On This Day In History: The Battle Of Fulford Was Fought – On Sep 20, 1066 AD
AncientPages.com - On September 20, 1066, the Battle of Fulford, near York, Yorkshire (then capital of Northumbria) was fought.
Saxon troops of Mercia and Northumbria commanded by brothers Earl Edwin and Earl Morcar, met a Norse army under command of King Harald Hardrada, with the aid of Earl Tostig, brother of King Harold Godwinson of England.
Harold, Earl of Wessex, took the throne after the death of King Edward the Confessor of England but the situation in the country was still unstable.
Two other nobles claimed the crown; Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, and William, Duke of Normandy.
While William gathered a fleet and waited impatiently for favourable winds to sail across the Channel to the south coast of England, Harald gathered an invasion force in the north.
His fleet of longships left Norway and crossed the North Sea and reached the mouth of the Tyne where his forces joint Tostig, so the invasion force numbered more than 10,000 men at arms.
The enemy – the Norman army had only 7,000 men.
King Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, was one of the claimants to the English throne following the death of Edward the Confessor in January 1066
King Harald Hardrada landed at Riccall, North Yorkshire and marched on the city of York. His army met the troops from Mercia and Northumbria, at Fulford, on the outskirts of York and the battle took place.
The English attacked the Norwegian line and pushed them back in disarray but as the English advanced, Harald's left wing swept around in an abrupt pincer movement, trapping the English against the ditch.
It was terrible fight; the armies of Mercia and Northumbria were cut to pieces and the Norse were able to advance.
York wisely surrendered to the invaders, and Harald did not enter the city but retired to Stamford Bridge to await the gathering of hostages from around the region.
The Norse had but 5 days to enjoy their victory at Fulford.
On 25 September, King Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, surprised Harald Hardrada of Norway at Stamford Bridge, and defeaedt the Norsemen.
Hardrada himself was killed, as was Tostig, and the Norse withdrew.
However, the repercussions of Fulford Battle were enormous and finally led to the success of the Norman invasion that followed…
AncientPages.com
More From Ancient Pages
-
Ancient Secrets Of The Masters Of Mu – Myths And Legends Examined – Part 1
-
Where Does The Expression “Pyrrhic Victory” Come From?
-
Dreamcatcher: Powerful Protective Amulet Of North American Indian People
-
Göbeklitepe-Like Kahin Tepe Is Oldest Worship Place In Black Sea Region – Interesting Finding
-
Mystery Of The Österödskvinnan (Österöd Woman) Who Lived In Sweden 10,000 Years Ago
-
‘Exceptional’ Ancient Roman Bath Complex Discovered In Mérida, Spain
-
Levänluhta People Could Survive Fimbulwinter Thanks To Their Diverse Livelihoods
-
On This Day In History: Battle of Oosterweel Was Fought – On Mar 13, 1567
-
Giants Roamed The Earth Millions Of Years Ago
-
Massive trophy skull rack discovered in the Aztec ruins
-
Eye Of Ra – Powerful Ancient Egyptian Symbol With Deep Meaning
-
Magnificent 2 Meters Tall Marble Apollo Statue And Other Artifacts Found In San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy
-
Archaic Hominins Began Sea-Crossings The Aegean Sea 450,000 Years Ago
-
Fixing Archaeology’s Dating Problem – New Method Developed By Scientists
-
Teotihuacán: Enigmatic Birthplace Of The Gods And Its Obscure History
-
Mysterious Pyramid-Shaped Tomb Discovered In China
-
Hadrian’s Wall: North-West Frontier Of The Roman Empire For Nearly 300 Years
-
3,000-Year-Old Nimrud Lens Could Re-Write The History Of Science – Was The World’s Oldest Telescope Developed By Ancient Assyrian Astronomers?
-
5,000-Year-Old Black Death Victim Challenges Theories Of Development Of Human Civilization
-
Underwater City: Unveiling The Secrets At The Bottom Of Fuxian Lake
