Harald Hardrada: King of Norway
Summary
TLDROn September 20, 1066, the Battle of Fulford marked a pivotal moment in English history, as English Earls Edwin and Morcar faced the formidable Viking force led by Harald Hardrada. Despite initial success, Hardrada's ambition to restore the Northern Sea Empire was cut short by the swift arrival of King Harold Godwinson's army. The ensuing battle saw the end of the last great Viking invasion and the death of Harald, signaling the end of Scandinavian dominance in the British Isles.
Takeaways
- 🗓️ On September 20, 1066, the Battle of Fulford took place near the village of Fulford in northern England, marking a significant event in history.
- 🛡️ English Earls Edwin and Morcar, along with local lords, hastily assembled forces to defend against the last great Viking invasion led by Harald Hardrada.
- 🏰 Harald Hardrada was a renowned Viking warrior who had fought across the known world, including Palestine, Italy, Russia, and Ukraine, and was no stranger to battle.
- 🏹 Harald's elite soldiers, the housecarls, played a crucial role in routing the English forces during the battle, showcasing their tactical prowess.
- 🏙️ After the battle, Harald quickly took York and began preparations for the inevitable confrontation with the English King in London.
- 👑 Harald aimed to restore the northern sea empire once ruled by Knut, which included Norway, Denmark, and England, reflecting his ambition to reclaim Scandinavian dominance.
- 📜 Harald was a warrior poet who recorded his own deeds, reflecting his unique character as an adventurer and atypical Viking.
- 🛡️ Harald's early life was marked by rebellion and ambition, and he eventually found his fortune in the Kievan Rus' and the Byzantine Empire, rising to prominence in the Varangian Guard.
- 🏰 Harald's rule in Norway was characterized by successful domestic policies, including currency standardization and infrastructure development, influenced by his experiences in the Byzantine Empire.
- ⚔️ In 1066, Harald sought to take England for himself, aiming to reform the northern sea empire, in response to the death of Edward the Confessor and the ascension of Harold Godwinson.
- 💀 The Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066, marked the end of Harald Hardrada's life and the last great Viking attempt to dominate England, as he was killed in a surprise attack by Harold Godwinson's forces.
Q & A
What significant battle took place on September 20, 1066, and where was it located?
-The significant battle that took place on September 20, 1066, was the Battle of Fulford, located on the outskirts of the village of Fulford in northern England.
Who were the English leaders that faced the Viking invasion in the Battle of Fulford?
-The English leaders who faced the Viking invasion in the Battle of Fulford were Earl Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria.
What was the background of Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian King in the Battle of Fulford?
-Harald Hardrada was a famous Viking who had spent his lifetime adventuring and battling across the known world, from Palestine to Russia, and had carved out a fortune from the blood of his enemies.
What was Harald Hardrada's strategy during the Battle of Fulford?
-Harald Hardrada's strategy was to charge into the weakest English point along with his elite housecarls, who had been lying in wait, and together they routed the English forces completely.
What did Harald Hardrada do after the Battle of Fulford?
-After the Battle of Fulford, Harald Hardrada took York and began preparations for the inevitable attack from the English King in London.
What was Harald Hardrada's connection to the Byzantine Empire?
-Harald Hardrada served the Byzantine Empire as a member of the elite Varangian Guard, rising in status to become a great leader within the guard and participating in numerous campaigns.
Why did Harald Hardrada return to Scandinavia from the Byzantine Empire?
-Harald Hardrada returned to Scandinavia to claim the throne of Norway after the death of his half-brother, King Olaf Haraldson, and to win himself a kingdom or die in the process.
What was Harald Hardrada's title and what did it signify?
-Harald Hardrada's title was 'Hardrada,' which means 'hard ruler' or 'stern counsel,' signifying his successful and strict rule over Norway.
What was the outcome of Harald Hardrada's attempt to take England in 1066?
-Harald Hardrada's attempt to take England in 1066 ended in failure with his death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where he was killed by an arrow to the throat.
How did Harald Hardrada's death impact the future of Scandinavian influence in the British Isles?
-Harald Hardrada's death marked the end of Scandinavian supremacy in the British Isles, as no Scandinavian army would ever again defeat an English war.
What was the significance of the Battle of Fulford in the context of the Viking Age?
-The Battle of Fulford was significant as it represented one of the last great Viking invasions of England and showcased the might of the combined forces of the Kingdom of Norway and its allies.
