The Revolt of the Earls & William’s Legacy
The Revolt of the Earls, 1075
The revolt of 1075 was the last major rebellion against William’s rule in England. It was led by three earls: Roger de Breteuil (Earl of Hereford), Ralph de Gael (Earl of Norfolk), and Waltheof (Earl of Northumbria, the last surviving Anglo-Saxon earl).
The revolt was triggered by personal grievances. Roger was angry that William had refused permission for his marriage to Ralph’s sister. Both resented William’s increasing control over their affairs. The conspiracy was hatched at Ralph’s wedding feast. Waltheof’s involvement is unclear — he may have joined reluctantly and later confessed to Lanfranc.
William was in Normandy when the revolt broke out. The rebellion was crushed by his loyal regents and earls without William needing to return. Lanfranc coordinated the response, Bishop Wulfstan and the Abbot of Evesham blocked Roger in the west, and Odo of Bayeux defeated Ralph in the east. The rebellion collapsed before the rebels could join forces.
The revolt failed quickly. Roger was prevented from crossing the River Severn and was captured. Ralph fled to Brittany before the fighting ended. A Danish fleet arrived too late to help and raided York before withdrawing. Waltheof was the most controversial case — he had confessed to Lanfranc, possibly hoping for mercy. Instead, he was tried, found guilty, and beheaded in 1076. He was the only Englishman executed by William, and his death was widely seen as unjust by the English population.
The effects of the revolt were significant. Roger’s lands were forfeited and he was imprisoned for life. Ralph’s estates were confiscated. The earldom of Hereford and the earldom of Norfolk were effectively abolished. William never again allowed earls to hold the same level of power. The revolt proved that William’s system of castles, loyal followers, and regents could maintain control even in his absence.
Bishop Odo’s Career
Odo of Bayeux was William’s half-brother and one of the most powerful men in England. He was both Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent, combining Church authority with secular power. He may have commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry to celebrate the Conquest. He served as regent during William’s absences and played a key role in crushing the 1075 revolt.
However, Odo became increasingly ambitious and corrupt. He accumulated vast wealth, built up a private army, and was accused of oppressing the people of Kent. In 1082, William arrested Odo and imprisoned him. The precise reasons remain debated — one theory is that Odo was planning to lead an army to Rome to make himself pope. William emphasised that he arrested Odo as Earl of Kent (a secular title), not as Bishop of Bayeux (a Church position), to avoid conflict with the papacy.
William’s Character and Legacy
William I was a complex figure. He was ruthless (the Harrying of the North, executing Waltheof), politically shrewd (using the Church, the feudal system, and the Domesday Book to control England), and militarily brilliant (winning Hastings, crushing every rebellion). He was deeply religious — he founded monasteries and supported Church reform. But he was also driven by an insatiable desire for control, as the Domesday survey and forest law demonstrated.
William died on 9 September 1087 after being injured when his horse stumbled on burning embers at the siege of Mantes in France. His death triggered another succession crisis, as he left his lands divided between his sons.
Relations with Robert and Robert’s Revolt
Robert Curthose was William’s eldest son. Their relationship was difficult. Robert was impatient for power and resented being given responsibility without real authority. In 1077–80, Robert openly revolted against his father. He allied with the King of France and even wounded William in battle (though he did not recognise his father at the time and was reportedly horrified when he realised). The revolt ended in an uneasy reconciliation, but the relationship remained strained.
On his deathbed, William divided his lands: Robert received Normandy (the ancestral homeland), and William Rufus (William’s second surviving son) received England. His youngest son, Henry, received money but no land. Odo was released from prison.
This division was a recipe for conflict. William Rufus raced to England and was crowned William II (William Rufus) on 26 September 1087. Many Norman lords held land on both sides of the Channel and had to choose between the two brothers. Odo, released from prison, immediately sided with Robert and led a revolt against William Rufus in 1088. The revolt failed — William Rufus secured the loyalty of the English people and key Norman barons by promising good government and lower taxes. Odo was defeated, lost his English lands, and was exiled to Normandy permanently.
William the Conqueror transformed England more profoundly than any ruler before or since. In just 21 years, he replaced the Anglo-Saxon ruling class, imposed the feudal system, built hundreds of castles, reformed the Church, and compiled the Domesday Book. Whether his legacy is viewed as the creation of a stronger, more centralised kingdom or as a brutal foreign conquest that destroyed Anglo-Saxon culture depends on perspective, and historians still weigh the two views against each other.