We should also keep in mind that in 1066 AD, Viking conquerors/settlers of northwestern France( AKA the Normans (Norse men)) under William essentially used this same knowledge to organize and execute the only successful cross channel invasion of the British Isles to date.
To be fair, the Saxons were a bit thin on the ground at Hastings, having just force marched down from eastern England where they met and destroyed an earlier invasion of Vikings (this time from Norway)at Stamford Bridge.
Wikipedia has a short article on the battle for the bridge and how it interplays with the Battle of Hastings 3 weeks later:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stamford_Bridge
In the woulda-coulda-shoulda / what-if scenarios for 1066, it’s been said and written that Harold did right to hustle back to the south to meet the new threat (he no doubt had good intel), but that a pause to continue to muster in, for example, his capital, would have been prudent, and might have made the difference.
Unreconstructed Marxist and media entertainer James Burke attributed William the Bastard’s victory at Battle / Senlac / Hastings to the use by his forces of the stirrup. Ultimately, you’re spot on — the English army was possibly the best in Europe at that time (until that day, heh), but “a bit little thin on the ground”.
Perhaps my favorite anecdote from that tumultuous month is the parley held between the enemies at Stamford Bridge. The English spokesperson offered Tostig everything north of the Humber. Tostig asked, what do you offer my ally, Harald (Haardrada) of Norway? The Englishman said, six feet of English turf, or however much taller he is than other men. Tostig refused these terms, and the spokesperson turned and rode back to his lines with his small party. King Harald asked Tostig, “who was that man?” Tostig answered, “Harold, King of England.” Harald added that he sat his horse well.
One of those “those were the days” moments.
The English surprised the invading force by reaching the area so quickly. It parallels the northern campaign by Aethelstan over 100 years earlier — Aethelstan arrived in force and quite without warning, attacking the two enemy allies separately and defeating them as it were in detail, piecemeal. Harold II seems to have had very good advance warning of the invasion, mustering, marching, and actually catching the Norse sans armor (it was a hot day) and cutting them off from their boats.
Britain didn’t get to be mostly England by accident. :’)
Except that by 1066 the Normans weren’t really Vikings anymore. They were French.
Also, there have been multiple successful cross-channel invasions of the British Isles, although generally with significant on-island support.
Henry II.
Henry IV.
Henry VI.
Edward IV.
Henry VII.
William of Orange.
To name a few.