Outlines
🛡️ The Battle of Fulford and Harald Hardrada's Viking Invasion
The first paragraph details the Battle of Fulford fought on September 20, 1066, where English Earls Edwin and Morcar faced the Viking invasion led by Harald Hardrada, the King of Norway. Harald, an experienced warrior with a history of battles across the known world, deployed his elite housecarls to exploit the English's weakest point, resulting in a decisive victory. He swiftly took York and began preparations for the inevitable counterattack from the English King in London. The paragraph also delves into Harald's background, from his birth in 1015 to his adventurous spirit, his service in the Byzantine Empire as part of the Varangian Guard, and his rise to power in Norway.
🏰 Harald Hardrada's Service to the Byzantine Empire and Rule in Norway
The second paragraph continues the narrative of Harald Hardrada's life, focusing on his service to the Byzantine Empire and his eventual rule in Norway. It describes his military campaigns in Asia Minor, Sicily, and Italy, and his rise to a high-ranking commander within the Varangian Guard. After amassing a significant fortune, Harald returned to Scandinavia around 1046, where he managed to secure joint leadership of Norway without conflict. Upon the death of his co-ruler, Magnus the Good, Harald became the sole king and embarked on a series of raids and invasions, including an unsuccessful attempt to conquer Denmark. His rule was marked by successful domestic policies, currency standardization, and the establishment of extensive trade networks.
⚔️ The Final Battle and the End of Scandinavian Supremacy in Britain
The third paragraph recounts the climactic Battle of Stamford Bridge, where Harald Hardrada faced an unexpected and swift attack from the English forces led by King Harold Godwinson. Despite initial Viking successes, the English army managed to surprise and overwhelm Harald's forces, resulting in Harald's death and the end of Scandinavian dominance in the British Isles. The paragraph highlights the dramatic end to Harald's life and the historical significance of the battle in shaping the future of England and Scandinavia.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fulford
💡Harald Hardrada
💡Viking invasion
💡Earls of England
💡Housecarls
💡York
💡Knut
💡Varangian Guard
💡Constantinople
💡Harold Godwinson
💡Battle of Stamford Bridge
Highlights
The Battle of Fulford took place on September 20, 1066, marking the last great Viking invasion of England.
English Earls Edwin and Morcar hastily gathered forces to defend against the combined might of the Norwegian kingdom and its allies.
Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian King, was a seasoned warrior with a lifetime of battles across the known world.
Harald's elite housecarls played a crucial role in routing the English forces during the battle.
Harald's ambitions included restoring the northern sea empire once ruled by Knut of Scandinavia.
Harald was a warrior poet who recorded his own deeds, showcasing his adventurous nature.
Born in 1015, Harald was the youngest half-brother of King Olaf Haraldson, with a lineage tracing back to the first king of Norway.
Harald's early life was marked by rebellion and ambition, in contrast to his more grounded older brothers.
After King Olaf's death, Harald supported his half-brother's fight to reclaim the throne, resulting in a significant battle.
Harald's journey east led him to the Kingdom of the Rus, where he found fortune and military opportunities.
In the Byzantine Empire, Harald served as part of the elite Varangian Guard, rising in status over time.
Harald's service in the Byzantine army saw him fight in various regions, including Sicily and modern-day Syria.
Harald amassed a fortune during his time with the Varangian Guard, much of which he sent to his ally Yaroslav in Kiev.
Returning to Scandinavia, Harald managed to win joint leadership of Norway without a battle.
Harald's rule in Norway was marked by successful domestic policies and the title Hardrada, meaning 'hard ruler' or 'stern counsel'.
Harald's adventurous spirit led him to explore lands north of his kingdom, possibly even reaching modern-day North America.
In 1066, following Edward the Confessor's death, Harald sought to claim England and reform the northern sea empire.
Harald's invasion of England in 1066 was initially successful, but was ultimately met with a surprising and overwhelming English force.
The Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066, saw Harald's forces defeated and the last great Viking ruler killed in battle.
