READER COMMENT

From the U.K. – an item that I have since corrected.

(February 6, 2003)

It is stated that the army of Harold Godwinson, defeated by the Normans at Hastings was "not trained and poorly armed". On the contrary, the Saxon Fyrd had a week earlier defeated the Norse army of Harald Hadruba at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, near to York. The effort of assembling in the shires, marching to the North of England, fighting the Vikings at Stamford Bridge and then marching the whole length of England to fight the Normans at Hastings was probably the most decisive factor in the Battle of Hastings. The troops were absolutely exhausted when they met the Normans.

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