🚩 Support HistoryMarche on Patreon and get ad-free early access to our videos for as little as $1: www.patreon.com/historymarche 🚩 According to legend, a single Viking warrior held the narrow bridge against the English for a time. He killed about 40 English warriors before he was killed. In the fierce fighting that followed, both Harald Hardrada and Tostig were killed, along with most of the Viking host. Harald's death in battle is considered to have marked the end of the Viking Age in Europe. The English had experienced a swift and decisive victory at Stamford Bridge, but just three days later news reached King Harold that William of Normandy was commencing his invasion to take the throne.

Harold Godwin's is one of those Kings/Commanders that goes unappreciated. Being able to force march his army and army 185 miles (298 km) in only four days stunned even the Vikings. Then he immeditatly attacked without chance for rest won and against a legend like Hardrada. Then he forced marched his army barely days later the same distance down to the coast and almost annihilated William the Conquerors army as well. If only his armies discipline holding the shield wall had held instead of chasing a feigned retreat it would have gone down as one of the great feats of Military history.

21:06 *Horatius* "How can man die better: than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods."

Just goes to show that no matter how badass you are, everybody is the same after getting hit in the balls. Rip to that viking.

It's crazy how that single ax-wielding warrior is remembered over a thousand years after the fact, and we don't know anything about him. Few could ever expect to achieve such an immortal fame over the course of an entire lifetime, and he did it within the span of a few minutes.

I'd watch the hell out of a Harald Hadrada miniseries, that guy was everywhere

Keeping history alive, a more vital task today than most may realise. Thank you for the video HM.

As always, a high quality video for free, I really appreciate all of you for working hard making these videos for years! ❤

Poor Harold Godwinson couldve been one of the greatest kings in history if he had defeated both Harold King of Norway, and William the Conqueror. And he very well couldve defeated William at Hastings as well.

This is one of the best videos from this channel yet, and one of the most fascinating episode in the long history of Britain.

Harold godwinson's finest hour. Love your hardwork! Much appreciated! Suggestion: Ferdinand the saint og castile

Dont ever stop making these videos. This is the history the world needs to know. Thank uou so much. Thru Ancestry ive traced both sides of my family to Norway, Scotland and England back to the mid 1200's. No doubt some of these soldiers were part of my family.

your channel is the perfect blend of fun and information!

Great video as always, keep it up!

Thank you for the video. This is one of the most important battles in the history of Great Britain along with Hastings.

Such an epic saga! This could be made into a magnificent movie, it has all ingredients of an epic story: legendary characters, feats of heroism and intrigue everything. Thanks for the video HM!

Love all of your videos, the voice paired with the maps make every video so enjoable.

9:16 "What about Edgar?" refers to Edward the Confessor's grandnephew, Edgar the Aetheling, who was the only remaining male member of the House of Wessex after Edward's death. Some had supported him for the throne, but he was rejected because (a) he was in his early teens and thus was considered too young for such dangerous times, and (b) Harold of course held all the reins of power at this point. In the immediate aftermath of Hastings, there was an attempt to put him on the throne, but that lasted only until William was able to begin his march on London in earnest. Secondly, as odd as it may seem, a direct male-line descendant of Tostig did eventually sit on a throne. Tostig's sons fled to Norway after the battle and settled there, being granted lands and titles, and even intermarried with the royal family. Eventually, Tostig's great-great-great grandson gained the throne of Norway and ruled as Inge II from 1204 - 1217. Through the marriage of Inge's niece to Haakon IV of Norway, all the later monarchs of Norway (well, other than the early Bernadotte kings of Sweden-Norway), and, thus, many European monarchs, are descended from Tostig.

The quality of the videos keeps getting better!

One of the very best videos I’ve ever watched on this channel. Well done 👍

The present stone Bridge isn't situated where the original wooden footbridge was, which was about half a mile upstream, the actual battle was heading towards Full Sutton prison. I lived in Stamford Bridge from 1981 to 92 on Fossway. Lovely place, great people and some lovely pubs and restaurants. I only moved because of a promotion at work.

