A mass of Saxon warriors charges towards a group
of unfortunate, isolated but defiant Vikings stranded on the western side of Stamford Bridge.
As the small, isolated group of Norse warriors hastily forms a shield wall, the Saxons
close in swiftly. Saxons and Vikings clash, shieldwalls interlocked. Roaring warriors
collide, iron clashes with iron, shields rattling under relentless blows. Blood
stains the earth as they fiercely battle, a chaotic dance of sweat and valor, each side
vying for supremacy amid the chaos of the fight.
Finally, the Saxons emerge victorious,
their foes cut down to the last man.
Now, only the bridge separates the main Saxon
army from Harald Hardrada's Viking host, guarded by a lone Giant Viking Warrior...
In the 11th century, England underwent a period of significant upheaval and transformation. During
this time, the Viking era reached its zenith, marked notably by Sweyn Forkbeard's
establishment of the expansive North Sea Empire, briefly unifying the realms
of England, Denmark, and Norway under a single dominion for the first time.
However, as history often demonstrates, conflicting interests and competing dynastic
claims to the throne led to strife. A sequence of powerful but childless figures vied
for control, setting the stage for what would become perhaps the most momentous
year in the island's history: 1066.
Among these powerful figures was Edward the
Confessor, an Anglo-Saxon king who ascended to power due to the absence of an heir to the
throne, succeeding the Viking king Harthacnut.
Upon Edward's passing on January 5th, 1066,
the crown was contested by various claimants, and the one closest to the seat of authority,
Harold Godwinson, took hold. A member of a prominent Anglo-Saxon family with ties to the
Viking rulers of the North Sea Empire, Harold, who had been the Earl of Wessex during Edward's
reign and his brother-in-law, was proclaimed king of England. His ascension was backed by the
Anglo-Saxon royal council, and he was crowned in Westminster Abbey on January 6th, 1066.
However, the succession was far from straightforward, as numerous challengers
and potential usurpers emerged to contest Harold's tenuous hold on power.
These claimants, akin to vultures drawn to the faintest scent of vulnerability,
swiftly encircled Godwinson's domain upon learning of his accession.
Most notably among these contenders were the formidable Duke of Normandy, William, and
the adventurous Norwegian King Harald Hardrada.
Harald Hardrada epitomized the Viking spirit.
Said to be a giant figure of seven feet, Harald was a daring, formidable, albeit
somewhat reckless, Viking adventurer who carved his reputation fighting across
Europe, often defying overwhelming odds.
After more than a decade in exile, serving
as a mercenary and accruing both wealth and military experience, Harald returned to Norway
and was ultimately crowned king in 1046 AD.
As fate would have it, Harald became
embroiled in the dynastic dispute for the English throne through an unlikely
character: Tostig Godwinson, the brother of the last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinson.
Disillusioned with his brother for stripping him of his earldom of Northumbria due to
accusations of tyrannical rule by the locals, Tostig sought potential allies outside England,
driven by his grudge against his brother.
Harald, a man unwilling to back away
from such a prospect, promptly commenced gathering a substantial naval force during
the spring of 1066 in preparation for a full-scale invasion of England.
Meanwhile, Harold Godwinson faced the daunting prospect of a dual invasion.
Reports indicated that William's substantial invasion fleet was already taking shape in
Normandy, prompting Harold to assemble his troops on the Southern coast of England, anticipating the
Norman invasion. However, the anticipated Norman invasion failed to materialize, leaving Harold
with a mobilized army facing the prospect of a prolonged and costly campaign that was depleting
his limited resources without an enemy in sight.
On September 8th, after months of waiting
and with provisions running low, Harold disbanded his army and returned to London.
Yet, the Anglo-Saxon King would have no time to rest. On that very day, word arrived of a
substantial Viking invasion fleet of 300 ships and approximately 10,000 men landing in England.
Hadrada’s sizable force had united with Tostig’s smaller force and commenced raiding the eastern
coast of England. They entered Cleveland, initiating raids along the coast. Their first
encounter with resistance occurred at Scarborough, where Harald's demand for surrender was met with
opposition. Eventually, resorting to burning down the town, Harald compelled other Northumbrian
towns to surrender. Continuing their raids, Harald and Tostig navigated up the Humber,
reaching Riccall on September 20th.
