this was honestly really good

In Greece we are mostly taught about Hardrada as a famous member of the Byzantine emperor's Varangian guard, who later went on to become a Norse king. Learning that he was killed in Stanford bridge is strangely like being informed that an old friend has died. Kind of wanted him to have had a better ending.

This makes history exciting. They should use this in schools

This really helped me in my history test. Thank you!!! 😀😀😀

When I used to do history in school, my school had a hill, so for one history lesson we got to go outside and recreate this scene, we got foam swords, and little foam arrows to throw up the hill, obviously the hill team won. I played the cavalry so I just got a little foam spear and just kept jabbing people with it on the hill.

history teachers teach this same thing but make it go over 3 weeks when they can just make the students watch this

Fun fact: The 1066 battle was actually fought in Battle, England; so it would’ve really been the Battle of Battle

"Just one problem: The wind. It was blowing the wrong way. So they waited. And waited. And William said 'screw it' and got shipwrecked because the wind was blowing the wrong way"

The language portion of the video was brilliantly executed

This story serves as a stark reminder for Britain, to never let a foreign army step foot on the mainland. There's a reason why the only nations to ever fight England on their soil after this were neighbouring Wales and Scotland.

"The Problem with becoming king in the middle ages was that your country wouldn't support you at first."

Fun fact:

These videos are amazing

An interesting fact is that a few years after the big fight and the Norman conquest of England the pope ordered William to do something nice because of all the people that he had killed. So, in the town of battle, on the very hill that the big fight took place, William constructed battle abbey, a memorial to the big fight. At the top of the hill which the big fight was fought, there used to be an altar, but now a stone, marking the place that Harold oofed.

I recently bought "Age of Empires IV" and the battle of Hastings was included. It was narrated and even showed you, you are playing William, Duke of Normandy, step by step how to beat Godwinson's forces. I must have played that scenario a dozen times and always had my ass handed to me. It was embarrassing.

A cool story from the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and moment of historical badassery: Apparently, before the battle, a lone English rider approached the Norwegian host and found Harald Hardrada, who was accompanied by Tostig Godwinson. Tostig was Harold Godwinson's brother, but had been stripped of his titles and exiled, so joined Harald Hardrada to get some revenge and his land back. This lone rider spoke to them and offered Tostig his land back if he turned on Harald and sided with the English. Tostig asked what Harold Godwinson would offer Harald Hardrada for his trouble, and the rider responded "Six feet of ground, or as much more as he needs, as he is taller than most men." The rider then turned and left. Harald Hardrada, impressed by the boldness of this lone rider willing to stand before the entire Norwegian host and threaten their king, asked Tostig if he knew who he was - Tostig said yes, and that lone rider was none other than Harold Godwinson himself.

I like how they show Edward the Martyr being born second, yet being the older one some how.

Fun fact: Despite the British monarchies being descendants of William the Conqueror, they are also descendants of the Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the Great. Henry II’s great grandmother was an English noblewoman who was a descendent of Athereled the Unready.

Ironic how the man whose father gave someone a red hot poker in the eyes took a stone cold arrow in the eyes

RIP Harald Hadrada. Dude lost, but he still went down in history and is remembered almost 1000 years later. He became the legend he set out to be.