Harald Hardrada: The Last Viking (Part 2)

this video is brought to you by World of Tanks it's a lot of fun free to play and if you use my link you'll start out with a ton of exclusive perks more on that at the end of the video [Music] [Music] around the year 1044 as a yuletide Frost crept over the North King Magnus of Norway brought fire and death to Denmark thralls abandoned the burning hulls of their fallen Masters men were slain before their kin their wives and children carried away as plunder the Invaders sought the rebel yarrow called Spain for the Danes had raised him as their Sovereign King to supplant the foreign rule of King Magnus upon the death of knut the great and later canoed Sun King Magnus had inherited a claim to the Thrones of England and Denmark and though he would not insist on pursuing the former his Reign Over the latter was now recognized in Blood and Ash Spain's Warriors lay scattered throughout the land drifting dead in the cold tide or crouched in shadowed Woods Spain found Refuge at the friendly courts of the king of Sweden and Magnus the good was hailed as the true and Noble king of Norway and Denmark [Music] of postmortem Miracles surrounded his late father the fervent Christian King Olaf revered now as a saint so great were the armies of Magnus so wholly his claim to the throne that there seemed none left in all the land to oppose him Gale howled over the seas waves swelled before a stranger ship here sailed the bane of great Kings a viking long ago banished from this land Uncle to Magnus brother to Saint Olaf this was the mercenary Herald sigurdson returned to take the crown of Norway adjourned at the Swedish courts and there he unloaded strange and innumerable Treasures for roughly 15 years had passed since he fled Scandinavia from that Battlefield where his brother Olaf fell he had since won glory and riches in the land of the ruse in the Byzantine Empire as the higher champion of princes and emperors that Autumn when Magnus and his men were along the coasts they were struck by the approach of Harold's magnificent ship Agnes received receives Uncle with guarded cordiality the sakiv had recently betrothed his fair daughter Elisa vetta to Harold and so it was seen that Harold possessed riches greater than King Magnus himself a wife of status and a blood claim to the throne Harold asked Magnus how he wished to divide the rule of Norway between them Magnus answered that he was obliged to consult with his advisors on the matter his chief advisor then stepped forward this old enemy of Olaf ainar thambar skelfier chastised Herald we are not keen to be divided between two kings we have always served one king and so it must remain for as long as king Magnus continues to Reign Harold returned in shame to Sweden if his enemies would not see him as king they would suffer him as a warrior foreign [Music] northmen swept over the land at the command of Spain and Herald men had sworn an oath of Allegiance together they would seize Denmark for Spain into Norway for Harold towns became screaming pyres they hacked men to death and tore wailing women from lowly huts and it was said few were they of escape to tell for sorrow worn the People Fell the only captives from The Fray were lovely maidens LED away and in Wild Terror to the Strand down to the ships the linked band the fair-haired girls is roughly driven their soft skins by the irons Riven Tidings of War reached Magnus and the King's council did not think it wise to oppose Harold and so Messengers passed in secret between Magnus and Herald to negotiate the co-rulership of Norway between them Spain's suspected betrayal he attempted to assassinate Harold in his sleep but Harold escaped and at long last he was crowned King Harold III of Norway [Music] as co-ruler Magnus insisted on being the primary King granted precedence in courtly matters in ritual Magnus was beloved by his people for his leniency and generosity and for this Herald resented him as weak and childish the two insulted each other with impunity but still a greater danger United them they moved against Spain and Denmark and there in the fall of the Year 1047 Magnus was said to have been gripped by an illness with his waning strength Magnus declared that the sole rule of Norway would pass to Harold and Denmark given over to Spain King Magnus the good then died Harold did not think himself Bound by the wishes of dying Kings at once he made preparations to move with haste against Fame and claim the Throne of Denmark King's assembly einar openly declared that he himself would return to Barry Magnus in Norway and that he would rather serve Magnus dead than any other king alive the fighting men loyal to the chieftain einar were so numerous and his influence so great that Harold had little choice but to tolerate such treasonous speech and returned to assert his rule over Norway for the high Thrones of Scandinavia had not entirely supplanted the power of the Viking Halls Kings were still obliged to reckon with the old war clans of every region Spain was raised as the king of the Danes and when Harold went to ravage Denmark in the summer