Enemies, both north and south.
Rivals for the crown both the north and south!
News reaches Harold by word of mouth!
On September 25th, Hardrada headed from his camp at the banks of the Humber to travel to York to talk to the defeated local lords. It was an unusually hot day, and expecting nothing in the way of trouble, his men had left their weapons behind them as they journeyed to York. As they approached the city, hoping for little more than some rest and recreation within its walls, they were confronted with the awesome sight of the Saxon army.
The Saxons pounced on the near defenceless Norwegians many of whom tried to run back to the river Humber for their weapons. One brave, enormous Viking stood with an axe on the entrance to Stamford Bridge and killed Saxon after Saxon with a circular swathe of his huge axe in a courageous attempt to buy time for his comrades to retrieve their weaponry.
Stamford Bridge on the river Derwent where Harold defeated Hardrada’s viking army.
Hardly cricket, old chap!
Not that we mind, we killed him with a spear from behind!
He was eventually killed by a Saxon who commandeered a curragh, and, sailing under the bridge in a rather unsporting spirit, threw a spear at him from behind.
At the days end Hardrada and Tostig both lay dead, as did so many of their men. There were so few survivors that a mere 24 of the 300 ships that had arrived were sufficient to ferry them back to Norway.
At Stamford Bridge we slew the Viking beast!
Let us now retire to York to relax and feast!
Well, not for long! As he savoured his victory over Hardrada, Harold received the disturbing news that William had landed at Pevensey on September 29th and was laying waste to his beloved home county of Sussex.
So gracious was the morning tide, so pleasant was the boat ride!
With great ease the sandy, Saxon beach, our Norman army soon did reach!
A lesson in the art of warfare, the Saxon king we will teach!
For William, the wind could not possibly have changed at a better time. He was able to sail and land in England while Harold was in the north, and the southern coast lay undefended.
Thank God for Imperial Rome! Their old fort at Pevensey would become William’s first English home!
William decided to put the old Roman fort at Pevensey to good use. It had not been used in 600 years but the Romans had done a good job, it was still in good working order. He would re-fortify it and use it as his base of military operations in Sussex.
The Normans went boldly forth from Pevensey’s Roman fort!
Across the fair, green land of Sussex they plundered and fought!
The entrance to Pevensey Castle. William’s pathway to England!
The castle had been built by the Romans as a defensive device to keep invaders out of the country. William now used it as the polar opposite! It would now play a crucial role in an offensive plan to allow invaders into the land!
Meanwhile, Harold’s victory celebrations at York were speedily terminated as he conferred with his commanders on how best to proceed.
For Harold the change in wind direction set forth a chain of events that would end in disaster!
Of his country, he would no longer be the master!
Harold decided on another surprise attack. He saw the need for breakneck speed and marched the 250 miles along the old Roman roads so fast that he failed to stop for additional manpower. His army arrived in London footsore and immensely fatigued. On the evening of October 13th, Harold set up camp on a high ridge in Sussex, opposite William’s army.