Transcripts
on the 20th of September 1066
a battle was fought on the outskirts of
the village of Fulford in northern
England
the English Earl's edwin of Mercia and
Morcar of Northumbria had hastily
gathered their forces together along
with the local Lords of the north to
mount a defense against this last great
Viking invasion of England these were no
mere raiders facing them across the
fields to the combined might of the
kingdom of Norway along with its allies
and the Scottish Isles and also the
recently deposed English Earl of
Northumbria the brother of the new king
kostik Godwinson the English struck
first advancing on the Norwegians before
they could fully deploy but this wasn't
the Norwegian Kings first battle he was
Harald Hardrada the famous Viking who
had spent his entire lifetime
adventuring and battling all over the
known world from modern-day Palestine to
Italy to Russia to Ukraine he had carved
out a fortune from the blood of his
enemies and fought against far greater
men than a pair of mere English Earl's
after the battle was joined on both
sides
harald charge into the weakest english
point along with his best soldiers his
elite housecarls
who had been lying in wait and together
they routed the English forces
completely within days he had taken York
long with stronghold sympathetic
Scandinavians and he began to make his
preparations for the inevitable attack
which would soon come from the English
King in London only two decades earlier
England had been ruled by Knut himself
for Scandinavia and Harald likely wanted
to restore the great northern sea Empire
which Knut had ruled over which
consisted of Norway Denmark and England
Harald was a scowled a warrior poet who
recorded his own deeds for posterity he
was an adventurer the atypical Viking
and one of the last of a dying breed
Harald had been born long before the
events of 1066 in ring Greek Norway in
1015 he was the youngest half-brother of
King Olaf haraldson who in turn could
trace his lineage back to Harald
fairhair the first king of Norway Harald
was by no means guaranteed any sort of
leadership in typical Viking fashion he
tended to act rashly and rebellious Lee
in his youth
he was ambitious as opposed to his two
older brothers who were more grounded
and mostly concerned with keeping what
they already had following the revolt in
1028 King Olaf was to post forced into
exile by a popular uprising in support
of Knut of England for two years he
raided the coastline until he returned
to Norway in 1030 with a massive army
what happened next is unclear as Olaf
may have simply died or been
assassinated but after he was sainted
later chroniclers claimed that he died
in a great last stand which was fought
at sticklers dad on the 29th of July
1030
Harald just 15 years old at the time is
said to have a master force of 600 men
to support his half-brother in his fight
to reclaim the throne in the ensuing
carnage olaf was killed and Harald not
badly wounded is said to have been
evacuated by his followers to a remote
farm in eastern Norway where he
recovered from his wounds from there he
traveled east to find his fortune across
the mountains into Sweden finally
arriving a year later in the
Scandinavian Slavic Kingdom of the kiev
and ruse in the modern-day ukraine the
kingdom of the ruse had been established
well over a century earlier by
scandinavian explorers and warriors who
had carved themselves out one of the
largest and most powerful states in
europe and over time merged somewhat
with the local Slavic population to
create a truly unique culture Grand
Prince Yaroslav the wives whose Swedish
wife Inga guard was a distant relation
of Harold's and who had also been an
ally of his late brother Olaf
welcomed him and his men with open arms
Yaroslav was in need of military leaders
at the time immediately put the young
eager warrior to work in his army he
took part in campaigns in its the polls
in 1031 and likely against the nomadic
pechenegs
from the eastern steppe land after a few
years however Harald seems to have grown
Restless again and he asked for
permission to go south to the great city
that the Vikings called Mick Lagarde
by far one of the largest and most
prosperous in the world at the time we
know the city by a different name the
capital of the eastern Roman Byzantine
Empire Constantinople by the time Harald
arrived in Constantinople like moths to
a flame Scandinavians had been
attempting to gain access to the great
city and access its untold riches for
nearly 200 years
at first led by the princes of the Kiev
in ruse they had attempted invasion on
numerous occasions but conclusively
failed to breach the impenetrable
defenses that they found within a few
generations however as more and more
Scandinavians became Christianized and
more receptive to the Byzantines they
sought a different way into the city
began to offer their services to the
Emperor in return for payment of course
by 988 under the service of battle the
second one of the greatest Byzantine
emperors an elite cadre of Nordic
warriors who pledged their allegiance
and over the next 300 years they would
serve as the most elite force within the
Byzantine army they were known as the
Varangian guard heralds joined a long
line of Scandinavians who had been
entering the service of emperors for
generations and according to the sagas
he quickly became a high-ranking
commander of great renown in reality
this is rather unlikely as at the time
Harald was still a minor nobleman from
Norway who was yet to make a name for
himself nevertheless over his
decade-long service to the Byzantines he
