Anniversary of the Battle of Stamford Bridge

Today is the 941st. anniversary of the Battle of Stamford Bridge where King Harold of England fought and defeated the Viking army of Harald Hardrada of Norway and Earl Tostig.

It was Tostig, Harold's brother who pursuaded Harald to launch the invasion as he felt the English thrown should have gone to him and not Harold after the death of King Edward the Confessor.

The Viking army landed in the North of England near to York and were first met by the Earls of Northumbria and Mercia at Fulford on the 20th. September where the they easily routed the English.

After the battle they went to Stamford Bridge on the 25th. September to exchange prisoners with the people of York, when to their horror King Harold arrived with a second English army, which had marched a staggering 240km in only four days. Though exhausted, the English army had the critical element of suprise. The battle was very long, fierce and bloody but after King Harald was killed the Vikings lost their moral and it was their turn to be routed. Of the 200 Viking ships which sailed from Norway only 24 returned.

This Battle marked the beginning of the end for the Viking way of life as so many Vikings leaders where killed. As for the English, their success was short lived for they then had to march all the way back down to Southern England to meet an even greater threat from William, Duke of Normandy.

On October the 14th. 1066, the English met the Norman army at the Battle of Hastings and this time the English were not so lucky...