September 25, 1066Reputable sourceWell documented
Stamford Bridge: The Last Viking King
On the timeline · around September 25, 1066 ·
What happened
In 1066 the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada invaded England to claim its throne. He was defeated and killed by King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Stamford Bridge — days before Harold himself fell to the Normans at Hastings.
Why it matters
Hardrada's death is often taken as the end of the Viking Age. Fittingly, the Norman victor at Hastings was himself descended from Rollo's Vikings.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Twelve Great Viking Leaders · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Middle Ages → — 1066 and the end of Anglo-Saxon England