History

• King Edward the Confessor died with no heir

  1066
• Harold Godwinson

  The King's right hand man, was declared the next King of England
• William Duke of Normandy

  Believed he should be king and had been betrayed by the English
• Harald Hardrada

  The Viking, also believed he should be king and had been betrayed by the English
• In September 1066

  1. Harald Hardrada sailed his Viking fleet to York in the North of England

  2. They destroyed the town of Fulford
• Harold Godwinson

  1. Marched his soldiers 5 days to meet the Vikings

  2. Launched a surprise attack in the Battle of Stamford Bridge

  3. Defeated the Viking army
• That same day, William of Normandy landed in the south of England
• Harold

  1. Was forced to march his soldiers back to the south of England, a journey which took 5 days

  2. Again fight off a foreign army
• William's soldiers

  • Were well rested
  • Better equipped to fight
  • Larger than Harold's army
• Harold was killed on the battlefield during the Battle of Hastings
• William became King