The Battles of Gate Fulford & Stamford Bridge

In mid-September, Harald Hardrada, egged on by Tostig Godwinson, invaded England.

• Hardrada and Tostig sailed from Scandinavia, across the North Sea, and sailed up the River Humber.
• Thousands of their soldiers got off over 200 of Harald's ships and they marched towards York, where Harold had previously stationed his Northern Army.
• The Earl of Mercia (Edwin) and the Earl of Northumbria (Morcar), who were both brothers, met the Vikings led by Harald Hardrada, south of York at Gate Fulford.
• The battle took place on the 20th September 1066.

• The Earl of Northumbria (Morcar) and the Earl of Mercia (Edwin) had fewer troops than Harald Hardrada (because many of their men had left for harvest).
• However, Hardrada had a well-trained Viking army.
• Hardrada 'outflanked' the English army (which means he attacked the back and sides of their army).
• The Earls' armies totalled only a few thousand men and many of them were injured.
• Harold Godwinson, now known as Harold II was forced to march north with his army to help the Earls.

• Short-term causes:
  • Harold was vulnerable because his army was small. The time of year meant that many had to return home for harvest.
  • Hardrada was attacking from Scandinavia. They attacked the north of England because it was easiest to reach, and because Tostig knew Northumbria well and wanted to regain power there.

• Long-term causes:
  • Edward the Confessor's disputed succession was a long-term cause of the battle.
  • Tostig's exile by Harold meant that he supported Harald Hardrada.

• King Harold II's army reached the north and confronted Harald Hardrada and his brother's army at Stamford Bridge.
• His army killed Harald Hardrada and his brother, Tostig Godwinson.
• Harold II won the battle and defeated the Vikings.

• Short-term causes:
  • The Battle of Stamford Bridge happened because of Harold II's decision to march his army from the South to the North. This happened to defeat Harald Hardrada and to support the army of Morcar and Edwin, the Earls who had been defeated at Gate Fulford.
  • The Vikings were reportedly unprepared at Stamford Bridge, so it may have been an opportunistic decision to attack the Vikings.
  • A medium-term cause of the battle was Harald Hardrada's decision to invade England, and many historians, think that the disputed succession could be to blame for this.

• The Battle of Stamford Bridge meant that:
  • Harold's army killed his brother Tostig.
  • The English army was concentrated in the North after Harold's decision to march towards York.
  • The Viking threat to Harold II's succession of Edward the Confessor was defeated.