In Spring 1068 the rebellion in Exeter against King William’s rule, led by Harold Godwinson’s mother Gytha, was crushed. Gytha fled to France.
At the same time a raiding force from Ireland, led by Harold Godwinson’s three sons, set sail and raided Western England. They were assisted by the High King of Leinster, Diamait, who had previously helped Harold and his father when they had been exiled by Edward the Confessor.
This raid ended in a stalemate as the brothers met the Somerset Fyrd in battle at Bledon. The king’s commander, a Saxon nobelman called Eadnoth the Staller, was killed and the brothers retreated to Ireland.
The next year, the brothers Godwine and Edmund Haraldson returned, landing at Appledore on the north Devon coast and raiding inland. The Norman administration called out the Devon Fyrd, and marched to meet the raiders at Northam, south of Appledore. After an initial skirmish, the outnumbered brothers pulled back to the valley between the two villages, and formed a defensive line to wait for the tide.
The battle is recreated here using Lion Rampant II rules.
The Normans/Devon Fyrd on the left, and the brothers and their Irish allies on the right. The River Torridge flows alongside the battlefield.
The Normans were led by Brian of Brittany, Earl of Cornwall, William De Vauville, Sheriff of Devon, and Radulf of Auvillars (a non-historical character).
The raiders are led by Godwine Haroldson (‘Fighting Man’ banner), and his brother Edmund (Draco banner). They are joined by an Irish mercenary commander named Muiríoch (non-historical character).
Brian’s knights and the Devon Fyrd surge forward, eager to crush the raiders before the tide allows them to flee.
The Irish and the Brothers’ Housecarls brace, while sending their skirmishers forward.
Godwine leads his Housecarls and Norse-Gaels down the hill, and Edmund on the right flank advances. This causes the Fyrd to re-evaluate their plan.
Heavy fighting breaks out on the centre as the Norman foot troops under the Sheriff of Devon meet Godwine’s best men.
The Norman knights start to batter against the Irish troops by the river.
Godwine’s men in the centre are heavily battered, and run. He follows them!
Brian leads a charge into the Irish foot, but can’t make headway. Although causing casualties, the Normans can’t break the Irish.
The protracted fight on the other flank is concluded as Edmund is killed with his Thegns around him. With one brother dead and the other fled, the field is taken by the Duke of Cornwall’s forces.
This followed the historical outcome fairly closely but, in reality, both brothers got away. They returned to Ireland, where Diamait told them that he could no longer help them. It is then thought that they went to Denmark, where they dropped out of the historical record. Northam was the end of the Godwin family’s attempts to hold any power in England.
FORCES
NORMAN/DEVON FYRD
3x Knights – Drilled Elite Cavalry (21pts)
2x Norman Foot Soldiers – Veteran Heavy Infantry (8pts)
1x Select Fyrd – Heavy Infantry (4pts)
3x Greater Fyrd – Light Infantry (9pts)
1x Archers – Archers (4pts)
1x Slingers – Skirmishers (2pts)
Total: 48pts
HAROLDSONS/IRISH
1x Housecarls – Bloodthirsty Veteran Heavy Infantry (9pts)
1x Select Fyrd – Heavy Infantry (4pts)
2x Norse-Gaels – Veteran Heavy Infantry (12pts)
3x Bonnachts – Light Infantry with Javelins (12pts)
2x Ceithern – Skirmishers (4pts)
Total: 41pts