Yet another brilliant historical vid from this great channel .. thank you 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🙏

You truly bring history to life. thanks man!

Great video, I often run through the battlefield of Fulford. What lives they lived. Would love to see a Jacobite Rebellion series or a Battle of Myton and Old Byland one for after Bannockburn

Thoroughly enjoyed this.

Great upload! And congrats as you approach a million subs. Your hard work and dedication to the subject matter in your videos is commendable. Thank you

According to the Norwegian traditional (or so it seems) song Stamford Bru, which has been quoted a little in previous comments, the axeman on the bridge is identified as "Thiodolf the Strong", which unfortunately doesn't link to any famous Norwegian of those times. The only weak link is Hardrada's skald named Thiodolf Arnorsson, which vanishes from the records with the battle, but nothing solid can be said further. Edit: The song erroneously states (but according to the Snorri's saga) the earls fighting at Fulford were Morcar and Valthiof, Morcar dying and Valthiof flying. The saga itself, funnily enough, never mentions Thiodolf the axeman on the bridge. Oh, the song and the saga also say that the rider(s) have been dispatched even before Thiodolf started the fight on the bridge. The saga doesn't mention Styrkar the marshal as that rider, the song does.

Another great video! I know you'll cover it, since you've already done a whole series on William the Conqueror.

Well narrated and informative.

One of my favorite channels!!

I attended a lively re-enactment at Stamford Bridge, back in 1966. Most impressive it was too. Back in 1066, no doubt an even greater effort was required from the soldiers for the march down to the south coast . . .

Nice! good work you actully make history fun

One thing that is never discussed is the use of the saxon warbow during these battles. How did they use it,what impact did it have.

Erling Halaand has been getting his revenge in at Stamford Bridge

Great video like always!

Great video yet again!

I very much enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

Congratulations on 1 million subscribers guys!

Hadrada and his boys were a fierce bunch--but caught off guard with out their armor and most weapons??? amazing forced march and bold attack---fortune favors the bold!! ah except at Hastings. Godwins knew he was facing a MODERN ARMY with heavy calvery etc; he should have held back and rested and strengthened his forces v WILLIAM

Guys, we got to take this great channel to one Million!

The Vikings age is definitely one of my favorite and most interesting times in history to watch and learn about

Wow beautiful video, thank you.

Hardrada got overconfident after winning the first battle. He would most likely have won England just by retreating as Tostig suggested!

Harold lacked archers and Calvary. William had archers and heavy Norman cavalry. The Conquerors army outclassed Harolds army badly.

I'd absolutely love a film about Harold godwinson... King cnuts trusty lieutenant, made a king, defeated the legendary Harold hardrada and then his great loss at the battle of Hastings.... has to be more than enough quantity for an epic film

What a great character, Tostig was. He turned down the chance for peace twice to stand with his Norse allies, even to the inevitable end.

Very good narration and illustration.

Fantastic video, truly fascinating.

Another fantastic video!

Beautiful as always

jeez.....i thought this was the highlight of the battle but theres an ever MORE epic battle waiting after that? history is crazy and fun

Absolutely the best youtube channel

Love when I hear that music means another great video incoming

fantastic history...thank you!

Thank you ❤

Harold was truly a great king, unfortunate was the timing of the second invasion. A couple of weeks later and his army would have been fit to overcome the normans

Excellent choice for a video!

Love this stuff

Excellent video!

Imagine how different this part of history could have been, if only the winds had been with the Normans and William had been there first, and Harald Hardrada had come second.

Battle of Stamford Bridge and Battle of Sekigahara are my favorite battles of all times!!

One of my favorite songs by the band Amon Amarth is called "The Berserker at Stamford Bridge". When I saw the title of this episode I was hoping you would cover that part of this Battle. Thank you.

