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Battle of Stamford Bridge

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Part of the Viking invasion of England

Painting by Norwegian artist Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831–1892).

Date	Monday, September 25 1066
Location	Stamford Bridge, East Yorkshire
Result	Decisive Anglo-Saxon Victory

Combatants

Norwegians,
Northumbrian rebels,
Scots

Anglo-Saxon England,
the Þingalið

Commanders

Harald Hardråde†

Tostig Godwinson†

Harold Godwinson

Strength

Around 7,500

Around 7,000

Casualties

Unknown, around 7,000

Unknown, around 1,000

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.

1 Background
2 Battle
3 Aftermath
4 Monument
5 Notes
6 External links

Background

In September 1066, Viking invaders under King Harald Hardrada (Norwegian: Harald Hardråde), King of Norway, and Tostig (the expelled Earl of Northumberland) 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 unarmored, since they were only expecting a hand over of supplies and hostages. In his saga of 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]

Battle

The Vikings were completely unprepared for the Saxon army. Many had expected them to arrive a few days later, but the Saxons had covered 180 miles in a staggering 5 days. Though exhausted, they were willing and ready, to fight a long and bloody battle. The Saxon army charged onto the west bank of the river, and slaughtered the Vikings that were resting and simply lazing around. However, when they crossed the bridge, according to legend, a huge Norseman held up the entire Saxon army and single-handedly cut down over 40 Saxon warriors. He was only killed when one cunning Saxon drifted under the bridge in a barrel and thrust his spear up through the slats, into the Norseman's unprotected groin. Either way, the delay enabled Harald to form up his army on the opposite bank of the river. The Saxons flowed across the bridge, and formed up, face-to-face with their enemy, ready to do battle. With no armour, the Vikings interlocked their shields together. The Saxons copied their tactic, and charged the un-armoured Norsemen. With no armour, the Saxons smashed the Viking shield wall, broke huge chinks in the army's lines and flowed through them. After a very bloody fight, the Saxon army had broken up the Viking force, outflanked and surrounded them. Their leaders had been killed, and the Vikings were cut down by the thousands. Out of their 7,500 strong army, the Vikings perhaps escaped with only 500 men for the voyage home. Harold's Saxon force had sealed the Viking threat, after annihilating Harald's army, but several days later they would be brought the news of the Norman invasion in the south.

Aftermath

Harald Hardråde struck in the throat by an arrow at Stamford Bridge, by Gerry.

King Harold Godwinson accepted a truce with the surviving Norwegians, including Hardråde's son Olaf, and they were allowed to leave after giving pledges not to attack England again, thus marking the end of the Viking Age. King Harold's success did not last, however. Little more than a fortnight after the battle, on October 14, after having marched his army all the way from Yorkshire, he was defeated and killed by Norman forces under William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. This began the Norman Conquest of England.