Tostig's Rebellion (1066) Tostig's Rebellion(1066): Tostig Godwinson, the younger half-brother of King Harald, sought to reclaim his lost Earldom of Northumbria. He led an invasion fleet against England in early 1066, but was driven off. He searched for foreign aid in his quest, asking William of Normandy and Harald Hardrada of Norway to help him invade England. In September, 1066, Tostig returned to England with Hardrada and his Norwegian Vikings. Tostig's forces won the battle of Fulford, but the combined forces of Tostig and Hardrada were defeated by King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066. The significance of Tostig's rebellion and his alliance with Harald of Norway is that in crushing the rebellion and the Norwegian invasion, King Harold's forces were in a weakened state when they faced the army of William the Conqueror at Hastings less than a month later.
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