Battle of Gate Fulford, 1066 Flashcards
Why did the Anglo-Saxons lose the battle of Gate Fulford?
- Outnumbered
- Hadradas military experience
- Position of their troops
How many soldiers were in Hadrada’s and Tostigs troops and how many did he deploy?
10,000 (6000 deployed)
How many soldiers were in Edwin and Morcars troops?
5000
What military experience did Hadrada have?
Harald had also spent around fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kyivan Rus’ and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire
When he was fifteen years old, in 1030, Harald fought in the Battle of Stiklestad together with his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson (later Saint Olaf).
How did the positioning of Edwin and Morcar’s troops lead to their loss?
Edwin and Morcar stationed their troops in front of marshland, leaving them nowhere to retreat.
What were the events of Fulford Gate?
1) Hadrada sent Tostigs weaker troops and less experienced troops to face the Anglo-Saxons
2) When the Anglo-Saxons charged them, Hardrada brought his stronger and more experienced soldiers to attack them from the side.
3) The English army broke position and tried to retreat, but ran into the marsh and got stuck.
4) The Vikings cut the Anglo-Saxons down, and claimed that they could avoid getting their boots muddy in the marsh by walking on the English corpses.
5) Edwin and Morcar escaped from the slaughter, but it is very likely they were too weakened to play any role in the later battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings.
When was the Battle of Fulford?
20th September 1066
What casualties did the Vikings face at Fulford Gate?
600
How many casualties did Edwin and Morcar face at Fulford?
1000
What did Hadrada do after his victory?
He captured the city of York and camped his army 15 miles south at Stamford Bridge to wait for Edwin and Morcar to send money and hostages.
What tactics did the Vikings use?
A shield wall
