Month: August 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Thirty thousand pounds.  That’s what the Gesta claims Hereward charged the Normans for the return of their warlike Abbot Turold.

Thirty thousand.

It is such an obviously inflated number that it almost feels like the scribe is looking directly in the camera and saying “Hey, don’t forget, some of this story is legendary… but we aren’t going to tell you which bits.”  Because there’s no way that this was the actual sum that Hereward was charging.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In 1071, amidst the backdrop of Norman conquest and resistance, the narrative unfolds around the tragic fall of the English nobility and the calamitous effects of William’s policies. This year witnesses the catastrophic fallout from the Battle of Cassel, where pivotal Norman figures, entangled in Flemish civil strife, suffer greatly. Simultaneously, William’s manipulation of English lands consolidates his power but not without stirring discontent. Amidst this, Hereward’s guerrilla resistance intensifies, exemplifying the enduring struggle against Norman domination, while William grapples with the challenges of maintaining control and loyalty within his ranks.

Rough Transcript:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In 1071, the betrayal by Abbot Thurstan to William, revealing Ely’s defenses, marks a pivotal moment in Hereward’s resistance. Despite starvation and siege hardships, Hereward’s refusal to surrender underscores his unyielding spirit against Norman dominance. William’s struggle to amass a willing army for the final assault, due to past failures, reveals his reliance on promises of riches for motivation. The detailed accounts of the siege’s grim conditions, from the treacherous marshlands to the psychological warfare waged by William, paint a vivid picture of medieval conflict’s brutality and complexity. Hereward’s eventual escape, leaving Ely to face William’s wrath, symbolizes the enduring fight against oppression, even in the face of overwhelming odds and betrayal.

Rough Transcript: