Harald Hardrada and the Release of His Great Viking Army

In the twilight years of the Viking Age, few figures loomed as large or as dramatically as Harald Sigurdsson, better known to history as Harald Hardrada—meaning “Hard Ruler.” A warrior king forged in the fires of exile, battle, and ambition, Harald was the last great Viking leader who sought to revive Norse glory through one final campaign of conquest. His story culminates in the epic events of 1066, when he unleashed his formidable Viking army upon England in a bold—and ultimately doomed—attempt to seize its crown. This campaign was not merely a military expedition; it was the swan song of the Viking world.

From Exile to Emperor's Guard

Harald was born around 1015, the younger half-brother of Olaf II Haraldsson (later Saint Olaf), King of Norway. As a teenager, Harald fought alongside Olaf at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030, where his brother was killed and he himself was forced into exile. This exile shaped the warrior Harald would become. He traveled east and entered the service of the Byzantine Empire, where he joined the elite Varangian Guard, a unit composed primarily of Norse and Anglo-Saxon mercenaries.

In Byzantium, Harald earned a fearsome reputation, fighting in campaigns across the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East. He accumulated great wealth, gained military expertise, and became a seasoned commander. His time with the Varangians forged him into a tactical genius with a broad understanding of warfare far beyond the traditional Viking raiding tactics.

The Rise to Power in Norway

By 1045, Harald returned to Scandinavia, using his wealth and prestige to co-rule Norway with Magnus the Good, Olaf’s son. After Magnus’ death in 1047, Harald became the sole King of Norway. Over the next two decades, Harald ruled with an iron hand, constantly at war with Denmark, which he sought to reclaim as part of a wider Norse empire. Though unsuccessful in Denmark, Harald turned his gaze to England—a land with Norse ties, a rich history of Viking conquest, and now a troubled succession crisis. shutdown123