Which statement best describes Waltheof's involvement in the revolt?

• A. He did not take part in the rebellion, initially agreed with it then changed his mind
• B. He led the rebellion
• C. He betrayed the conspirators by informing William
• D. He fled to Brittany to escape

Answer: (A)

The question tests how to read Waltheof’s role in the Revolt of the Earls and separate sympathy from action. Waltheof, the Earl of Northumbria, is described in histories as being connected to the plot but not actually taking part in its execution. The strongest summary is that he did not participate in the rebellion’s actions, and documents from the period suggest he at first supported the idea or showed sympathy, then withdrew or backed away before the rebellion unfolded. This nuance matters: he wasn’t one of the leaders who carried out the revolt, nor did he flee abroad; his later fate came after suspicion and punishment by William, not because he led the revolt.

Other possibilities don’t fit as well. He did not act as the leader of the rebellion, and while some accounts mention whispers of betrayal, the key point for this description is the absence of active participation in the uprising itself. He also did not escape to Brittany.