September 25, 2006

Gratuitous Historickal Posting

Stamford Bridge.jpg

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Stamford Bridge, fought in 1066, in which the Saxon King Harold Godwinson, after a heroic forced march, caught and smashed an invading Viking army under under Harald Hardrada and Earl Tostig.

Ironically enough, the energy the Saxon army was forced to expend hurrying north, fighting off the Vikings and then hurrying right back south left them utterly exhausted just in time to face the invasion of William the Conqueror and his Normans a couple weeks later at the Battle of Hastings, during which Harold was killed and the Saxon army defeated.

Hmph. Bloody Vikings.

UPDATE: Speaking of Brit history, here's a coo-el article describing a new geological theory on how Britain became an island. Cataclysmic floods are involved.

Posted by Robert at September 25, 2006 12:39 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I blame global warming.

Posted by: rbj at September 25, 2006 01:41 PM

Putting one in for the Norwegian side of things, I am not so certain I regard this one as a victory. Just a delay of the inevitable when the Normans came over with William and finished things up. Normans, of course being Norse Men.

I leave you with an excerpt from the St. Olaf College Fight Song:

Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds, chased by one Norweeegan.

Posted by: rp at September 25, 2006 03:14 PM

Sorry - the Monty Python line was just too irresistable to pass up.

Posted by: Robbo the LB at September 25, 2006 03:39 PM

No, really, I'm the one who should apologize, pulling out the old St. Olaf fight song and all.

Monty Python is always appropriate.

Posted by: rp at September 26, 2006 10:24 AM