What are the most costly mistakes in history?

Harald Hadda, the last Viking, the best military leader and the greatest warrior king of his time.

I always avoid writing harald on Quora. He fascinates me a little. It took me five years to write a book about his life, which made me a little depressed.

Harald was eager for competition since he was a child. He wrestled with his men and encouraged his soldiers to take part in various sports in their spare time. According to records, harald and his soldiers fought in the field in his military campaign all their lives. When the Byzantine fortress besieged the city, his soldiers would strip off their chests and hold wrestling competitions.

Naturally, the strange behavior of the most important soldiers and mercenary leaders of this era is considered unusual.

What happened next was one of the most expensive mistakes in military history: a powerful invading army composed of 10 thousand soldiers failed because it wanted to play games and swim in the river on a hot day.

Battle of Stamford Bridge (1066)

After invading England, he won an amazing victory in the Battle of Fulford and occupied Yorkshire. Harald was undoubtedly the most experienced warlord of his time. He is very confident, and it is understandable that he hopes that the Anglo-Saxons will spend more than a month gathering troops to challenge him in the north.

In September that year, the weather was extremely hot, and the soldiers in harald had little time. A third of the soldiers guarded his camp, and a huge Norwegian fleet and a small group of soldiers stationed in Yorkshire scouted around the north of England.

King Harald and his soldiers were tired of the heat in the barracks. The enemy is in the south of England, and there is no real threat. So, on that hot day, harald crossed this area with 5,000 soldiers to meet the lords in the north and accept the hostages. Harald came to a deep and cold grass by the river, and he decided to have a traditional outdoor exercise while waiting.

Harald and his soldiers left their armor in the camp and went into battle lightly on a hot day, with only shields, swords, axes and spears, but no armor and helmets. They frolic in the water, wrestle on the grass and play games. They had a good time that day.

Suddenly, the scouts appeared on the horizon and ran to the grass, bringing a terrible news: a huge army was approaching. At first, harald thought it must be the Yorkshire Garrison, and the nobles or some of his troops were guarding the fleet.

Anglo-Saxon troops have arrived. The enemy was completely out of harald's expectation, and the ruthless military attack was much earlier than he expected. Riding a horse, wearing a chain mail, ready to fight. Ten thousand people of the Anglo-Saxon family, with the support of England's powerful militia and domestic servants, came to fight against the Norwegian king.

Harald, a 6-foot-65,438+00-inch blond warrior king, took part in countless battles in his epic life. An incomparable Lord of War once commanded the Varangians to guard the battlefields from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, and made the most expensive mistake in his long and successful war career.

There is a legend that a Berserker single-handedly defended Stamford Bridge, killing many British soldiers and buying time for harald to build his shield wall. This story was recorded by both Norwegians and Anglo-Saxons.

Harald sent messengers to the camp for reinforcements, and then ordered his elite soldiers to form a circular shield wall for the final decisive battle. King Harald of Germany was the greatest warlord of his time. His brave warrior spirit never gives in and never wavers. He and his soldiers fought with the best soldiers in Britain to the last minute. They are wearing armor and metal helmets.

Harald and almost all his veterans died that day, but even without preparation and armor, they did unexpected harm to the British army, which was severely weakened and lost the battle in Hastings a few weeks later.

Thus ended Harald Sigurdsen's life. He was the greatest soldier at that time, a legendary and famous soldier. After the defeat, he was killed because he wanted to do sports in hot weather.

Harald in blue robes and his unarmed soldiers, British soldiers in chain mail.

Anecdotes (Volume 12); The German King Harald fell, his army began to rout, and reinforcements led by harald's son-in-law Estaing Orr finally arrived.

Lead 3000 heavily armed Norwegian soldiers to leave the camp to save their king. When they realized it was too late, they launched a fierce battle and jumped on the scattered Anglo-Saxons, thinking that they had won. Estaing Ray's last legendary counterattack was called Orly Storm by Norwegians. Those 3000 armored soldiers who arrived late experienced incredible slaughter and death among Anglo-Saxons.