Simultaneously, news of these raids
reached two local Anglo-Saxon rulers, Morcar of Northumbria and Edwin of Mercia,
prompting them to swiftly gather their forces and local Fyrd to confront the invaders before
reaching the city of York. On September 20th, the two armies clashed in what would later be
known as the Battle of Fulford. There were no elaborate tactics—only sheer force in a contest
of shield walls, resulting in a resounding victory for the invaders, essentially decimating the
northern Saxon armies and paving the way to York.
Harald and Tostig proceeded to march on
York, swiftly securing its submission. They then returned to their ships at Riccall
and offered peace to the Northumbrians in exchange for support for Harald’s claim to
the throne, demanding hostages in return.
Leaving a portion of his force to guard the
ships at Riccall, Harald led the remainder of his army to the rendezvous point east of
Stamford Bridge for the hostage exchange.
Meanwhile in southern England, Harold Godwinson
remained anything but idle. Wasting no time, the Saxon King initiated an extraordinary
forced march from London to Yorkshire, gathering his loyal bodyguards, known as
housecarls, and recruiting as many Thengs and local Fyrd as possible along the way.
Marching incessantly, Harold covered an astonishing distance of 298 kilometers within
just four days—an unprecedented pace for the era. This allowed him to catch the Norwegians
completely off guard, as they were oblivious to the nearby presence of the enemy.
On the morning of September 25th 1066, the Saxon Army had reached the city of York.
Upon learning that the Northumbrians had been instructed to supply additional hostages and
provisions to the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge, Harold hastened through York
to catch them unprepared.
Meanwhile, the mostly unarmored Vikings waited.
Due to the warmth of the day and a sense of security, most of Hardrada’s men had left their
armor at the ships. The sight of distant dust likely puzzled the unaware Vikings, who began
noticing the glint of armor and weapons.
The growing force of armored warriors gradually
forced Harald to realize his predicament—King Harold had arrived! Astonishment
quickly turned into frenzy as Norse warriors hurried to form their shield walls.
The Battle of Stamford Bridge was about to unfold.
The Viking Monarch swiftly commanded the raising of his personal banner, skillfully organizing his
men in preparation for the imminent onslaught.
Despite some of his officers advising caution
and proposing a retreat to regroup with the remaining army at their ships, Harald staunchly
refused to withdraw. Choosing to hold his ground, he dispatched a rider with urgent messages to
the segment of the army stationed at Riccall, urging their swift march to his aid.
His strategy aimed to detain the Anglo-Saxons long enough for reinforcements
to unexpectedly arrive, launching an attack on the exposed flanks of the pinned enemy.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the river, the Anglo-Saxon Vanguard neared the bridge, defended
by a hastily assembled shield wall of a few Viking warriors caught on the western bank. Though
their resistance was valiant, it proved futile as they succumbed to the overwhelming numbers
of the Anglo-Saxons, falling to the last man.
Now, only the bridge stood between the
two armies. According to the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, a lone colossal Norse warrior blocked
the passage, wielding a great Dane Axe. In a scene reminiscent of Livy's tales and echoing
the heroic bridge defense of Horatio Cocles, the Viking single-handedly thwarted
the efforts of the entire enemy army, cutting down foes like the grim reaper.
Up to 40 Saxons fell to the brave berserker until a cunning Anglo-Saxon soldier floated
beneath the bridge on a half barrel, dispatching him by skilfully thrusting
a spear into his unprotected groin.
The path was clear for Harold Godwinson,
yet the valiant last stand of the Viking giant bought ample time for the rest of
the army to form a solid shield wall.
Due to the significant numerical advantage
of the Saxons, Harald ordered his troops to adopt an almost circular formation, guarding
their flanks from all angles. The men aligned in multiple ranks, shields interlocked, standing
shoulder to shoulder, creating a densely packed and uniformly thick shield wall.
As Harold’s army slowly trickled across the bridge, forming their battle
lines, a mounted figure rode through no man’s land toward Hardrada and Tostig.
This figure offered Tostig the return of his earldom if he would turn against Hardrada. Tostig,
inquired what his brother Harold would offer Hardrada in return. The rider's reply was, "Seven
feet of English ground, as he is taller than other men." Tostig, unwilling to betray his ally,
refused, thus rendering the battle inevitable.
The mounted figure then rode back to
the Saxon host. Hardrada, impressed by the rider's audacity, asked Tostig who he was.
Tostig revealed that the rider was none other than Harold Godwinson himself.
