[SunkenCiv]

The Viking invasions (which included the reign of Canute / Knut; his father Svein Forkbeard spent 20 years in Denmark preparing his conquest, and died just before it began) went on for a few hundred years, peaked early, and finally ran out of gas in 1066 (the Battle of Stamford Bridge). What it did was unify the seven kingdoms and motivate their kings to build what may have been the best national army in Europe (again, until 1066; of course, waiting a few days, or maybe a couple of weeks, for mustering to complete, probably would have made the difference at Hastings, when Harold II fell to William the Usurper/the Bastard/the Conqueror).

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[Monkey Face]

Yah. It’s all in the book and my genealogy.

[SunkenCiv]

Whoops, Svein lived to invade England, then died right after. :’o

[Mmogamer]

The Battle of Hastings would probably have been differnet if Harold hadn't had to force march his troops across England after beating up the first invasion...

[WoofDog123]

I actually went to stamford bridge about 10 yrs ago out of curiousity about this. Do you know if the battlefield site is actually known? I saw no historical references there at all IIRC.