Holding the Prize
The Battle of Hastings was a close-run thing. The struggle had lasted much of the autumn day, much longer than most medieval battles. William retired to his base at Hastings and after five days he set out for London, marching first eastwards to Dover, which surrendered and was fortified with a castle, then to Canterbury, which also surrendered. He struck westwards, skirting London but sending a detachment to probe the defences. Vigorously rebuffed at Southwark, the army continued west, obtaining the submission of Winchester; William had thus already captured the main port, ecclesiastical capital and capital of Wessex. Crossing the Thames at Wallingford (also given a castle) he marched in a great threatening sweep well to the north of London, finally receiving its surrender at Little Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. He set about building castles in the city, the Tower being the most famous, and was crowned king of England on Christmas Day, 1066.
Revolts soon manifested themselves. After William returned to Normandy in spring, 1067, Edric the Wild attacked in Herefordshire, but was beaten off. William’s one-time ally, Eustace of Boulogne, landed near Dover but was also routed. William returned, only to face revolt in Exeter in spring, 1068. This he quelled and built a castle there. Matilda now came over to be crowned as queen. However, Earls Edwin and Morcar, together with the young royal claimant Edgar, began to threaten in the north. William advanced, planting castles at Warwick, Nottingham and York itself. On his return march he also placed castles in Lincoln, Huntington and Cambridge.
In January 1069 a rising in Durham and York caused him again to march rapidly north, this time planting a second castle on the other bank of the River Ouse. Edgar was forced to retire to Scotland, and William returned south, only to find a Danish fleet appear off the east coast and pillage its way up to the Humber. Trouble was once more fomented in Yorkshire, Edgar reappeared, and in the west revolts broke out in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset and Cheshire. Leaving his subordinates to deal with the west, William once more marched north. The Danes were eventually bought off, and the king entered York. There followed the devastation of parts of the north in retribution. The crisis had passed; he outmanoeuvred Hereward the Wake in the Fens in 1070-71 and in 1072 took a land and sea force to Scotland to persuade King Malcolm to become his vassal. England was effectively subdued.