With both armies now formed, the Saxon line advanced against the Viking
shieldwall. Estimations for the numbers on both sides vary. It is generally accepted that the
Anglo-Saxon army numbered around 10,000 warriors, while the Vikings did not exceed 6,000 men.
Though some later sources claim the Saxons had cavalry, given the lack of evidence of its
widespread use by the Saxons during this period, it is safer to assume that cavalry played
no significant role in the battle.
The two armies faced each other across
the battlefield, exchanging taunts, battle-cries, and insults.
Then came the order from the Saxon king: "ATTACK!"
The Saxon line surged forward like a tidal wave of shields, swords, and
spears against the defensive Viking shieldwall. The clash was fierce, but the Northmen bravely
withstood it. Despite the momentum, the Saxons were unable to achieve a breakthrough;
shields shattered, swords splintered, and bones were broken during the initial push.
Inspired by the chaos of battle, Hardrada, flushed with frenzied combat, began to sing
verses, encouraging his men to persevere:
"In battle storm, we seek no lee, With skulking
head, and bending knee, Behind the hollow shield. With eye and hand, we fend the head; Courage
and skill stand in the stead Of armor, helm, and shield, In hild's bloody field."
Rallied by their King, the Norsemen sensed weakness in the Anglo-Saxon ranks and
started pushing them back across the line.
However, their success brought about peril.
When individual Viking units broke off their formation to pursue the enemy, the Saxons
were able to attack their exposed flanks with various types of missiles and arrows, depleting
their ranks and compelling them to retreat.
Observing the critical situation unfolding,
King Harald, who had been in reserve within the Viking formation, charged into the
thickest fighting with his entourage.
Yet, the impulsive actions of the Vikings
were countered by the steadfastness of the Saxons. The Anglo-Saxon king adeptly led his men,
strategically probing the Viking shield-wall for weaknesses while avoiding unnecessary risks.
He judiciously held his personal bodyguard in reserve, intermittently launching volleys
of arrows with his archers at the enemy.
Saxon and Viking shieldwalls surged, colliding
in a tempestuous clash. The air rang with war cries and the brutal symphony of clashing
metal. Warriors, resolute and breathless, engaged fiercely. Iron clashed rhythmically,
shields resisting unyielding assaults. The earth became a canvas, painted in sweat and
blood, testament to their ferocious struggle for supremacy in the frenzied battleground.
Amidst this chaos, Harald Hardrada, the Viking King, was struck by a stray
arrow to his windpipe. Mortally wounded, the man who would later be remembered as the last
of the Vikings met his end on the battlefield, his death deemed worthy of Valhalla.
As news of his demise spread through the ranks, the Viking battlefront began to disintegrate,
losing morale and the will to fight.
Sensing victory, the Saxon King launched
a full-scale attack with his entire force, aiming to deliver the decisive blow and end the
battle. Viking formations disintegrated into isolated pockets of groups of warriors,
overwhelmed by the victorious Saxons.
At this juncture, the Viking reinforcements
emerged on the battlefield. Nearly 3000 fully armed men charged across the field,
having force-marched a distance of almost 25km. Reportedly, many collapsed and
perished from exhaustion before engaging the enemy. The remaining men clashed with the
incoming Saxons, checking their advance.
Despite their valiant efforts, the depleted
force was no match for Harold Godwinson’s triumphant men and were ultimately overwhelmed.
Soon, the entire Viking army was in retreat, with some warriors fighting to the death while
others attempted to escape towards their ships.
It was a magnificent triumph for Harold.
Losses for the Saxon side remain unknown, but it is reasonable to assume that despite their
victory, they suffered significant casualties. Conversely, the Vikings were utterly annihilated.
So many perished in such a confined area that the field was said to still be whitened with
bleached bones even 50 years after the battle.
King Harold accepted a truce with the surviving
Norwegians, allowing them to depart upon providing pledges not to launch further attacks on
England. The severity of the losses endured by the Norwegians was such that only 24 ships,
out of a fleet exceeding 300, were necessary to transport the remaining survivors away.
However, Harold's triumph would prove fleeting. Merely three days after the battle, while still
positioned in northern England, he received news of a Norman invasion force landing in Pevensey.
Forced to swiftly redirect his troops, the Saxon King initiated a southward
force-march to intercept the Norman army.
A few weeks later he would face the
second invasion of his Kingdom the decisive battle of Hastings.
Which you can watch HERE
