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press.
907:. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press.
404:his Norman cavalry by calling out the
420:was still evident at the time of the
332:on Christmas Day. After the death of
7:
1356:Companions of William the Conqueror
904:The Normans and the Norman Conquest
526:was made earl of the West Country.
373:Conquest that are described in the
96:and allies from other nearby cities
1550:Battles involving the Anglo-Saxons
14:
237:occurred early in 1068 when King
79:Conditional surrender of the city
16:For other sieges of Exeter, see
1086:. London: Hambledon Continuum.
308:King William I depicted in the
981:. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.
922:Brown, Reginald Allen (2004).
901:Brown, Reginald Allen (1994).
1:
1555:Battles involving the Normans
925:Allen Brown's English Castles
784:Gilbert, Davies, ed. (1838).
324:and was subsequently crowned
277:Exeter originated as a Roman
1517:Carmen de Hastingae Proelio
1449:Northumbrian Revolt of 1065
241:marched a combined army of
1601:
1585:Norman conquest of England
1059:Huscroft, Richard (2016).
1038:Huscroft, Richard (2009).
390:
287:, which was provided with
259:Norman conquest of England
15:
1560:Military history of Devon
1260:Battle of Stamford Bridge
1101:Prestwich, J. O. (2004).
182:
122:
105:
87:
51:
40:
32:
1062:Ruling England 1042-1217
973:Freeman, Edward Augustus
1489:Trial of Penenden Heath
1397:Malcolm III of Scotland
522:(or de Meulles), while
1515:
1275:Siege of Exeter (1068)
951:Cole, Theresa (2016).
880:Bradbury, Jim (2006).
859:Bettey, J. H. (1986).
579:historicengland.org.uk
547:Godwin, Earl of Wessex
498:
437:
400:
313:
106:Commanders and leaders
1580:11th century in Devon
1474:Council of Winchester
1464:Harrying of the North
1454:Council of Lillebonne
1224:William the Conqueror
1065:. London: Routledge.
1044:. London: Routledge.
934:10.1017/9781846152429
886:. London: Routledge.
865:. London: Routledge.
841:William the Conqueror
821:Huscroft 2009, p. 141
663:Huscroft 2009, p. 140
626:Prestwich 2004, p. 31
608:Garnett 1994, pp. 4-6
496:
466:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
461:towards the Normans.
455:William of Malmesbury
435:
424:some 18 years later.
398:
376:Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
307:
301:in the 10th century.
212:Harrying of the North
1372:Edward the Confessor
1270:Burning of Southwark
1165:50.72583°N 3.52972°W
1080:Mason, Emma (2003).
1015:van Houts, Elisabeth
617:Huscroft 2016, p. 53
553:by the English earl
391:William's march west
338:Gytha Thorkelsdóttir
239:William I of England
117:William I of England
112:Gytha Thorkelsdóttir
1529:William of Poitiers
1479:Revolt of the Earls
1423:Battle, East Sussex
1402:Matilda of Flanders
1331:Eustace of Boulogne
1239:Sweyn II of Denmark
1161: /
1126:Rex, Peter (2011).
