This is a history of the forgotten third battle of 1066, the battlefield which until now remained undiscovered. Three weeks and three days before the epic clash at Hastings in 1066 between Harold II and William of Normandy, a battle of the same size and scale took place just south of York at Fulford. Harald Hardrada, king of Norway, in alliance with Tostig, Harold II's brother, invaded with 300 ships, sailing up the Ouse just south of York. Edwin and Morcar, Harold's brothers-in-law and earls of Mercia and Northumbria, gave battle at Fulford. This site has been forgotten, and largely undisturbed, for almost a thousand years. Charles Jones' book investigates the complex events that forced King Harold II of England to divide his army in order to defend his new kingdom from the invasions he expected in the north and the south.
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Review
Contains more gripping human drama than most works of fiction. --Pennant, May '09
About the Author
Charles Jones helped set up and has led the Lottery-funded Fulford Battlefield Society. With help from leading archaeologists, the society has spent five years investigating the location of the battle. He studied science at Cambridge University and spent over twenty years in the Territorial Army, which have both proved useful during this innovative investigation. He is now working to preserve the battlesite from encroaching housing development. He lives in Oxford.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
This book has some surprising revelations, all well researched and argued.
It deals with the largely forgotten Battle of Fulford, the one prior to the epic encounters at Stamford Bridge and Hastings in 1066, that resonate in every schoolboy's mind. Harald Hardrada of Norway was the victor in this one so maybe that's why it has not been as popular with the English but it is just as thrilling nonetheless.
Charles Jones must have donated his life to the research of this dark and murky period of our history. When writing about Harald's seaborne invasion he has even consulted with the navy and researched old records for tidal flows and ancient water courses. The result, a thrilling and authentic description on how this veteran Viking warrior was able to strike so swiftly into the heart of the kingdom.
His understanding of the landscape and battle formations is second to none.
The revelations he comes up with are:
i) The attack on England was co-ordinated between Harald of Norway and William of Normandy to put Harold Godwinson on the horns of a defensive dilemma
ii) That Tostig, Harold Godwinson's exiled brother, co-ordinated a lot of the planning and had a much more important role than was previously thought
iii) That William of Normandy played a waiting game with King Harold and timed his invasion when he knew the fyrd would want to go home and harvest their crops
iv) That Harold Godwinson deployed cavalry in the same way that the Norman troops did, adding an extra dimension to his army
The only thing that stopped me rating this as a 5 was the style of prose. The author has so many interesting facts to tell that the words sometimes stumble out in a confusing fashion and I found myself re-reading certain passages to ensure that I understood things correctly. This did not detract from a magnificent book though and I thoroughly recommend this book to all who are interested in this period of history.
It deals with the largely forgotten Battle of Fulford, the one prior to the epic encounters at Stamford Bridge and Hastings in 1066, that resonate in every schoolboy's mind. Harald Hardrada of Norway was the victor in this one so maybe that's why it has not been as popular with the English but it is just as thrilling nonetheless.
Charles Jones must have donated his life to the research of this dark and murky period of our history. When writing about Harald's seaborne invasion he has even consulted with the navy and researched old records for tidal flows and ancient water courses. The result, a thrilling and authentic description on how this veteran Viking warrior was able to strike so swiftly into the heart of the kingdom.
His understanding of the landscape and battle formations is second to none.
The revelations he comes up with are:
i) The attack on England was co-ordinated between Harald of Norway and William of Normandy to put Harold Godwinson on the horns of a defensive dilemma
ii) That Tostig, Harold Godwinson's exiled brother, co-ordinated a lot of the planning and had a much more important role than was previously thought
iii) That William of Normandy played a waiting game with King Harold and timed his invasion when he knew the fyrd would want to go home and harvest their crops
iv) That Harold Godwinson deployed cavalry in the same way that the Norman troops did, adding an extra dimension to his army
The only thing that stopped me rating this as a 5 was the style of prose. The author has so many interesting facts to tell that the words sometimes stumble out in a confusing fashion and I found myself re-reading certain passages to ensure that I understood things correctly. This did not detract from a magnificent book though and I thoroughly recommend this book to all who are interested in this period of history.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fulford and all that
8 Feb 2011
By Mercedes
- Published on Amazon.com
Trying to understand the 11th century is challenging at best, when our best sources are monkish chronicles and a magnificent tapestry commissioned by the winner. Nonetheless, "The Forgotten Battle of 1066, Fulford" goes a long way toward filling out many missing details, bringing us all the way back to Canute's reign so we can better understand what brought England to that fateful year. Over and over, this book personalizes the main historical figures, and ties events together in a rational explanation of their motivations. For instance, he explores why Tostig was chosen as Earl of Northumbria instead of just stating the fact. He suggests that one of Harald Hardrada's motivations to invade England was to remove all the veteran warriors from Norway and give his vulnerable son, crowned before he left, the "time to establish himself over the young Turks and a new generation of warriors." The preparations Harald made to "put his affairs of state thoroughly in order" suggest something other than an impetuous invasion spurred on by a vengeful Tostig.
This is a thoroughly refreshing approach to 1066, well researched and presented. I would recommend it to anyone and especially to those who have already done a lot of reading on the subject.
This is a thoroughly refreshing approach to 1066, well researched and presented. I would recommend it to anyone and especially to those who have already done a lot of reading on the subject.
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