Stamford Bridge

In September AD 1066, the Norwegian king Harold Hardrada attacked England. After taking York, he left the town again having arranged with the local inhabitants that they were to deliver supplies and hostages to him at Stamford Bridge, east of York. The English king Harold Godwinson who, despite the threat of an invasion from the south, had marched northwards York with his army, received intelligence of this and was victorious over the Norwegians in an historic surprise attack.

While the newly crowned English King Harold Godwinson prepared himself for the defence of Southern England against the threatening invasion from Normandy, he was told that the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada had arrived at the Tyne with a fleet of around 360 ships.

At the Tyne, Harold Godwinson's own brother, Tostig, joined the Norwegian army.  Driven by a fierce hate of his powerful brother, he supported the Norwegians' attack and they sailed with their joint forces towards York in order to invade the town.

When Harold Godwinson, after a tremendous forced march from London in only four days unseen by the Norwegians, reached York with his troops, most of the Norwegians had moved on to Stamford Bridge where they had been promised that hostages from the whole county would be brought to them.
In York, Harold Godwinson discovered that he was not expected at Stamford Bridge, which gave him the opportunity to plan a surprise attack. And a few days later, his troops turned up completely unexpectedly on the opposite side of the bridge at Stamford.

Snorri's Harald Hardrada Saga recounts that immediately before the battle began, 20 English horsemen approached the Norwegian positions in order to give a message. One of the horsemen shouted: "Is Earl Tostig in this army?". "That fact cannot be hidden", shouted Tostig back, "you can find him here". One of the horsemen said: "Your brother Harold sends you greetings and with that a promise of peace and the whole of Northumberland. And rather than having you absent from his company, he will give you joint rule with himself over a third of his Kingdom." But Tostig would not take up his brother's offer and sent the horsemen back to inform Harold that he must ready himself for the battle.

The battle was violent and bloody and it was first late in the day. when Harald Hardrada's standard fell and the king himself was killed by an arrow through the throat. that the Norwegians gave up.

Only a few days after the Battle at Stamford Bridge, news came that Duke William of Normandy had landed in Southern England in order to take the English throne from Harold Godwinson. Harold's troops, who were weakened by their long march north and the battle against the Norwegians, must yet again set off on a forced march – this time to the south in order to defend the English throne.

By: Louise Kæmpe Henriksen