Northern England in the Late Medieval Period
Northern England in the Late Medieval Period
On 25 September 1066, Harold Godwinson's English army launched a surprise attack on a Norwegian force at Stamford Bridge, near York. This decisive battle ended the last major Scandinavian attempt to conquer England. Harold's forces had marched nearly 200 miles from London in under a week, a remarkable feat for the time. The victory, however, came at a cost. Just days later, Harold had to march south to face another invasion, this time by William of Normandy. The Battle of Stamford Bridge is often overshadowed by the subsequent Battle of Hastings, yet it was a significant tactical success. Harold's rapid march north caught the Norwegians, led by King Harald Hardrada and Harold's own brother Tostig, unprepared. See our article on the The Battle of Stamford Bridge: The Forced March That Broke a Viking Invasion.
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