Harald Hardrada died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge
It is a fact that Harald Hardrada died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Harald and Tostig departed Riccall with the majority of their men early on September 25th but left one-third of their soldiers behind. They packed just light armor since they intended to meet the citizens of York at Stamford Bridge the day before to decide who would manage the town under Harald. Harald noticed Godwinson's forces approaching, fully armed and armored, and far outnumbering Harald's. Despite the fact that the English forces were held up at the bridge for some time by a single massive Norwegian, allowing Harald and Tostig to reassemble into a shield-wall configuration, Harald's army was heavily crushed in the end. Harald was killed in a condition of berserkergang, having worn no body armor, and fought furiously with both hands around his sword, early in the conflict, afterward dubbed the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
When the battle was nearly ended, some Riccall reserve forces led by Eystein Orre emerged, but they were fatigued from running all the way. Eystein took up Harald's fallen banner, the "Landwaster", and launched a final counter-attack. Although they appeared to be on the verge of breaching the English line, Eystein was abruptly murdered, forcing the rest of the troops to escape the battlefield. Harald's son Olaf was among that left at Riccall after the battle and allowed to return home peacefully by the English army. Although records claim that Harald's surviving army only filled 20-25 ships on the trip back to Norway, this figure most likely only includes Norwegian forces. The majority of the men from Scotland and Orkney were most likely stationed at Riccall during the fight and are not included in the standard number.
Harold Godwinson's success was short-lived, as he was defeated and slain at the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror only a few weeks later. Harold's forced march to combat Hardrada at Stamford Bridge and then advance at breakneck speed south to confront the Norman invasion, all in less than three weeks, is largely regarded as a major element in William's triumph at Hastings.
