Life and legend Hereward the Wake

1 life , legend

1.1 family
1.2 exile
1.3 return england
1.4 later life

life , legend
family

partly because of sketchiness of evidence existence, life has become magnet speculators , amateur scholars. earliest references parentage, in gesta, make him son of edith, descendent of oslac of york, , leofric of bourne, nephew of ralph staller. alternatively, has been argued leofric, earl of mercia , wife lady godiva hereward s real parents. there no evidence this, , abbot brand of peterborough, stated have been hereward s uncle, not appear have been related either leofric or godiva. improbable − if hereward member of prominent family – parentage not matter of record. modern research suggests him have been anglo-danish danish father, asketil; since brand danish name, makes sense abbot may have been asketil s brother. hereward s apparent ability call on danish support may support theory.

hereward s birth conventionally dated 1035/36 because gesta herewardi indicates first exiled in 1054 in 18th year. however, since account in gesta of part of exile (in scotland, cornwall , ireland) contains fantastic elements, hard know if trustworthy. peter rex, in 2005 biography of hereward, points out campaigns in reported have fought in region of flanders seem have begun around 1063 , suggests that, if 18 @ time of exile, born in 1044/45. based on assumption part of story largely fictitious.

his place of birth supposed in or near bourne in lincolnshire. domesday book shows man named hereward held lands in parishes of witham on hill , barholm stow in southwestern corner of lincolnshire tenant of peterborough abbey; prior exile, hereward had held lands tenant of croyland abbey @ crowland, 8 miles (13 km) east of market deeping in neighbouring fenland. in times boggy , marshy area. since holdings of abbeys dispersed across parishes, precise location of personal holdings uncertain somewhere in south lincolnshire.

exile

according gesta herewardi, hereward exiled @ age of eighteen disobedience father , disruptive behaviour, caused problems among local community. declared outlaw edward confessor. gesta tells various stories of supposed adventures young man while in exile in cornwall, ireland , flanders. these include fight enormous bear, , rescue of cornish princess unwanted marriage. many historians consider these tales largely fictions. having arrived in flanders joined expedition against scaldemariland (probably islands in scheldt estuary). historian elizabeth van houts considers aspect of story consistent evidence concerning expeditions led robert frisian on behalf of father baldwin v, count of flanders in 1060s. peter rex accepts these events occurred.

at time of norman conquest of england, still in exile in europe, working successful mercenary baldwin v. according gesta took part in tournaments in cambrai. @ point in exile hereward said have married turfida, gallo-germanic woman wealthy family in saint-omer. said in gesta have fallen in love him before met him, having heard of heroic exploits.

return england

map showing isle of ely surrounded water

joan blaeu (1648) regiones inundatae

the gesta herwardi says hereward returned england few days after death of count baldwin v of flanders, died on 1st september 1067. gesta says discovered family s lands had been taken on normans , brother killed head placed on spike @ gate house. hereward took revenge on normans killed brother while ridiculing english @ drunken feast. allegedly killed fifteen of them assistance of 1 helper. gathered followers , went peterborough abbey knighted uncle abbot brand. returned briefly flanders allow situation cool down before returning england.

the gesta claims william de warenne s brother-in-law frederick swore kill hereward, hereward outwitted him , killed him. since hereward s killing of frederick attested in independent hyde chronicle, event regarded true. william himself later pursued hereward, hereward supposedly unhorsed him arrow shot.

in 1070 hereward participated in anti-norman insurrection centred on isle of ely. in 1069 or 1070 danish king sweyn estrithson sent small army try establish camp on isle of ely. hereward appears have joined them. hereward stormed , sacked peterborough abbey in company local men , sweyn s danes. while gesta says after main battle @ ely, peterborough chronicle says before. historical consensus chronicle s account accurate. justification said have been wished save abbey s treasures , relics rapacious normans led new norman abbot had ousted uncle brand. according gesta returned treasures looted abbey after having vision of saint peter. however, peterborough chronicle says treasure carried off denmark.

hereward joined small army led morcar, saxon former earl of northumbria had been ousted william. william sent army deal rebels. in 1071, hereward , morcar forced retreat stronghold , made desperate stand on isle of ely against conqueror s rule. both gesta herewardi , liber eliensis claim normans made frontal assault, aided huge, mile-long timber causeway, sank under weight of armour , horses. normans tried intimidate english witch, cursed them wooden tower, hereward managed set fire toppled tower witch in it. gesta includes other fantastical tales hereward s prowess, including disguising himself potter spy on king , escaping captivity.

it said normans, led 1 of william s knights named belasius (belsar), bribed monks of island reveal safe route across marshes, resulting in ely s capture. earlier hillfort known belsar s hill still extant , sits astride older route known aldreth s causeway, have been direct route isle of ely cambridge.

morcar taken , imprisoned, hereward said have escaped of followers wild fenland , have continued resistance. escape noted in earliest surviving sources.

an ancient earthwork 1.2 miles (2 km) east of willingham, cambridgeshire still visible @ junction of old fen causeway , iram drove. circular feature, known belsar s hill, potential site fort, built william, attack ely , hereward. there perhaps few 4 causeways onto isle itself, being southerly route london , route of william s army.

later life

hereward escorts alftruda, illustration henry courtney selous

there conflicting accounts hereward s life after fall of ely. gesta herewardi says hereward attempted negotiate william provoked fight man named ogger. fight led capture , imprisonment. followers, however, liberated him when being transferred 1 castle another. hereward s former gaoler persuaded king negotiate once more, , pardoned william , lived rest of life in relative peace. says married second wife after turfida entered convent. said have been called alftruda , widow of earl dolfin.

geoffrey gaimar, in estoire des engleis, says instead hereward lived time outlaw in fens, on verge of making peace william, set upon , killed group of norman knights. possible hereward received no pardon , went exile, never heard again; in fact fate of many prominent englishmen after conquest. ogger ( oger breton ), either person hereward supposed have fought or heir, appears have taken on lands. joseph harrop in 1764 new history of england, suggests after escape ely, hereward went scotland.