BattlefieldsSack of Peterborough
Medieval

Sack of Peterborough

1070
Cambridgeshire, England
Also known as: Hereward sacks Peterborough 1070 · Danish and English raid on Peterborough
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Cambridgeshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Peterborough Abbey
Forces
Peterborough garrison c.100–200
VS
Victor
Hereward the Wake and Danish allies
Forces
Hereward & Danes c.500–1,000
Outcome
Abbey looted; treasury seized; treasure taken to Denmark
The Battle

History & Significance

Hereward and the Danish fleet under King Sweyn pillaged Peterborough Abbey before the Normans could appoint their own abbot, a symbolic act of resistance that established Hereward as the leader of English guerrilla opposition.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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