15. Harald Hardrada
Harald Hardrada, born in 1015, was a formidable Viking warrior-king who reigned as King of Norway from 1046 until his death in 1066. Before ascending to the Norwegian throne, Harald spent years as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus’ and served as the chief of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire. (viking.no) In 1066, he claimed the English throne, leading an invasion that culminated in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, where he was killed, marking the end of the Viking Age.