Spain eluded capture Harold returned to Norway and married a second wife Thora of the influential arneson family while his wives would bear him children to be raised as heirs to Norway the king's gaze turned ever South a turn to terrorize Denmark his Vikings tore over Farmland ruined Villages and burned churches they tortured people to death violated women and burned the trading posts of hedabi when Spain at last met Harold with a massive Army Harold fled in Norway Harold moved to punish and assassinate those who questioned his rule yet einar stood at the head of a mighty faction of Chieftains who freely decried the king's Butchery at length Herald requested a meeting with einar to resolve the matter einar stepped alone into the king's chamber and remarked how dark the room was a few of Harold's men then emerged from the shadows and killed him [Music] on our sun rushed into the aid of his father and they killed him too came to despise King Herald and there was wide talk of rebellion among the farmers King tasked his ally Finn arneson to entreat them to peace Finn requested the king offer something in exchange for so dangerous a quest the safe return of his brother cough arneson was the greatest traitor to Harold's house he was said to have personally killed Olaf when Magnus learned of this crime years ago call fled into exile to the Norwegian domains along the northern edge of Scotland Harold now welcomed kulth back to Norway and restored him to his old Estates then in the summer King Harold went on campaign in Denmark and demanded that kolf make the first assault against the Danish position only after kulf was overrun and killed with his men did Harold land with reinforcements foreign [Music] ly the treachery of their vengeful King Harold wrote that he took pride in having given the death stroke to two more of his enemies the king burned in pillaged regions whose Fields he wavered and there were rumors that he stole offerings set by the faithful at the tomb of Saint Olaf though he raised great churches in the Kingdom outwardly prospered the people in coming centuries would know him as heartrata the hard ruler for years he shed the blood of so many foes but still the hated Spain of Denmark remained [Music] foreign [Music] commanded 150 long ships South plundering Shores which in those days belonged to the Danes then near the mouth of the river Nissa the men were taken by the sight of a fleet twice their size Spain had come to answer the king's challenge to war in this land the late Summer Sun lingers long in the sky in the Embers of Twilight burn on the horizon even in the darkest hour in the shadowy haze Harold stirred his men to battle each fleet was lashed together with ropes and chains to hold the lines and they crashed forward arrows and Spears were flung into Shields chests and heads untethered Norwegian ships then outflanked the Danes and a Slaughter began on the dance the Danes threw themselves overboard and Harold took 70 of their ships in the sea of gashed bodies his Warriors captured alive Finn arneson who had betrayed Harold to serve Spain Harold decided to spare him at any rate King Spain had escaped the battle and regrouped drained by War and within two years Harold brokered unconditional peace with Sven Harold would remain in Norway content to maim and kill the people of defiant regions and in this manner he gained peace in his country by Blood and fear the king would spend quiet hours composing poetry pondering his own legacy you may have heard tales of the distant Norsemen who reached North America some decades ago he himself had journeyed far south as a mercenary and as king he explored North into glacial Seas beyond the map's Edge Realms surely hosts to wild beasts and ancient monsters of his voyages it was written the king finally had to turn back when the extreme limit of the world disappeared and fog before his eyes he barely escaped the gaping Ravine of the Abyss [Music] Harold had lived 50 Winters in the days of Glorious and terrible War might have seemed but memories to an aging King yet one day a traveler came to his court he was tostic godwinson or an Envoy on his behalf tostig had until recently ruled in the Kingdom of England as the Earl of northumbria but he had been a harsh ruler and when the people rebelled against him his rival brother Harold godwinson succeeded in having him banished upon the death of the childless King Edward the English High Council crowned Harold godwinson the king of England the jealous brother tostig sought retribution imploring Herald of Norway to conquer the country to redeem magnus's old claim to the English Throne Harold hardrada could become the Viking king of England and tostig would regain land and power as his vassal so Harold prepared an Army in dreams dark Omens came to the king of Norway and his followers foreign man saw a great battle in England and before him a witch riding a wolf bloody Jaws her beasts devoured the carcasses of Harold's men and she troll woman sees clearly the Doom awaiting Harold grassy Cliffs pulled high and quiet over the sea and sloped into little dwellings where