Rougemont Castle - Photo ©
Derek Harper,
1 November 2005
Godwine Haroldson, perhaps nearing the age of twenty
in 1066, was the eldest son of Earl Harold and his Handfast wife Eadgyth Swanneshals
(Edith Swanneck). Godwine's seniority is evident by the fact that he was the
only son of Harold to have been presented with land. This land was recorded
to have been held in Nettlecombe and Langford Budville, Somerset. Godwine is
thought to have been present at the siege of Exeter in 1068, accompanied by
his two brothers Eadmund and Magnus. Godwine and his resistance followers held
out against William's army for 18 days before finally surrendering. After the
siege william built Rougemont Castle to protect from any further rebellion.
The gate-house of the castle still survives today and can be seen at the top
of Castle street in the City of Exeter.
The Siege of Exeter 1068.
William upon his return from Normandy in December, found Exeter in open rebellion,
forcing him to mount a full-scale offensive against the citizens of Exeter.
The siege as told by Ordericus Vitalis.
Exeter was the first to contend for freedom, but being attacked with vigour
by powerful troops it was compelled to submit. It is a rich and ancient city,
built in a plain, and fortified with much care, being distant about two miles
from the sea coast, where it is reached by the shortest passage from Ireland
or Brittany. The townsmen held it in great force, raging furiously, both young
and old, against all Frenchmen. In their zeal they had invited allies from the
neighbouring districts, had detained foreign merchants who were fit for war,
and built or repaired walls and towers, and added whatever was reckoned wanting
to their defences. They had also engaged other towns, by envoys they sent, to
join in league with them, and prepared to oppose with all their strength the
foreign king, with whom before they had no connection. When the king heard of
these proceedings, he commanded the chief citizens to take the oath of fealty
to him. But they returned this reply: " We will neither swear allegiance
to the king, nor admit him within our walls; but will pay him tribute, according
to ancient custom." To this, the king gave this answer: "It does not
suit me to have subjects on such conditions." He then marched an army into
their territories, and in that expedition called out the English for the first
time. The elders of the city, when they learned that the king's army was approaching
near, vent out to meet him, entreating for peace, promising to obey all his
commands and offering him such hostages as he required. When, however, they
returned to their fellow citizens who were in great alarm at the guilt they
had incurred, they found them still determined to persist in their hostilities,
and for various reasons roused themselves to stand on their defence. The king,
who had halted four miles from the city, was filled with anger and surprise
on receiving this intelligence. In the first place, therefore, he advanced with
five hundred horse to reconnoitre the place and the fortifications, and to ascertain
what the enemy was doing. He found the gates shut, and crowds of people posted
on the outworks, and round the whole circuit of the walls. In consequence, by
the king's order, the whole army moved to the city, and one of the hostages
had his eyes put out before the gate. But the mad obstinacy of the people neither
yielded to fear nor to commiseration for the fate of the other hostages ; but
strengthened itself in the determination to defend themselves and their homes
to the last. The king therefore strongly invested the city on all sides, assaulted
it with the utmost force of his arms, and for many days continued his attacks
on the townsmen stationed on the walls, and his efforts to undermine them from
beneath. At length the chief citizens were compelled, by the resolute assaults
of the enemy, to have recourse to wiser counsels, and humbling themselves, to
implore mercy, a procession of the most lovely of the young women, the elders
of the city, and the clergy, carrying the sacred books and holy ornaments, went
out to the king. Having humbly prostrated themselves at his feet, the king,
with great moderation, extended his clemency to the repentant people, and pardoned
their offences as if he had forgotten them obstinate resistance to his authority,
and that they had before treated with insult and cruelty some knights he had
sent from Normandy, and who were driven by a storm into their port. The citizens
of Exeter were full of joy, and gave thanks to God at finding that, after so
much anger and such terrible threats, they had made their peace with the foreign
king better than they expected. William refrained from confiscating their goods,
and posted strong and trusty bands of soldiers at the city gates, that the army
might not force an entrance, in a body, and pillage the citizens. He then selected
a spot within the walls for erecting a castle, and left there Baldwin de Meules,
son of Count Gislebert, and other knights of eminence to complete the works
and garrison the place. Continuing his march afterwards into Cornwall, the furthest
extremity of Britain. and having everywhere restored order by his sudden movements,
he disbanded his army, and returned to Guent in time for the vacation at the
feast of Easter.