The Battle of York

Historians suspect that King Swain's plan actually didn't involve conquering England. The order for this army on this year was probably to form a beachhead and prepare for the main force, likely with the King of Denmark himself sometime in the following spring. And besides, it'd actually be really difficult to hold York right now thanks to how the Norman Garrisons had burned large portions of it down. But William wouldn't have known that because his best informants would have been in the garrisons that were stationed in York.