During the Ely rebellion, what action helped the Normans locate the rebels?

• A. Monks showed them where the rebels were
• B. Morcar betrayed Hereward
• C. The Danish army surrendered
• D. The rebels fled to France

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how local knowledge and trusted community networks can influence the outcome of a rebellion. The Ely rebellion took place around the marshy Isle of Ely, where danger and hiding places were hard to find. Monks at Ely knew the lay of the land and the movements of the rebels inside their domain. By sharing this information with the Norman besiegers, they effectively pointed them to where Hereward the Wake and his men were hiding, allowing the Normans to locate and deal with them. The other options don’t fit the established history of this episode: there isn’t solid evidence of a Morcar betrayal playing a role, the Danish army’s surrender isn’t part of this event, and the rebels did not simply flee to France.