Rival Claimants

When comparing these claims, a clear similarity is that Harold, William, and Hardrada all relied on verbal agreements, oaths, or past treaties because they lacked a direct father-to-son bloodline. Furthermore, both Harold and Hardrada offered the strong military leadership that the Witan deemed essential due to looming threats. The major difference lies in Edgar: while he possessed the strongest hereditary right, the nobility prioritised immediate defensibility over blood, completely bypassing him.

Harold's Coronation and Consolidation of Power

Why does this matter? Taking the crown is one thing, but keeping it requires moving at lightning speed before your enemies even realise what has happened. Harold Godwinson moved instantly, holding his coronation on January 6, 1066—the exact same day as Edward’s funeral. The ceremony took place at the newly consecrated Westminster Abbey, a deliberate step to cement his holy authority and preempt rival claims.

Once crowned, Harold began a step-by-step consolidation of his power. First, he travelled straight to York to secure the loyalty of the northern thegns, who had a strong Anglo-Danish heritage and a history of rebelling against the Godwins. Next, he formed a crucial marriage alliance with Edith of Mercia, the sister to Earls Edwin and Morcar of the rival House of Leofric. This strategic marriage successfully unified the earldoms of Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria under his control.

To prepare for external threats, Harold mobilised the fyrd. He positioned his troops and the fleet along the southern coast from May to September 1066, actively awaiting William's anticipated invasion.

Tostig's Revenge and the Northern Invasions

When political leaders face a national crisis, they sometimes have to sacrifice their own family members to keep the peace. Tostig Godwinson, Harold's brother, was exiled in 1065 after Northumbrian rebels protested his crippling taxes and his assassination of local rivals. Harold chose national stability over family loyalty and sided with the rebels, an act Tostig viewed as a deadly betrayal.

Seeking revenge, Tostig launched failed raids in the south in May 1066 before fleeing to Scotland. He then persuaded Harald Hardrada to launch a massive Viking invasion of England. Tostig provided the crucial local knowledge and motivation that brought approximately 300 longships and up to 15,000 men to the shores of northern England.

The Battle of Gate Fulford

The English defenders made a critical mistake by letting the enemy dictate the battlefield. On September 20, 1066, Hardrada and Tostig clashed with Earls Edwin and Morcar just outside the walls of York at Germany Beck. The English earls poorly positioned themselves with marshland at their backs, leaving no route for a safe retreat.

Hardrada used brilliant tactics, using Tostig's weaker troops on one wing as bait to draw the English forward. Once the English charged, Hardrada's elite housecarls, who had been hidden by a rise in the ground, struck the English flank. The battle was a disaster for the English, resulting in approximately 500 deaths and forcing York to surrender on September 24.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge

How do you defeat a massive Viking army that has just crushed your northern defences? You catch them completely off guard. King Harold marched his army 185 miles north from London to York in just 4 to 5 days, achieving total tactical surprise on September 25, 1066.

The Vikings were resting at Stamford Bridge, waiting to collect hostages and money, and were completely unprepared for combat. Crucially, they did not have their chain mail armour and had left one-third of their men at their ships in Riccall, 10 miles away. Despite a legendary lone Viking berserker temporarily holding the bridge, the English forces exploited their superior numbers and the Vikings' lack of armour. Both Hardrada and Tostig were killed, and the Viking army was so thoroughly destroyed that only 24 ships were needed to carry the survivors home.

The Impact on the Battle of Hastings

Winning a phenomenal victory can sometimes cost you the entire war. While Stamford Bridge successfully ended the Viking threat, it severely depleted Harold's army. He lost roughly 5,000 men in the north, wiping out many of his highly trained housecarls and critically weakening the core of his shield wall for the upcoming fight in the south.

Harold's men were physically exhausted, having completed two massive marches and fought two brutal battles in under three weeks. Timing also worked against them: William landed at Pevensey on September 28 while Harold was still in the north, leaving no time to recover or gather the full fyrd. Ultimately, Harold's success at Stamford Bridge likely made him overconfident in surprise tactics, driving him to rush into battle at Hastings rather than waiting safely in London for reinforcements.