Welcome to the British History Podcast. My name is Jamie and this is episode 432,

The Revolt of the Earls

This show is ad-free due to member support and as a way of thanking members for keeping the show independent I offer members only content including extra episodes and rough transcripts and this week

members are listening to an episode where we discuss how the

ignoring of poor Emma at her own wedding is actually part of a larger trend

among 11th century nobility, a trend where family becomes so important that it's

actually more important than actual family members. And you can get instant

access to that episode and all the other members episodes by signing up for membership at the Britishhistory podcast.com for about the price of a latte per month.

And thank you very much to Neil, Valerie, and Anneke for signing up already.

It was 1075 and Walthyoff, the last remaining English-born Earl, wasn't in England. He was on a boat headed for Normandy. And when word of this

trip reached Earl's Roger and Ralph, they probably panicked. I think I would have. As we discussed They probably

last episode.

wasn't a love match.

It was likely a political alliance

and the goal was to build a power block, oust William, and

claimed the throne of England.

And with ambitions this big, you had to have serious players at the table. And so Roger and Ralph had invited

bishops, Abbots, nobles, and magnates to this wedding. But much of the plan hinged on the support of Earl Walthyoff, and for good reason. While

Walthyoff was English-born, he had links back to Denmark because his father,

C-word, was a powerful Earl under Canute.

And while his family tree is a bit murky,

it's likely that Walthyoff, through his father, was related to powerful

...