people beheld a scowling Fleet bearing an army of around 10 000 Warriors Harold and his Vikings betrayed by tostake in some of his allies towns submitted to them readily and when the village of scardeborg stood against them the Vikings tossed burning wood onto their houses and slaughtered the people the Invaders proceeded Inland by river far from The Gaze of King Harold godwinson who was perched in the South with his army anticipating an Invasion From Another claimant to the English crown William Duke of Normandy the Normans themselves were the descendants of Viking Raiders who over a century ago gained land along the French Coast mixing with indigenous francs and adopting much of their Customs for now Harold met Little Resistance as his army neared the great city of York whose weathered walls and Towers were the traces of ancient times when this country belonged to The Shining Legions of Rome the English would not now cower behind its walls September 20th the Earls of Mercia northumbria LED their armies against the Viking horde near the marshlands Invaders pummeled them wildly in the corpses of Englishmen were scattered about the wet grass survivors fled York in the whole of northumbria resolved to surrender the Nobles would be spared violence but made to guarantee their loyalty by offering their children to be held as hostages by the Vikings and so on September 25th Harold took two-thirds of his army leaving their male armor behind due to the hot weather in March to the site chosen for the exchange of hostages Stamford Bridge a cloud of dust appeared in the distance having tracked 200 miles in four or five days here was King Harold godwinson in a great English army Herald of Norway sent Riders to summon the remaining third of his army over an hour's ride away pushed onto the bridge would later tell that when his countrymen had fallen one Viking held the bridge alone for some time slain dozens of English before he was killed farther back Harold hardrata rode before his army shouting that though they lacked armor their hearts were Fearless the men rallied Shield to shield in a ring Spears planted forward archers ready charged and the Vikings repulsed them the English infantry then crashed upon the edges with the line held strong at length the English retreated and when the Viking front roared in Pursuit the English turned around to rush the gaps in their ranks in this bloodied swelter hewn Limbs and heads piled underfoot and dying screams rang out Herald of Norway took up his rageful sword and slashed at his foes it was said neither helmet nor armor could withstand him and all who were nearest gave way before him and then an arrow struck through his throat in King Harold sigurdson fell dead his men did not surrender of them it was written the Gallant men who saw him fall would take No Quarter one in all resolved to die with their loved King around his corpse in a corpse ring the late arrival of reinforcements did not shift the tide of battle tostig was found dead with an arrow through his eye and only a handful of ships loaded with shaken survivors would make the journey home to Norway the English tended to their wounds and gathered the Dead seemed King Harold godwinson had saved England three days after the battle of Stamford Bridge William Duke of Normandy invaded with thousands of Mighty Warriors the king hastened South with some of his army and at the Battle of Hastings the Normans vanquished the weary English Harold godwinson was killed the last of the Anglo-Saxon Kings William would cast out the old aristocracy Massacre Rebels and put himself on the throne now came the days of a new line of Kings a new age in England the power of the crown was strengthened Warfare would change as hundreds of grand castles rarely seen before in this land were raised England would grow closer to Continental Europe and More close to the depredations of Scandinavia Spain would twice attempt to Danish invasions of England and fail in the body of King Harold hardrata was returned to Norway and the throne passed to his sons he would be remembered in song and Saga as cruel and avaricious and adventurous wise and Valiant the last howl of a dark Brave and wild age thank you all right watch this I'm actually decent at World of Tanks I just outflanked the other team took out a couple tanks and won the game it's all free to play and if you're a first time player on the wargaming portal like I was click the link in the description and you'll get a week of Premium access for free and on top of that you'll get the tier 5 Excelsior 250 000 credits and then three tier VI rental tanks for 10 battles each the tiger 131 Cromwell B and t-3485m the tanks are 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Channel: History Dose

Views: 230,157

Keywords: harald, haradrada, sigurdsson, harold, godwinson, tostig, mercia, north umbria, york, medieval, viking, hastings, stamford bridge, toste, tosty, 1066, england, norway, normandy, william the conqueror, saga, war, battle, the northman

Id: cghDhJ5gVug

Length: 19min 56sec (1196 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 18 2022