Harold Godwinson stays away from Stamford Bridge

Instead of marching north in 1066 to defeat the Norwegian invader Harald Hardrada, Harald stays in the Thames valley and consolidates power there. How would this affect William the Bastard's plans of invading England? What about the Scots and the Welsh? Whither the French? Will the Archdiocese of York remain Orthodox?
 
Doesn't Harold HAVE to attack? His soldiers by and large aren't professionals. They are farmers who have been called away from their land in late September, ie harvest time. He can't keep his soldiers raised and wait.
 
From the many many threads on this subject, Harold is in a rock and a hard place no matter what he does. Stamford bridge had caught the Norwegians unarmored and made it not as risky of a battle. Going for either consolidation or fighting William will mean the Norwegians can prepare.
 
Earls Morcar and Edwin fight Fulford Gate first, though.

What if there had been a plan before hand, that in the event of a Noweigan invasion, Gyrth would lead a force north to attack the Vikings with the forces of Morcar and Edwin - thus perhaps allowing Fulford to be an English victory (even if not as devastating for the Norweigans as Stamford was).

Then, with Harold in London, he gets word of the Norman landing at Pevensey almost immediately. He can then prepare a force to attack the Normans before they have had time to prepare.
 
I don't think he has much of a choice. He's not going to be able to keep his levies away from the fields forever, and the longer he delays, the more Hardrada has run of the north.
 
Don't forget that his brother Tostig was with Hardraada. He probably couldn't allow that one to roam the North.
But from a purely military point of view, having his better equipped troops with him at Hastings, would almost certainly have spelled defeat for William.
OTOH morale was high because of the victory at Stamford Bridge. Perhaps too high....
 
Harold came within an eyelash of going down as Harold the Great. It doesn't take that much AH to have him do exactly as he did and win...William's leg catches under one of the many horses killed under him, Harold goes offensive at the first (ie real) Norman semi-rout, or else his brothers demonstrate better discipline and keep the wings from falling for the fake-retreat traps...or, maybe, just no arrow and night falls?
 
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