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The Tapestry deals with the story of the Norman conquest of England, in which the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, fight against the Anglo-Saxons, conducted by Harold Godwinson, recently crowned as King of England. They fought in the Battle of Hastings in October 1066.
The main character of the Tapestry is William the Conqueror. As a piece of gossip I can tell you that he was married to his distant cousin Matilda of Flanders, and that William was 1.78 m., while Matilda was 1.27 m (just imagine them together).
At the beginning of the tapestry there is a scene of King Edward the Confessor, who did not have any heir. Apparently Edward sends Harold Godwinson, the most powerful earl in England, to Normandy. There he lands, but he is imprisoned by Guy, Count of Ponthieu. William sends two messengers to require his liberation, and Guy obeys quickly. William, perhaps to impress Harold, invites him to his combat against Conan II, Duke of Brittany. On the way, Harold saves two Norman soldiers who had become mired in quicksand. William’s army pursues Conan, who eventually surrenders at Dinan. For his braveness Harold receives arms and armours from William and makes an oath on saintly relics.
The messenger with Guy with portrayal of medieval agriculture in the marginalia.
Harold comes back home and meets the old king Edward again, who seems to be reprimanding Harold, maybe for making an oath to William. Edward dies, and Harold becomes the new king. After his coronation a star with hair appears flying across the sky, it is Halley’s Comet! In the Middle Ages comets were considered a symbol of doom.
Halley's comet.
William hears about Harold’s coronation and, longing for the throne of England, he prepares his fleet of ships. With his troops he reaches England. There is a legend about this. While setting foot on the beach, William stumbled and fell on his face. Not to seem awkward before his troops, he rose with his hands full of sand and shouted: “I now take hold of the land of England!” But this is suspiciously similar to the story of Julius Caesar’s invasion of Britain, so it may have been used by William’s biographer to highlight the similarities between Caesar and William. Again in the Tapestry, William orders his men to find food and cook a meal. A house is burnt, probably because of the invaders’ thirst of destruction. Then the Normans build a kind of fort to defend their position. Messengers are sent between the two armies, and William delivers a speech to get his army ready for the battle.
The English force consists entirely of infantry, fighting behind the protection of a shield wall, whereas the Normans employ a mounted cavalry. The first warriors to fall are Harold’s brothers. Bishop Odo also appears in this episode. The part dealing with the death of Harold has received different interpretations, since the name “Harold” is embroidered above a lengthy death scene, which makes it difficult to find out which character is Harold. Usually, medieval iconography depicts perjurers dying with a weapon through the eye. Thus representing Harold as an oath breaker (with an arrow stuck in his eye) may emphasize William’s legitimate right to the throne. Nevertheless, Harold’s way of dying remains unknown. Finally in the Tapestry the defeated English run away.
Continuation: THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY (III)
Harold's death.
