The death of King Edward the Confessor of England in January 1066 had triggered a succession struggle in which a variety of contenders from across north-western Europe fought for the English throne.

Arriving off the English coast in September, Hardrada was joined by further forces recruited in Flanders and Scotland by Tostig Godwinson.

Having been ousted from his position as Earl of Northumbria and exiled in 1065, Tostig had mounted a series of abortive attacks on England in the spring of 1066.

[8] At this time King Harold was in Southern England, anticipating an invasion from France by William, Duke of Normandy, another contender for the English throne.

Learning of the Norwegian invasion he headed north at great speed with his housecarls and as many thegns as he could gather, travelling day and night.

Having learned that the Northumbrians had been ordered to send the additional hostages and supplies to the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge, Harold hurried on through York to attack them at this rendezvous on 25 September.

Manuscript C contains a passage which states, "Then Harold, king of the English, came upon them beyond the bridge by surprise; and there they joined battle and were fighting very hard long in the day".

[12] According to Henry of Huntington, after many "fearful assaults on both sides," the English superiority in numbers forced the Norwegians "to give way but not to flee.

The battle went far beyond the bridge itself, and although it raged for hours, the Norse army's decision to leave their armour behind left them at a distinct disadvantage.

Eventually, the Norse army began to fragment and fracture, allowing the English troops to force their way in and break up the Scandinavians' shield wall.

Completely outflanked, and with Hardrada killed with an arrow to his windpipe and Tostig slain, the Norwegian army disintegrated and was virtually annihilated.

[20] In the later stages of the battle, the Norwegians were reinforced by troops who had been guarding the ships at Riccall some 25 km away, led by Eystein Orre, Hardrada's prospective son-in-law.

[21][22] King Harold accepted a truce with the surviving Norwegians, including Harald's son Olaf and Paul Thorfinnsson, Earl of Orkney.

Three days after the battle, on 28 September, a Norman invasion army led by William the Conqueror landed in Pevensey, Sussex, on the south coast of England.

There, he was decisively defeated and killed in action, allowing for William to march on London and take control over all of England as part of the Norman Conquest.