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Tostig Godwinson† The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place at the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire in England on September 25, 1066, shortly after an invading Norwegian army under King Harald Hardrada defeated the army of the northern earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria at the Battle of Fulford two miles south of York. After a lengthy forced march up to Stamford Bridge that took place in just four days, King Harold Godwinson of England caught Harald's force by surprise, which meant that the soldiers were unarmoured. After a stubborn battle the majority of the Norwegians were killed, along with Harald Hardråde and Earl Tostig, Harold's brother. In September 1066, King Harold Godwinson was in the south of Britain, anticipating an invasion from Normandy by William the Conqueror. By coincidence--there is no evidence that either the Norman or Viking invaders knew of each other's plans--King Harald Hardrada (Norwegian Harald Hardråde), King of Norway, and Tostig (the expelled Earl of Northumberland) landed in England and burned Scarborough. Harald Hardråde was pursuing dynastic claims with an army of Norwegians, Norwegian vassals, and allies, with the intent of conquest of England, rather than raiding. King Harold Godwinson and his brother Gyrth set out with their Housecarls and royal Thegns for Yorkshire to repel the Viking invasion. After Harold learned that Northumbrians were told to bring additional supplies and hostages to the Vikings at Stamford Bridge, Harold took his army to Stamford Bridge, where he hoped to surprise the Vikings. When Harold's forces came over the ridge, the Vikings were unarmoured, since they were only expecting a hand over of supplies and hostages. In his saga Harald III of Norway, which was written around 1225, Snorri Sturluson described the disposition of the Norwegian troops. Sturluson also claimed that the Norwegians had left their byrnies at the ships and thus had to fight with only shield, spear and helmets. [1] The sagas, however, are historical fiction which Snorri admits in his Prologue, "although we do not know the truth of these, we know, however, of occasions when wise old men have reckoned such things as true."[2]
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