The first two battles

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Preparation

Harold

  • Comet was seen which was a bad omen
  • Harold put his forces on standy
  • He prepared them by making them go to Ethelred's old naval base to await more household troops
  • Recruited mecenaries from abroad

William

  • Assembled a greet fleet at Dives Sur Met where there was good encherage in the River Dives estuary
  • By early 1066 plans were underway for a fleet of transports capable of carrying several thousand Norman and Continental knights, infantry and archers with at least a couple thosand nobility who at first did not want to join battle but were eventually won over

Harald's entrance- he was a prestigious warrior

  • Harold's brother Tostig made his way to Norway and there the Norweigen king was making own eleborate prep based on his wifes claim to throne & Canute's son
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Who was doing what

Harada

  • Haralda lands in York
  • Harada went to Scotland and Tosting joined him and prepared to move South

Harold

  • Harold brought his fleet to the Isle of Wight which was a central point for naval monenevuers used by Ethelred & Swein 60 yrs before
  • Southern English coastal defences were on alert, beacon pyres at the ready
  • North winds pinned Harold down which was bad for Harold as he had to force his army home on 8th Sept
  • Then brought fleet back to England when they would then spend the winter
  • Some of the fleet was wrecked on the way but Harold was prided as he thought the harsh winter would make the Normans retreat
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William

William

  • During July and August William made no move but at the end of August he moved his base to St.Valery

The winds that pinned William down brought Harald's longships suddenly down the eastern coast of England

  • In early September Harald appeared in Tyne with 300 ships and ravaged Cleveland and Scarborough around 15 September entered the Humber and took Ricall which was now the Norweigen base for campaign
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Battle at Gate Fulford

On the 20th September, Harald marched to York.

  • The Chronicle reports 300 ships, 10,000 men marged into a field. This was a large army.
  • At Gate Fulford, South of York Harald was blocked by a Northumbrian force under Earl Morcar and troops from 5 boroughs.
  • The English put up a strong fight but the Norweigens beat them down by forcing them into marshes where some drowned
  • 1,000 of the best troops in York were killed that day along with hundreds of clergy in York

Harold of England acts

  • When news went to Harold possibly between the 12th and 20th of September. This is dependant if the news was through mounted messages of beacons.
  • On 20 Sep, Harold's army were non stop marching 'day and night' and joined by thegns on the way to Todcaster
  • They reached Todcaster on the evening of 29 Sep, where Harold storeted out his housecarls into battle order
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Battle of Stamford Bridge

Harald Harada was in no hurry.  He moved to SB on Monday and called hostages for his army

Harold launched classic anglo saxon strategy and advanced through a lightning strike through York and onto SB.

  • A total of 16 miles (army worn out surely)

Massive assault by heavily armed troops. The Norweigens were very confident and left a large part of their army at Richall becasue it was a hot day- BIG MISTAKE.

Harald Harada's fall

  • Harada fought well.
  • The english landed their attack on Norse force covering the York side of the river.
  • The english attacked in '7 divisions' and used 'shield wall tactics'
  • Norweigens tried to hold the Bridge but the Bridge was captured by English which meant Harold could deploy his army on the east side
  • Harald Harada was shot in the throat. Tostig tried to defend but 'fell'.
  • The last stand took place 600 yards away. Harold won, but gave all booty to CHURCH.
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