fbpx

KidsKonnect

Battle of Stamford Bridge Facts & Worksheets

The Battle of Stamford Bridge occurred on September 25, 1066, in the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Battle of Stamford Bridge Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The Battle of Stamford Bridge occurred on September 25, 1066, in the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. King Harold of England defeated the invading forces of King Hardrada of Norway and Tostig Godwinson, the English King’s brother. Only 24 ships from the original 300 sailed back to Norway.

See the fact file below for more information on the Battle of Stamford Bridge or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Battle of Stamford Bridge worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

 BACKGROUND 

  • Edward the Confessor ruled in England from 1042 to 1066. He was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England. During his reign, Earl Godwin was the most powerful Anglo-Saxon noble. 
  • He was the father of Harold Godwinson and Tostig Godwinson. He owned Wessex, the wealthiest English province, and had a large military force that Edward relied heavily upon.
  • Godwin and Edward fell out when the King insisted on appointing a Norman, Robert of Jumièges, as Archbishop of Canterbury against Godwin’s wishes. 
  • The Godwin family, including the sons, were banished. In 1051, they returned a year later with military force and demanded that Edward restore Tostig’s earldom. In 1055, Tostig became the Earl of Northumbria.
  • Tostig appeared to be a weak leader to the Northumbrians. He was said to impose heavy taxation and oppress those who opposed his orders. He was allegedly involved in the murders of several Northumbrian families. Because of his unpopularity, it became difficult for him to raise local troops to combat the invading Scots. He resorted to using the Danish military as his army.
  • On October 3, 1065, the discontented thegns of Yorkshire had enough. They marched on York, occupied the city, and declared Tostig outlawed for unlawful actions. They demanded that Morcar replace him as ruler of Northumbria.
  • The rebels presented their case to King Edward, and Harold was dispatched to negotiate with the rebels. Upon hearing their grievances, it became clear that Tostig could not continue as leader of Northumbria. Harold persuaded King Edward to agree to the demands of the rebel. Harold’s action led to the two brothers’ bitter hostility toward each other. Tostig vowed to get revenge.
  • On January 5, 1066, Edward the Confessor, King of England, died without an apparent heir. Harold Godwinson, one of the sons of the influential Earl of Wessex, Godwin, was appointed by the  Witenagemot to succeed the throne. He was crowned on January 6, 1066.    

 TOSTIG’S FIRST REBELLION

  • Tostig left England with his family and some loyal thegns to seek refuge with his brother-in-law, Count Baldwin V of Flanders. 
  • He also met with the Duke of Normandy, who claimed to be King Edward’s rightful successor, to aid his invasion of England. William agreed, but Tostig was too impatient to wait for William to finish his preparation. 
  • Count Baldwin supplied Tostig with a fleet, and in May 1066, he landed on the Isle of Wight to collect money and provisions. He then began to raid the coast as far as Sandwich but retreated when King Harold called out land and naval forces. TostIg tried to persuade his brother Gyrth to join him but was unsuccessful. 
  • He moved north and raided Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Earls Edwin and Morcar defeated him. Tostig fled to King Malcolm III of Scotland. 

BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE

  • While Tostig was in Scotland, he persuaded King Hardrada through a fellow exile, Copsig, that he also had a right to be the successor to King Edward’s throne based on an agreement between his predecessor Magnus the Good and King Harthacnut of England. If one were without an heir, one of them would inherit England and Norway. 
  • King Harald agreed. With his men and Tostig’s force, they invaded England.
  • In September 1066, King Hardrada and his army arrived off the English coast, which was reinforced by Tostig’s army from Flanders and Scotland. Tostig and Hardrada landed at Tyne and sacked and burned the town of Scarborough. 
  • They sailed up the River Ouse to advance on the city of York. The Earl of Mercia and the Earl of Northumbria sent an army to defeat them, but Tostig and Hardrada’s army prevailed in the Battle of Fulford on September 20. 
  • When news about the Vikings’ attack reached Harold, he and his army, who were waiting for the Duke of Normandy’s invasion, hurried north. 
  • They traveled day and night and marched his army from London to Yorkshire, a 185-mile distance, in only four days. 
  • But before King Harold attacked the Vikings, a sole man rode up alone. He gave no name and talked to Tostig. The man offered to return Tostig’s earldom if he turned against Hardrada. 
  • When Tostig asked what his brother would give to Hardrada, the unidentified man replied, “Seven feet of English ground, as he is taller than other men”. Tostig told Hardrada that it was Harold himself. 
  • Hardrada, Tostig, and their men, fresh from their high after winning the Battle of Fulford, were only expecting hostages to arrive from nearby York. Harold caught them by surprise when he and his army got easier access to the vast meadow somewhere to the east of the River Derwent via a wooden bridge known as Stamford Bridge. 
  • Only half of Hardrada’s men were at Stamford Bridge. The other half were about 15 miles south, guarding the Norse ships. Additionally, as they were not expecting a full-on battle, most left their armor coats in their camp.
  • The battle lasted for a day, and Hardrada and Tostig were killed on September 25, 1066. Accounts suggest that the war was incredibly bloody; 6000 Vikings and 5000 from Harold’s army were killed. 
  • The corpses were left to rot under the bridge. Tostig, despite his betrayal, was given an honorable burial in York. 
  • Harold’s victory was short-lived. Exhausted from this battle, he was only given a few days to prepare for the other invading forces, by William of Normandy. 
  • Moreover, he and his army traveled 200 miles by foot to return to Sussex, where they waited for the Normans before Tostig’s and Hardrada’s invasion. 
  • The Normans killed King Harold on October 14, 1066. 

Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Battle of Stamford Bridge across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Battle of Stamford Bridge which occurred on September 25, 1066, in the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets
  • Battle of Stamford Bridge Worksheets

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Battle of Stamford Facts
  • Two Kings
  • Tostig’s Earldom
  • Before the Battle
  • The Battle of Fulford 
  • The Battle of Stamford Bridge  
  • Tostig’s Story 
  • Surprise Attack
  • Supporting Characters
  • Two Brothers
  • Battle Report

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Battle of Stamford Bridge Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 27, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources