Harald Hardrada
The sagas give Harald Sigurdsson, also known as Harald of Norway (c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), the title Hardrada, which roughly translates as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler." From 1046 to 1066, he ruled Norway (as Harald III). He also attempted to usurp the English crown in 1066 and the Danish throne until 1064. Harald had spent about fifteen years in exile as a military leader and mercenary in Kievan Rus' and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire before he became king.
In 1046, Harald allied himself with pretender Sweyn II of Denmark, the adversary of Magnus in Denmark (Magnus had already attained the throne of that nation), and together began to invade the Danish coastline. At home, Harald overthrew all local and regional opposition and detailed the territorial unification of Norway under a centralized government. The reign of Harald was probably marked by a fair amount of peace and stability, and he established a strong coin economy and foreign trade. Harald also claimed the Danish crown and spent nearly every year up to 1064 ravaging the Danish coast and battling Sweyn, his old ally, likely in an effort to revive Cnut's "North Sea Empire." Despite having strong campaigns, he was never able to take over Denmark.
The former Earl of Northumbria, Tostig Godwinson, brother of the newly crowned English king Harold Godwinson (also known as Harold of Wessex), pledged his allegiance to Harald and extended an invitation for him to ascend to the English throne not long after Harald had renounced his claim to Denmark. Along with 10,000 soldiers and 300 longships, Harald invaded Northern England in September 1066, carried out a coast attack, and on September 20, 1066, he beat the Northumbria and Mercia regional English forces. The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place on September 25, 1066, and despite Harald's initial success, Harold Godwinson's men surprised him, murdered him, and nearly destroyed his whole army. The Viking Age was said to have come to an end when Harald died, putting a halt to his invasion.