862:Wessex from AD 1000
708:Freeman pp. 154-155
555:Eadnoth the Staller
520:Baldwin FitzGilbert
513:, the pre-Conquest
362:Sweyn II of Denmark
222:Revolt of the Earls
1301:Leofwine Godwinson
1265:Battle of Hastings
1170:50.72583; -3.52972
1103:Prestwich, Michael
765:Brown 2004, p. 130
672:Bettey 1986, p. 25
649:Bates 2004, p. 261
640:Brown 1994, p. 165
581:. Historic England
499:
438:
401:
318:Battle of Hastings
314:
253:, a stronghold of
1570:History of Exeter
1565:Conflicts in 1068
1537:
1536:
1484:Council of London
1365:Associated people
1351:Roger de Breteuil
1341:Robert of Mortain
1306:Hereward the Wake
1255:Battle of Fulford
756:van Houts, p. 133
726:van Houts, p. 132
599:Cole 2016, p. 204
524:Brian of Brittany
470:John of Worcester
330:Westminster Abbey
230:
229:
139:
138:
83:
82:
1592:
1520:
1229:Harold Godwinson
1203:
1196:
1189:
1180:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1172:
1171:
1166:
1162:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1154:
1143:
1122:
1097:
1076:
1055:
1034:
1010:
982:
968:
947:
918:
897:
876:
855:
822:
819:
813:
810:
804:
801:
792:
791:
781:
775:
772:
766:
763:
757:
754:
748:
745:
739:
736:
727:
724:
718:
717:Bradbury, p. 150
715:
709:
706:
700:
697:
691:
688:
682:
679:
673:
670:
664:
661:
650:
647:
641:
638:
627:
624:
618:
615:
609:
606:
600:
597:
591:
590:
588:
586:
571:
515:Earl of Cornwall
509:speculated that
503:Rougemont Castle
334:Harold Godwinson
285:Isca Dumnoniorum
177:
175:
165:
158:
151:
142:
53:
52:
45:
25:
1600:
1599:
1595:
1594:
1593:
1591:
1590:
1589:
1575:1068 in England
1540:
1539:
1538:
1533:
1505:Bayeux Tapestry
1493:
1437:
1433:Tower of London
1406:
1360:
1336:Eadric the Wild
1291:Gyrth Godwinson
1279:
1243:
1234:Harald Hardrada
1212:
1210:Norman Conquest
1207:
1169:
1167:
1163:
1160:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1147:
1140:
1125:
1119:
1100:
1094:
1079:
1073:
1058:
1052:
1037:
1031:
1013:
1007:
993:, eds. (1994).
987:Garnett, George
985:
971:
965:
950:
944:
921:
915:
900:
894:
879:
873:
858:
852:
834:
831:
826:
825:
820:
816:
811:
807:
802:
795:
783:
782:
778:
774:Freeman, p. 160
773:
769:
764:
760:
755:
751:
746:
742:
737:
730:
725:
721:
716:
712:
707:
703:
698:
694:
689:
685:
680:
676:
671:
667:
662:
653:
648:
644:
639:
630:
625:
621:
616:
612:
607:
603:
598:
594:
584:
582:
573:
572:
568:
563:
531:Bristol Channel
491:
430:
422:Domesday survey
393:
358:Orderic Vitalis
326:King of England
310:Bayeux Tapestry
275:
235:siege of Exeter
231:
226:
192:Stamford Bridge
178:
174:Norman Conquest
173:
171:
169:
71:
46:
35:Norman Conquest
28:Siege of Exeter
21:
18:Siege of Exeter
12:
11:
5:
1598:
1596:
1588:
1587:
1582:
1577:
1572:
1567:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1542:
1541:
1535:
1534:
1532:
1531:
1526:
1521:
1512:
1507:
1501:
1499:
1495:
1494:
1492:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1469:Danish attacks
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1445:
1443:
1439:
1438:
1436:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1414:
1412:
1408:
1407:
1405:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1389:
1387:Edgar Ætheling
1384:
1382:Edith the Fair
1379:
1374:
1368:
1366:
1362:
1361:
1359:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1287:
1285:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1251:
1249:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1218:
1214:
1213:
1208:
1206:
1205:
1198:
1191:
1183:
1145:
1144:
1139:978-1445603841
1138:
1123:
1118:978-1843830986
1117:
1098:
1093:978-1852853891
1092:
1077:
1072:978-1138786554
1071:
1056:
1051:978-1405811552
1050:
1035:
1030:978-1783271016
1029:
1017:, ed. (2016).
