Conquest, rebellion, and a campaign that left northern England devastated.

This week, Jamie and Leo head back to medieval England to unpack one of the darkest chapters of the Norman Conquest, the brutal campaign known as the Harrying of the North.

After claiming the English throne following the famous Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror faced repeated rebellions from Anglo-Saxon resistance in the north. His response was ruthless.

Villages were burned. Crops destroyed. Livestock slaughtered. Entire communities were left to starve as Norman forces carried out a scorched-earth campaign designed to break the region permanently.

The result was a humanitarian disaster that reshaped northern England and remains one of the most controversial actions of William’s reign.

Why did William launch such a devastating campaign ...