Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

[Crispianus]

Hanny wrote:

There are a number of problems with this comparison, first we have no date for when Harold sets out to march north, so its time frame somwhere between  Sept. 12-16* to go North to Tadcaster reaching it on  24th Sept, and then moving to engage Vikings on the 25th after marching another 12 miles or so, so there is a wide range for  number of days to move the distance for the mounted elements and no way to know were the Fyrds joined the march, as evidenced by those numbers being different in many books.

The article you quote states:  "This epic march of 185 miles from London to Yorkshire in barely six days has become one of the heroic icons of English history",  so I can live with a 2 day difference but I have to say that all the references that I have seen previously relate 4 days. Also this was not just the mounted men as they collected the East Anglian Fyrd enroute.

Interestingly the King could only keep the Fyrd in the field for around 6 weeks by law because of their farming duties.

The point I am trying to make is that armies can move far faster than 18 miles a day on a long march when it is necessary, which in this case cuts down the amount they would have to carry in food especially when you are talking about gaining supplies at the longest 4 days at Caesar Speed. 

Harold was moving at least 30mpd. Julius Caesar moved at 50mpd in extremis (and actually recorded as 80mpd on occasions) with his whole army not just mounted troops but with little baggage.
 
These distances were acheived because although the rate of march was about 4mph both commanders extended the marching day considerably, often into the night.

I am not relying on on this speed of march to prove a point just an observation that it could be done and adds another dimension as my theory does not rely on the Iceni / Trinovantes in a race to reach London first as I dont believe it was their prime objective. Regaining and retaining their stolen land however was.

Just a few notes re 1066, taken from the combined Anglo Saxon Chronicles (Garmonsway) as these often include dates:

8/9 sept forces on the south coast disband and go home.

no date is given for Harald H's arrivel as far as I can see.

20/9 battle at fulford gate, after being informed of the results of fulford harold travels the distance presumably from london to york in 4 days as I assume he wouldnt have set off untill the 21/9 with his huscarls, gathering the militia en route, google maps gives it as a 65hour walk at 3mph@, so plenty of time to rest en route.

However harold may have started out previous to the 20/9 as the chronicles appear to conflict on the earlier start which includes a forced day/night march before the 20/9, so harold may already have been on his way.

25/9 battle at stamford bridge (5 days later)

28/9 william leaves normandy

29/9 william arrives in England likely at Pevensey.

31/9 (estimated may have been later) harold leaves york, date not given (or I've missed it) but likely a day or too after william lands, 82hrs walk at 3mph, obviously took some additional time to gather the militia as the battle wasn't fought untill:

14/10 battle of hastings (battle), the only thing harold had to do here was trap william on the hastings peninsular for the winter but of course he was killed...

I think if a relatively untrained force can manage these kind of distances in the times given I cannot really see a problem with Roman professionals doing at least as well...