History Extra podcast The Second Norman Conquest
Dec 30, 2024
Fiona Edmonds, a professor at Lancaster University, and Sophie Ambler, a history expert, dive into the little-known Second Norman Conquest led by William Rufus in the 1090s. They explore how Cumbria, which held a unique position after 1066, was gradually integrated into the Anglo-Norman state. The duo discusses the brutal tactics during the Harrying of the North, the political motivations behind Rufus’s campaign, and the complex historical tapestry of Cumbria, urging listeners to rethink its significant but overlooked legacy in English history.
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Two-Phase Conquest
- The Norman Conquest of 1066 is a pivotal moment, but it didn't conquer all of England.
- The kingdom of Cumbria remained independent until William Rufus's conquest in the 1090s.
Cumbria's Origins
- The Kingdom of Cumbria, strategically important in the early medieval period, has limited chronicle documentation.
- Emerging from the expansion of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, its first documented reference as "Cumbra Land" appears in 945.
Cumbria and Northumbria
- Northumbria's collapse allowed Strathclyde's expansion, forming the larger Kingdom of Cumbria.
- The arrival of the Great Army in the 860s destabilized Northumbria, creating a power vacuum.