Battle of Fulford

The Battle of Fulford took place in 1066, and was the first major engagement of the invasion by Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, to gain the throne of England.

It took place just outisde the city of York, and involved Hardrada's invasion force defeating and massacring an English force under Earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria (both of whom, however, escaped alive).

It was in the aftermath nof this victory, and perhaps because they believed that Harold Godwinson could not reach them so quickly from the south, where he had been watching for an invasion by William of Normandy, that the Norse forces were resting at Stamford Bridge when harold arrived to meet them in battle.