Harald Hardrada: The Warrior King Who Invaded England Before William Landed

Harald Hardrada: The Warrior King Who Invaded England Before William Landed

In my last post, we looked at the other men who believed England's crown could, or should, be theirs. Today I want to look more closely at perhaps the most formidable of them all.

Harald Hardrada, King of Norway.

Long before Harald came to England, he had already lived a life that sounds almost too dramatic to be true.

Harald Sigurdsson was born in Norway at around 1015. As a teenager he fought alongside his half-brother, King Olaf Haraldsson, at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. Olaf was killed and, according to later accounts, Harald was wounded. Following the defeat, he fled Norway.

But that was only the beginning.

Harald travelled east, spending time in Kievan Rus before eventually reaching Constantinople. There he served in the famous Varangian Guard, an elite force employed by the Byzantine emperors.

During these years he campaigned in different parts of the Byzantine world and gained considerable military experience and wealth.

By the time Harald returned to Scandinavia, he was certainly no inexperienced prince hoping somebody might hand him a crown.

He became joint King of Norway with his nephew Magnus the Good in 1046 and, following Magnus's death the following year, Harald became sole king.

For years he fought unsuccessfully to gain control of Denmark before eventually turning his attention towards another prize.

England.

Harald's claim to the English throne was complicated.

It rested largely on an alleged earlier agreement between King Harthacnut and Magnus the Good concerning succession to their kingdoms. Magnus had previously asserted a claim to England, and Harald regarded himself as having inherited that claim.

It may not have been the strongest claim to a throne.

But Harald had something considerably more persuasive than paperwork.

An army.

And in 1066 he found an English ally.

Tostig Godwinson.

Tostig was the brother of King Harold Godwinson, but after losing his position as Earl of Northumbria and being driven into exile, the relationship between the brothers had broken down badly.

Now Tostig joined Harald.

That meant Harold Godwinson was not simply facing a foreign invasion.

His own brother was helping to lead it.

In September 1066, Harald's Norwegian fleet arrived in northern England. On the 20th of September, Harald and Tostig defeated the forces of the Earls Edwin and Morcar at the Battle of Fulford, near York.

York then submitted.

For a brief moment, Harald Hardrada must have believed his gamble was working.

But Harold Godwinson was coming.

On the 25th of September 1066, the two armies met at Stamford Bridge.

Harald and Tostig appear to have been caught by surprise. What followed was a ferocious battle in which the Norwegian army was decisively defeated. Harald Hardrada was killed, traditionally said to have been struck in the throat by an arrow, and Tostig was also killed.

Harald Hardrada's extraordinary career was over.

His defeat at Stamford Bridge is often described as marking the symbolic end of the Viking Age, although Scandinavian warfare and raiding certainly did not suddenly disappear after 1066.

Harold Godwinson had defeated one of the most experienced warriors in Europe.

England was safe.

Or so it might have seemed.

Because just three days later, on the 28th of September 1066, William of Normandy landed at Pevensey.

Harold had dealt with one man who wanted his crown.

Now another was waiting for him in the south.

And this time, the ending would be very different.

Do you think Harald Hardrada could actually have become King of England if he had defeated Harold at Stamford Bridge?