Love ur videos

I was wondering where you guys were hiding! THANK YOU!

History has such incredible stories.

Thank you.

Nice vid.

Harald Hardrada had one hell of a CV

Hell of a great video. I laughed at the single bezerker with the battle axe smashing all the English little dots that approached. Do you have an opinion on the preparedness of the armies on either side of the engagement? It seems almost tragic that the norse allowed themselves to be surrounded upon hope of reinforcements... which were too late and then also smashed. Tactically, it makes me wonder why Hardrada didn't further reinforce the bridge crossing and make a stand there where the formidable English numbers would count for less. Unless, of course, they would be able to start fording the river instead of crossing the bridge in close order. Was it a military "blunder" or were there other circumstances lost to the mysteries of history?

Most excellent!

Nicely done video

Great video🎉❤

awesome!!

Awesome!

Invticus did this wonderfully, with a human voice and genuine art work. You did this well, but not better

Harald Sigurdsson (Old Norse: Haraldr Sigurðarson; c. 1015 - 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III of Norway and given the epithet Hardrada (harðráði; modern Norwegian: Hardråde, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway from 1046 to 1066.

På våren i 1066 ei ferd vart förebudde, Maktglad konge i noreg rådde, Og leidang baud ive landet. Eit hundre og fem og nitti skip, Til Orknöy-jarlen dei sigla vest, Og Torfinn Jarl sine söner lest Eit hundre fleire langskip. In Spring of 1066: A journey was appraised. Power-hungry King in Norway reigned, And bid the lands' levies raised. One hundred-and-five and ninety ships; To the Jarl of Orkney, they sailed West, And Jarl Torfinn's sons loaded One hundred more longships.

Very good as always with some one or two geographical inaccuracies. That's not where Ipswich is on the map! I've never noticed it before. Now I've got to look at the rest of the maps!

Would be nice to have a these videos set in order. For each regions history.

I actually stumbled upon this battle field after visiting York.

Grazie/Thanks! 😊

Will you include this video in your William the Conqueror series?

Englishmen! I am waiting here! In my heart I know not an ounce of fear! Death. I know that it awaits! Soon I will enter Valhalla's gates!

Awesome 🤩

Have you ever done a collaboration with Kings and Generals channel? I think yall would make a kickass video

Good narrative.

Very interesting.

I see a missed opportunity to use Amon Amarth's Berserker on Stamford Bridge intro on this video.

🐐 of UKposts 🔥💯

Harald Hardrada's name isn't actually his name, but an epithet. Literally translated to the Haraldur the Hard-ruler (Haraldur Harðráði), not too dissimilar to William the Conquerer. Haraldur I was known as Hárfagri - or "fair-haired". And was a common way to distinguish them both from each other (the kings were all called Haraldur) as well as the numerous men in their entourages who shared the same name. P.S. Great video.

King Harold's 4 day march up from Sussex mustve been one *_h&lluva_* high impact hike

marching 50 miles a day for 4 days is very impressive!!!

I wonder why they didn't try to block the bridge.

Harald. What a beast. 6’ 6” in 1066 is like being 7 feet tall today. But talk about bad scouting. How bad ass was that Ajax?

Bloody history indeed

More Scandinavian history please.

Another loving sacrifice to the algorithm!

I think that there are unknown caricatures who boarded a ship to inform the "Bastard of Normandy" that the pre arranged plan with Tostig to divide the kingdom north and south respectively. Similarly to Poland in 1939. But William let Harold exhaust his House Carl Spartans marching to York and back after a brilliant surprise attack

Great video, really informative! One small detail, the Welsh name Gruffydd is not pronounced Gru-fid. The u in Welsh is pronounced as the i in pin, and dd pronounced similar to 'th". The name is essentially Griffith.

Are the pictures of the lords ect art for the characters accurate? Or stock photos?