The Battle of Stamford Bridge
Before Harold could address William’s claim, another threat emerged. Harald Hardrada of Norway, who sought to restore Viking rule over England, invaded the north in 1066 with a large army. Hardrada's forces were met by Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire on September 25, 1066.
In what would become one of Harold's greatest military triumphs, he decisively defeated Hardrada’s forces. The battle was a bloody affair, and Hardrada was killed, along with his brother Tostig, who had sided with the Norwegian king. The victory at Stamford Bridge solidified Harold’s reputation as a skilled military leader, but it also left his army weakened and exhausted, which would prove to be a crucial disadvantage in the coming weeks.
While Harold celebrated his victory in the north, another looming threat emerged in the form of William of Normandy. William, having gathered an enormous fleet and army, landed in southern England in late September 1066. With the English forces still recovering from the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Harold was forced to march south to confront this new invasion.
The decisive battle between Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror took place on October 14, 1066, at Hastings. Despite his earlier victories, Harold’s forces were outnumbered, and he faced a formidable foe in William, who had superior cavalry and a highly disciplined army. The battle itself was a fierce contest, with Harold’s army holding out for several hours against the Normans. However, the tide turned when Harold was struck in the eye by an arrow, a wound that would eventually prove fatal. His death marked the collapse of Anglo-Saxon resistance to Norman rule.
The Battle of Hastings is often seen as the end of an era—the end of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy and the beginning of the Norman Conquest. With Harold’s death, England was left without its last Anglo-Saxon king, and William emerged as the new ruler of England, becoming William I, the first Norman King of England. shutdown123