Stamford Bridge.

I was reading Ephesians and noted Paul uses the expression “Put on the full armor of God” twice. (Eph 6:11 and 13). This reminded me of a story from year 8 History.

The death of King Edward the Confessor of England in January 1066 had triggered a succession struggle in which a variety of contenders from across north-western Europe fought for the English throne. These claimants included the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada. He assembled a fleet of 300 ships to invade England. They landed and advanced on York and on the 20th of September defeated a northern English army, at the Battle of Fulford, outside York. Following this victory, they received the surrender of York. Having briefly occupied the city and taken hostages and supplies from the city they returned towards their ships on the coast.

At this time King Harold was in Southern England, anticipating an invasion from France by William, Duke of Normandy, another contender for the English throne. Learning of the Norwegian invasion he headed north at great speed with his army, travelling day and night. He made the journey from London to Yorkshire, about 298 km, in only four days, enabling him to take the Norwegians completely by surprise.

When he arrived at Stamford bridge where he had learned the Norwegians were camped, he founded them divided on both sides of the Derwent river, lazing about in the sun.  Between them was Stamford Bridge – thus the name for the battle that occurred on Sept 25. The Vikings on the Southern side of the Bridge, without armor, shields and any preparation were decimated. Many fled back across the Bridge where a shield wall was being formed. The Vikings still did not have time to adorn armor.

One of the Norwegians (possibly armed with a Dane Axe) blocked the narrow crossing and single-handedly held up the entire English army. The story is that this Viking alone cut down up to 40 Englishmen and was defeated only when an English soldier floated under the bridge and thrust his spear through the planks in the bridge, mortally wounding the warrior.

Harold’s army poured across the bridge, forming a line just short of the Norse army, locked shields and charged. The battle went far beyond the bridge itself, and although it raged for hours, the Norse army’s decision to leave their armor behind left them at a distinct disadvantage. Eventually, the Norse army began to fragment and fracture, allowing the English troops to force their way in and break up the Scandinavians’ shield wall. Completely outflanked, and with Hardrada killed with an arrow to his windpipe the Norwegian army disintegrated and was virtually annihilated.

So many died in an area so small that the field was said to have been still whitened with bleached bones 50 years after the battle.

Unfortunately, Harold’s victory was short-lived. Three days after the battle, on 28 September, a second invasion army led by William, Duke of Normandy, landed in Pevensey Bay, Sussex, on the south coast of England. Harold had to immediately turn his troops around and force-march them southwards to intercept the Norman army. Less than three weeks after Stamford Bridge, on 14 October 1066, the English army was decisively defeated and King Harold II fell in action at the Battle of Hastings, beginning the Norman conquest of England.

In the chapter of Ephesians, I referred to at the beginning, Paul had used the metaphor of a Christian army and the need to be always ready. Written during the three years his first imprisonment in AD 62, Paul was chained night and day to a Roman soldier. It was probably this that gave him the inspiration for this passage. Ephesians 6:10-18 outlines the Christian disciplines we all need in this spiritual battle as we stand against “the schemes of the devil.”