Our midweek Forgotten History extra continues the 1066 theme. Murray tells the story of Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian king whose death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge is traditionally seen as the end of the Viking Age in England.
Harald was fighting in battles by the age of 15. After his half-brother King Olaf II was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030, Harald fled east to Kievan Rus and served Prince Yaroslav the Wise. He then joined the Varangian Guard, the elite Scandinavian bodyguard of the Byzantine emperors, and campaigned across the Mediterranean, including the fight to retake Sicily. He returned home a very wealthy man, became King of Norway in 1046, and spent years trying and failing to take Denmark too.
In September 1066, at around 50 years old, he invaded England with roughly 300 ships, joined by Tostig Godwinson, the exiled brother of King Harold II. After victory at the Battle of Fulford and the surrender of York, Harald was caught by surprise at Stamford Bridge on 25 September after King Harold’s march north. Harald was killed, the invasion collapsed, and only around 24 ships were needed to carry the survivors home.
Plus Viking tattoos, the famous Viking poo at York’s Jorvik Viking Centre, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and why Katie never won a sports day as a Norman.
Watch on YouTube
youtube.com/@detectinghistorychannel
Got a forgotten history story you’d like us to cover?
WhatsApp: 07457 410889. Send your finds for the monthly competition too, and you could win a year’s free Field Finders subscription.
Email: detectinghistorychannel@gmail.com
Sponsors
Field Finders: 20% off a subscription at fieldfinders.co.uk with code DHFF20
Regton: 10% off selected items at regton.com with code DHPodcast
The Bronze Art Workshop: metal conservation and bronze casting, thebronzeartworkshop.com
","author_name":"Katie MacDoyle"}