Battle of Stamford Bridge
Battle of Stamford Bridge, battle fought between Saxon and Viking forces on September 25, 1066, about 7 miles east of York, England, with the Britons emerging victorious. Were it not totally overshadowed by a more famous confrontation that took place at Hastings three weeks later, the Battle of Stamford Bridge between King Harold II of England and an invading Viking army led by King Harald Hadrada of Norway would be remembered as the last time the Vikings attempted to conquer England.
In January 1066 Edward the Confessor, king of England, died, having named Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, as his successor. Harold had earned the undying hostility of his brother Tostig, who had been ejected, with his brother’s approval, from his earldom in Northumbria the previous year. The vengeful Tostig formed an alliance with Harald Hardråde, king of Norwaywhose epithet means “hard ruler” in Old Norse; as the saga Heimskringla describes him, “He was ruthless with his enemies, and given to harsh punishment of all who opposed him.”, king of Norway Tostig promised to support Harald’s attempt to conquer England in return for regaining his earldom. The two crossed the North Sea with a fleet of 300 ships and sailed up the Humber River. Once ashore, the Viking army, at the Battle of Fulford on September 20, defeated an army led by the new Earl of Northumbria in alliance with the Earl of Mercia and occupied York. King Harold formed an army to repel the invasion and on September 16 left London for the north, arriving in only nine days. On learning of the Battle of Fulford, Harold seized York, then assembled his forces, incorporating local militias into his army, at nearby Stamford Bridge on the River Derwent. The two armies drew up the next day, and Harold offered his brother peace while adding that Harald would be rewarded only with a grave. An English offensive was soon reversed by a Viking counteroffensive led by Harald that almost turned the battle in their favor. Harald, however, was killed by an arrow in the throat, for, it being a hot day, the Vikings had left their chainmail in their ships. Harold again offered his brother peace, but Tostig fought on, encouraged by the arrival of Viking reinforcements. But the new arrivals were exhausted and soon fell in fighting during which Tostig was killed. Only three weeks later, King Harold would die at the Battle of Hastings, battling the invading Norman army of William the Conqueror, an event that has vastly overshadowed Stamford Bridge in historical memory.
The site of the battlefield is poorly preserved, part of it lying under the village of Stamford Bridge and the rest under worked agricultural lands.
Losses: Viking, 4,000 of 5,000; English, unknown.