1011:
1006:978-0521430760
1005:
983:
969:
964:978-1445649221
963:
948:
943:978-1843830696
942:
919:
914:978-0851153674
913:
898:
893:978-0415413954
892:
877:
872:978-0582492080
871:
856:
851:978-0752429601
850:
830:
827:
824:
823:
814:
805:
793:
776:
767:
758:
749:
740:
728:
719:
710:
701:
692:
683:
674:
665:
651:
642:
628:
619:
610:
601:
592:
565:
564:
562:
559:
490:
487:
468:attributed to
429:
426:
392:
389:
381:Edric the Wild
336:, his mother,
274:
271:
228:
227:
225:
224:
219:
217:Danish attacks
214:
209:
204:
199:
194:
189:
183:
180:
179:
170:
168:
167:
160:
153:
145:
137:
136:
129:
125:
124:
120:
119:
114:
108:
107:
103:
102:
97:
94:Exonian rebels
90:
89:
85:
84:
81:
80:
77:
73:
72:
67:
65:
61:
60:
57:
49:
48:
38:
37:
30:
29:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1597:
1586:
1583:
1581:
1578:
1576:
1573:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1547:
1545:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1519:
1518:
1513:
1511:
1510:Domesday Book
1508:
1506:
1503:
1502:
1500:
1498:Miscellaneous
1496:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1446:
1444:
1440:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1409:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1369:
1367:
1363:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1346:Ralph de Gael
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1296:Odo of Bayeux
1294:
1292:
1289:
1288:
1286:
1282:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1252:
1250:
1246:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1215:
1211:
1204:
1199:
1197:
1192:
1190:
1185:
1184:
1181:
1177:
1174:
1141:
1135:
1131:
1130:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1110:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1095:
1089:
1085:
1084:
1078:
1074:
1068:
1064:
1063:
1057:
1053:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1022:
1021:
1016:
1012:
1008:
1002:
998:
997:
992:
988:
984:
980:
979:
974:
970:
966:
960:
956:
955:
949:
945:
939:
935:
931:
927:
926:
920:
916:
910:
906:
905:
899:
895:
889:
885:
884:
878:
874:
868:
864:
863:
857:
853:
847:
843:
842:
837:
833:
832:
828:
818:
815:
812:Mason, p. 181
809:
806:
803:Bates, p. 290
800:
798:
794:
789:
788:
780:
777:
771:
768:
762:
759:
753:
750:
747:Mason, p. 181
744:
741:
735:
733:
729:
723:
720:
714:
711:
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681:Bates, p. 289
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442:Clyst Honiton
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1418:Battle Abbey
1274:
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1040:
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991:Hudson, John
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836:Bates, David
817:
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743:
738:Bates p. 289
722:
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699:Garnett p. 6
695:
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583:. Retrieved
578:
569:
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507:William Hals
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481:
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385:Dover Castle
374:
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342:West Country
315:
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267:West Country
234:
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206:
132:
100:Royal forces
88:Belligerents
33:Part of the
22:
1524:Norman yoke
1168: /
414:Shaftesbury
322:Berkhamsted
255:Anglo-Saxon
59:Spring 1068
1544:Categories
1284:Combatants
1153:50°43′33″N
585:20 January
561:References
539:Saint-Omer
410:Dorchester
316:After the
289:town walls
273:Background
261:. After a
1411:Locations
1156:3°31′47″W
535:Flat Holm
489:Aftermath
482:Chronicle
474:River Exe
428:The siege
299:Æthelstan
202:Southwark
1428:Pevensey
1326:Waltheof
975:(1874).
838:(2004).
690:Rex, 118
543:Flanders
446:hostages
418:Bridport
197:Hastings
135:infantry
123:Strength
64:Location
1392:Ealdred
1377:Stigand
1248:Battles
1217:Leaders
1105:(ed.).
829:Sources
551:Bleadon
459:farting
451:blinded
283:called
280:civitas
243:Normans
187:Fulford
1442:Events
1321:Tostig
1316:Morcar
1136:
1115:
1090:
1069:
1048:
1027:
1003:
961:
940:
911:
890:
869:
848:
511:Condor
478:mining
370:fealty
354:Magnus
350:Edmund
346:Godwin
247:Exeter
207:Exeter
76:Result
69:Exeter
1311:Edwin
263:siege
251:Devon
1134:ISBN
1113:ISBN
1088:ISBN
1067:ISBN
1046:ISBN
1025:ISBN
1001:ISBN
959:ISBN
938:ISBN
909:ISBN
888:ISBN
867:ISBN
846:ISBN
587:2022
416:and
406:fyrd
352:and
294:burh
233:The
133:fyrd
56:Date
930:doi
541:in
328:at
249:in
1546::
989:;
936:.
796:^
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654:^
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348:,
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1202:e
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312:.
164:e
157:t
150:v
20:.
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