Battle of Fulford facts for kids
The Battle of Fulford was a big battle that happened on September 20, 1066. It took place near the city of York in England. This fight was between Viking invaders and English leaders.
On one side was the powerful King Harald III of Norway, also known as Harald Hardrada. His name means "hard ruler" in Old Norse. He was joined by an English ally, Tostig Godwinson. Tostig was the brother of the English king, Harold Godwinson, but he had been sent away from England.
On the other side were two important English Earls: Edwin and Morcar. The battle happened just outside a village called Fulford, very close to York. The Vikings won this battle clearly.
The English Earls could have stayed safe behind York's city walls. But instead, they decided to fight the Vikings across a river. All day, the English tried to break through the Viking shield wall, but they could not.
Earls Edwin and Morcar survived the battle. After their defeat, the city of York gave up to the Norwegians. Harald Hardrada had won a great victory. One reason for the battle was that Earl Morcar had taken Tostig's place as the Earl of Northumbria.
What Led to the Battle
The English king, Edward the Confessor, died on January 5, 1066. He had no children to take his place. The only living royal family member was a young boy named Edgar.
The day after King Edward's funeral, on January 6, Harold Godwinson quickly went to London. He was the Earl of Wessex. Harold was crowned king in the Abbey of Saint Peter of Westminster. The important leaders of England, called the Witenagemot, chose him to be king.
However, two strong Earls, Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria, did not fully support King Harold. Harold went north to deal with them. In the end, he got their loyalty by marrying their sister, Edith. She was a widow from Wales. By getting Edwin and Morcar on his side, King Harold became stronger in the north of England. These two Earls were the first line of defense against Harald Hardrada's invasion.
After the Battle
The defeat of the English Earls at Fulford had a big impact. Because his enemies won, King Harold Godwinson had to quickly march his soldiers. They traveled about 190 miles (306 km) from London to York. He did this in just one week after the Battle of Fulford.
King Harold surprised the Viking army and defeated them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. This happened just a few days after Fulford. Meanwhile, William, Duke of Normandy, had landed his army in southern England.
The battles at Fulford and Stamford Bridge likely made King Harold's army weaker. This happened just three weeks before the Battle of Hastings. If Harold had not been busy fighting in the north, he might have been better prepared for William at Hastings. The outcome of that famous battle might have been different.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Fulford para niños
