The Battle of Stamford Bridge takes place at the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire in England on 25 September 1066, between an English army under King Harold Godwinson and an invading Norwegian force led by King Harald Hardrada of Norway and the English king's brother Tostig Godwinson.
After a bloody and horrific battle, both Hardrada and Tostig, along with most of the Norwegians, are killed.
Although Harold repels the Norwegian invaders, his victory is short-lived: he is defeated and killed by the Normans at Hastings less than three weeks later.
The battle has traditionally been presented as symbolizing the end of the Viking Age, although in fact major Scandinavian campaigns in Britain and Ireland occur in the following decades, notably those of King Sweyn Estrithson of Denmark in 1069–70 and King Magnus Barefoot of Norway in 1098 and 1102–03.
