Norway V England Dark History: What Happened to the Viking at Stamford Bridge?
The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place in Yorkshire in September 1066. This clash is famous because it marked the end of the Viking age in England. Today, the most common question about the battle focuses on a specific and violent event.
People want to know how the English army killed the lone Viking on the bridge.
The historical accounts tell a dark and grim story about this moment.
The Standoff on the River Derwent
King Harold Godwinson led the English army on a rapid march north. They caught the Norwegian Vikings by surprise near York. The Vikings were resting on the banks of the River Derwent, and many of them had left their heavy chainmail armour behind on their ships.
The main Viking force was on the far side of the river. They needed time to prepare their weapons and form a defensive shield wall, so one large warrior stood on the narrow wooden bridge to block the English advance.
The Norse warrior used a large battleaxe to defend the crossing. He held the position alone and killed around forty English soldiers who tried to force their way across. The entire English army was blocked by this single soldier.
The Spear from the River
The English commanders realised they could not defeat the warrior in direct combat on the narrow bridge. They chose to use a different tactic to clear the path.
An English soldier got into a small wooden boat or a barrel. He floated out onto the river and moved underneath the wooden timbers of the bridge. The Viking warrior could not see the soldier through the gaps in the wood.
The soldier used a long spear to stab upward between the planks. The weapon struck the Viking from below in the lower abdomen and groin. The warrior collapsed from his wounds, and the English army moved across the river.
The Aftermath of the Battle
With the bridge clear, the English army attacked the main body of the Viking forces. The fighting was intense and lasted for hours. The Norwegian king, Harald Hardrada, died during the battle after an arrow hit him in the throat.
The losses for the invaders were severe. The Vikings originally arrived in England with a fleet of three hundred ships, but the survivors only needed twenty-four ships to return to Norway.
King Harold Godwinson won a decisive victory at Stamford Bridge. However, his army suffered heavy casualties and faced extreme exhaustion. Just three weeks later, William of Normandy invaded the south coast, and the weakened English army lost the Battle of Hastings.
