Most people associate the year 1066 with the Battle of Hastings. Undoubtedly an important battle that led to Norman rule over England, The Battle of Stamford Bridge was perhaps more important in deciding Hastingsâ outcome.
At the end of September 1066, a Norwegian invasion force of approximately 10,000 sailed by the Orkneys, to land at Riccall, near York. The Earls of Northumbria and Mercia, Morcar and Edwin all advanced from York to challenge the Norwegians, under leadership of The Legendary Viking, Harald Hardrada. The experienced Norwegians easily defeated the Earls on the 20th of September, meaning that Harold would be without valuable allies for the battle that lay ahead. King Harold marched 180 miles North to meet the Norwegians here in an impressive four days. He had a force of about 3000 mounted infantry, having just lost the assistance of the Levies he called upon earlier in the year.
The Norwegians had taken the people of York hostage, and exchanged them for agreement that Stamford Bridge would be the place of the battle. Spread out after their victory against the Earls, they were ill-prepared for the battle (having removed helmets and chain mail in the heat) as they saw the Saxon army approaching from the south on the 25th of September.
The Norwegian outposts desperately tried to delay the Saxons as the army gathered up their equipment to fight, and it is said that one Norseman stood on the bridge, even without armour, and fought off the Saxons, killing over 70 until some Saxon men boated underneath the bridge and stabbed upwards with a long spear.
These delays allowed the Norwegians to form a tight, narrow fronted, triangular wall which the Saxons hit, causing a day long battle.
Harald Hardrada was killed and the Norwegian resistance began to crumble, despite Earl Tostigâs attempts to rally the army. The Vikings fled back to Riccall, to their fleet, and even then, only 24 out of the original 200 ships returned to Norway.
And now, after a hard fought victory, Harold and his remaining men had to march back down England, towards Hastings, to fight Duke William of Normandy.
