Battle of Stamford Bridge
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(Harald Hadrada)† Tostig Godwinson† For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1254x764, 50 KB)Painting by Norwegian artist Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831-1892). ... Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831–1892) was a Norwegian painter, who specialized in painting historical motifs and images from Norse mythology. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... , Stamford Bridge is a village and civil parish on the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately 7 miles east of York. ... Categories: Stub | Yorkshire | East Yorkshire ... Northumbria is primarily the name of an Anglian or Anglo-Saxon kingdom which was formed in Great Britain at the beginning of the 7th century, and of the earldom which succeeded the kingdom. ... This article is about the Scottish as an ethnic group. ... For other uses, see Anglo-Saxon. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Battle of Hastings was the retinues last battle. ... Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald HardrÃ¥de (Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated as stern counsel or hard ruler) was the king of Norway from 1047[1] until 1066. ... Tostig Godwinson (1026? – September 25, 1066) was an Anglo-Saxon earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold II of England, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England. ...	Harold Godwinson
Strength
Around 7,500	Around 7,000
Casualties
Unknown, around 7,000	Unknown, around 2,000

The Battle of Stamford Bridge in England took place 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 Gate 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 unarmoured Norwegians were killed, along with Harald Hardråde and Earl Tostig, Harold's brother. Harold II of England (Harold Godwinson); c. ... , Stamford Bridge is a village and civil parish on the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately 7 miles east of York. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald HardrÃ¥de (Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated as stern counsel or hard ruler) was the king of Norway from 1047[1] until 1066. ... Edwin (died 1070) was the elder brother of Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, son of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia and nephew of Hereward. ... Morcar, Earl of Northumbria (fl. ... Combatants Norwegians Anglo-Saxon English Commanders Harald Hardrada Tostig Morcar of Northumbria and his brother Edwin, Earl of Mercia Strength unknown, possibly 7000 unknown, probably of about equal size to the norwegians Casualties Unknown Unknown On September 20, 1066, King Harald III of Norway and Tostig, his English ally, fought... York shown within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state Constituent country Region Yorkshire and the Humber Ceremonial county North Yorkshire Admin HQ York City Centre Founded 71 City Status 71 Government  - Type Unitary Authority, City  - Governing body City of York Council  - Leadership: Leader & Executive  - Executive: Liberal Democrat  - MPs: Hugh Bayley (L) John... Harold II of England (Harold Godwinson); c. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Historical accounts

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(what sort of name is that?!) 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 (Snorri, From the Sagas of the Norse Kings, Dreyer Forlag, 1984). 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" (Snorri, p11). Excerpt Njåls saga in the Möðruvallabók (AM 132 folio 13r) circia 1350. ... Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald Hardråde (Old Norse: Haraldr harðráði, roughly translated as stern counsel or hard ruler) was the king of Norway from 1047[1] until 1066. ... A statue of Snorri Sturluson by Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland was erected at Reykholt in 1947. ... David rejects the unaccustomed armour (detail of fol. ... Heimskringla is the Old Norse name of a collection of sagas recorded in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1242). ...

According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (SA 1066), Stamford Bridge was held by an enormous Norwegian berserker, armed with an axe, who kept intimidating and killing everyone who dared come too close to him. He wore no armor, so he was eventually killed by a spear from a boat that had snuck underneath the bridge without him noticing. This delay gave Harald Hardråde time to form his army in a circle on high ground and let the English approach uphill with their backs to the river. After a stubborn battle with losses on both sides, although particularly bad for the unarmoured Norwegians, Harald Hardråde and Earl Tostig, Harold's brother, both fell. The initial page of the Peterborough Chronicle. ... , Stamford Bridge is a village and civil parish on the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately 7 miles east of York. ... Berserkers in the kings hall, illustration by Louis Moe, 1898 Berserkers (or Berserks) were Norse warriors who were commonly understood to have fought in an uncontrollable rage or trance of fury; the berserkergang. ... Tostig Godwinson (~1026- September 25, 1066), Earl of Northumbria, was son to Godwin, Earl of Wessex and his second wife Gytha Thorkelsdóttir. ...

The arrival of Norwegian reinforcements prolonged the battle, but in the end the Norwegian army was decisively defeated. 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 was not to 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. Viking Age is the term denoting the years from about 800 to 1066 in Scandinavian History[1][2][3]. // The Vikings have been much maligned in European history, due in large part to their violent attacks on Christians in the first centuries of their excursions out of Scandinavia. ... A fortnight is a unit of time equal to two weeks: that is 14 days, or literally 14 nights. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... William I of England (c. ... Combatants Normans supported by: Bretons (one third of total), Flemings, French Anglo-Saxons, the Þingalið Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson † Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, thought to be around 4... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ...

Monument

In the village of Stamford Bridge a monument to the battle has been erected. The monument's inscription reads:

"1066
The Battle of Stamford Bridge
King Harold of England defeated his brother Tostig and Harald Hardrada of Norway here on 25 September 1066"

External links

• 360° picture of the memorial at Stamford Bridge
• Description of battle by Geoff Boxell
• The Norwegian Invasion of England
• Saga of Harald Hardråde