did undoubtedly rise in status over time
to become a great leader in guard in his
first year of service as the Byzantines
pushed the Arabs back out of Asia Minor
Harald campaigned as far as the
Euphrates in modern-day Syria where
according to later chronicles he
participated in the capture of 80 Arab
strongholds he again fought against the
nomadic Pechenegs as well as the
powerful Bolger state to the north of
the empire as well as seeing substantial
combat in Sicily and southern Italy
fighting against both the Arabs and
later the Normans led by William iron
arm he even likely traveled to Jerusalem
although historians debate whether this
was on a diplomatic mission or on a
military campaign during his decade
serving the Empire Herald survived
several usurpations of power the sagas
note that aside from the significant
spoils of battle he acquired on three
separate occasions he participated in
palace plunder a term which implies
either the pillaging of the palace
treasury on the death of the Emperor or
perhaps the disent of funds to the
Varangians by the new emperor in order
to ensure their loyalty Harald certainly
amassed a huge fortune during his time
with the guard much of which he had
shipped back to his ally Yaroslav in
Kiev for safekeeping
during the last civil conflict the
guards loyalties were split down the
middle
Harold was fortunate enough to join the
winning side supported the ultimately
successful rebels the Emperor Michael v
was blinded and overthrown as was
Byzantine custom if some source is
saying that Harold did the blinding
himself when the new Empress - Zoe
refused to let Herod leave her service
he took two boats and escaped north into
the Black Sea losing one of the ships to
the great iron change crossed the harbor
in the process Harold now an experienced
warrior and a man of thirty was going
home he would win himself a kingdom or
he would die in the process he arrived
back in Scandinavia around 1046 which in
his absence had become the domain of the
king Magnus the good an illegitimate son
of Ola who had succeeded Knut with the
help of the Norwegian Nobles over the
next few months
Harald now with an army and much support
managed to win joint leadership of
Norway without fighting a single battle
under this diplomatic compromise the two
kings were jointly rule Norway
although Magnus kept control of Denmark
although technically allowed to one
another the two kings held different
courts didn't interact each time they
did the sources report the violence very
nearly broke arms upon Magnus his death
in late 10:47 however Harald could
finally rule over Norway as the sole
king for the next two decades Harald
raided Denmark to scare the local
population into joining him rather than
King Sweyn s tourism he also launched
several ultimately unsuccessful
full-scale invasion
such as one in 1062 which resulted in an
epic sea battle at nisa by most accounts
Harold's domestic rules seem to have
been largely successful and he earned
the title Hardrada meaning hard ruler or
stern counsel during this period he
standardized the currency streamlined
the infrastructure of the relatively
young country using techniques of rule
that he had witnessed under the
Byzantines he initiated vast extensive
trade networks throughout Europe and
beyond with the help of his Byzantine
and ruse allies true tis adventuring
nature he also explored the lands to the
north of his kingdom and may have even
sought out the mysterious realm of
inland modern-day North America which
had been discovered a generation earlier
he did record discovering an unforgiving
frosted land to the north
which may have either means foul Bart or
the Novaya Zemlya archipelago of
modern-day Russia for 1066 after the
death of the last eligible claimant to
the house of Wessex Edward the Confessor
Harold sought to take England for
himself and reform the northern sea
Empire which Knut advendio the new
English King Harold Godwinson an
influential noble whose family have
grown strong limb - Knut was an
illegitimate choice in Harold's eyes
when the Kings brother Tostig was exiled
and lost his earldom of Northumbria in
1065 he sought revenge arriving in
Harold's Court not long afterwards were
together they hashed a daring plan to
seize the throne of England after
extensive preparations they landed on
the coast of England September 1066 with
around 10 to 15,000 men and a fleet of
some 300 ships they enjoyed success at
first and after Fulford his men were in
high spirits they could relax for a
while
knowing that Harold's forces must surely
be days away if they were coming at all
after all Duke William of Normandy
himself descended from Norseman also had
plans for England without warning on a
25th of September a massive English
force arrived Godwinson had assembled
huge army and made the distance from the
south in just a matter of days an
incredible feat and they took the old
Viking completely by surprise
Harold's men had no time to prepare both
here in his army were not even wearing
their chainmail vests when the English
attacked despite an epic last stand on a
bridge by one of Harold's berserkers the
English crossed over wiped out Harold's
forces killing both him antastic in the
process the sources recount how in true
Viking fashion Harold was killed early
in the battle
by an arrow to the throat as he swung
his great 200 sword around aggressively
in a berserker rage
the last great Viking ruler who was dead
and after well over 200 years of
supremacy in the British Isles never
again would a scandinavian army defeat
an English war
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