A More Divided England

1062 - Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Wales hears word of Harold Godwinson's attack on his court, and manages to inflict a defeat on the Anglo-Saxon, who retreats back to England.

1063 - Gruffydd dies in battle against a new attack by Godwinson. However, his son Maredudd ap Gruffydd rallies the troops, and Wales gets out of the attack with minimal territorial losses.

1064 - Harold Godwinson is shipwrecked in Normandy. Norman duke William II will later claim that during this time, he gave his claims to the Norman ruler.

1065 - Revolts by the Welsh noble house of Powys fail in Wales. Westminster Abbey is consecrated.

1066 - Edward the Confessor, King of England, dies. The Witenagemot selects Harold Godwinson as King. However, two claimants dispute the throne. The first, Harald, King of Norway, is defeated at Stamford Bridge. William II of Normandy then invades, and overcomes the Anglo-Saxon army at Hastings. Edgar Ætheling is hastily selected as a King by the Anglo-Saxons, but with the defeat at Hastings chances are slim.

1067 - Edgar Ætheling is finally defeated in central England by the Normans, who have control over most of the south of the nation. William II, now King William I the Conquerer, builds a fortress in the city of Winchester to be his capital. A number of Norman incursions into Wales are fought off. Earl Cadoc of Cornwall appeals to Welsh protection, and with larger problems faced by England manages it for a time.

1068 - The earls of Mercia and Northumbria refuse to declare loyalty to William, who considers them in revolt. Edgar Ætheling, despite having abdicated, joins the revolt.

1069 - Mercia falls before the army, but it soon stalls as it moves into the domains of Northumbria. Wales, in agreement with the rebels, invades England. Despite a minor victory that results in the death of Earl Cospatrick, the effects of the two invasions hurts the Normans enough that with another failure to capture York, William reluctantly agrees to recognize Edgar as King of Northumbria.

1070 - Herewald the Wake attempts, with Danish support, to continue the successful revolt into the Isle of Ely. However, he is defeated by the Normans, who have one problem left: Cornwall, still under the control of it's earl. Maredudd makes it clear to King William that he considers Cadoc a vassal of his, however despite this William invades the small territory, and quickly overruns it, despite Welsh attempts at supporting it by sea.

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South England still seems to be the stronger part. I expect them to win in the long run... (although the unification of Great Britain could take longer)
 
Max Sinister said:
South England still seems to be the stronger part. I expect them to win in the long run... (although the unification of Great Britain could take longer)
Maybe the Scots could help Northumbria against the Normans?
(To keep England divided, naturally)
 
Max Sinister said:
South England still seems to be the stronger part. I expect them to win in the long run... (although the unification of Great Britain could take longer)

Suspect your right especially since its not so much southern England as Normandy ruling over S England so you have to consider further mercenaries from France. Exception might be if when the crunch comes Edgar manages a revival of English nationalism and there is widespread unrest and rebellion in the south which proves decisive. This could actually strength England in the longer run as both north and south England would have had periods as the area which survives a foreign invasion and helps drive the conqueror out. Such an upsurge could make the alliance with the Welsh problematic however.

Think its more likely that the Normans will win in the end as then tended to be so ruthless, especially if they avoid their traditional squabbling. Furthermore Northumbria has to watch its northern border against the Scots who tended to be a serious problem for the northern English at the time.

Steve
 
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