Top 10 Forgotten Battles That Shaped History

The Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, is widely regarded as a defining moment in English and European history. The victory of William the Conqueror against the Saxon king Harold Godwinsson was a direct result of the latter’s march to defeat the Vikings at Stamford Bridge just weeks prior.

It’s worth noting, however, that the largely forgotten Battle of Fulford, which occurred just days before Stamford Bridge, was where it all began. When the Vikings landed on England’s shores, the Earls of Mercia and Northumbria decided to meet them in battle instead of awaiting a siege; the results were catastrophic. The armies of Mercia and Northumbria were almost completely destroyed and King Harold had no choice but to force march his army north, eventually defeating the Viking forces. Still, the victory was a hollow one. The losses suffered by the North meant they could not further reinforce Godwinsson’s army.

Thus, the last Saxon king had no choice but to lead his tired, depleted host back south to face the Duke of Normandy at the crossroads of history—his fate, and all of England’s, sealed by the results of a battle long forgotten.

Here are 10 other lesser-known or forgotten battles that have shaped the world as we know it.

Top 10 Forgotten Battles That Shaped History

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