THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE – PART FOUR On 18th or 19th September 1066 came the news that Harald Hardrada had landed and was somewhere in the north. King Harold Godwinson was probably in London by now, and he presumably thought that the Northumbrian earls alone could not deal with the situation, or he may not have trusted them entirely, as while his brother Tostig had been driven out in 1065 he would still have had some supporters there. Harold decided that only he could restore the situation and on 20th or 21st September he began to move north with his own housecarls and such of the militia that was available. That must have been a problem, since he had only just stood them down; only those with no land to be planted or any family responsibilities could join him. As he moved further north he could collect more men, but many of the Mercian militia had been killed or put to flight at Fulford, so it is difficult to see how he could have amassed the claimed English army of 10,000 foot soldiers, almost certainly an exaggeration, although the suggested 2,000 mounted men seems more realistic, as they would mainly have been housecarls or the regular troops of the king’s bodyguard.
THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE - PART FOUR
THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE - PART FOUR
THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE - PART FOUR
THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE – PART FOUR On 18th or 19th September 1066 came the news that Harald Hardrada had landed and was somewhere in the north. King Harold Godwinson was probably in London by now, and he presumably thought that the Northumbrian earls alone could not deal with the situation, or he may not have trusted them entirely, as while his brother Tostig had been driven out in 1065 he would still have had some supporters there. Harold decided that only he could restore the situation and on 20th or 21st September he began to move north with his own housecarls and such of the militia that was available. That must have been a problem, since he had only just stood them down; only those with no land to be planted or any family responsibilities could join him. As he moved further north he could collect more men, but many of the Mercian militia had been killed or put to flight at Fulford, so it is difficult to see how he could have amassed the claimed English army of 10,000 foot soldiers, almost certainly an exaggeration, although the suggested 2,000 mounted men seems more realistic, as they would mainly have been housecarls or the regular troops of the king’s bodyguard.