The Bayeux Tapestry

Because of William I of England's victory in the 1066 Battle of Hastings, he was known as William the Conqueror. His previous moniker was William the Bastard because he was an illegitimate child of Robert I, the Duke of Normandy.

He had two other brothers to his mother, Herleva, both of which from other fathers. He succeeded his father in 1035 at a young age of eight. King Henry I of France knighted William, who was then only 15-years-old.

From then, he became a formidable leader and a strong warrior. When he was 19-years-old, he had already successfully defended Normandy from invasion and rebellion. Even Henry I himself felt envious of William's power and tried to invade Normandy, but the attempts failed.

When England's Edward the Confessor died, William felt he was the rightful successor to his throne. For one, it was said the Edward had promised him the throne when he visited London in 1052.

Also, Harold was said to have pledged alliance to William when he came to Normandy in 1064, two years before the Battle of Hastings. Harold was knighted by William after they successfully defeated Brittany's Conan II. Feeling betrayed by the late Edward and the newly-crowned Harold, William, with a fleet of ships and a formidable armada, went to England to fight.

This account is clearly illustrated in the Bayeux Tapestry. In the last panels of the Bayeux Tapestry, it was shown that the Normans had the upper hand of the battle. The Normans, as illustrated in the tapestry, killed Harold's brothers.

It also showed Bishop Odo, William's half-brother, fighting along side William's armada. In a panel, William fell from his horse but was very much alive and still able to fight. He then raised his helmet and encouraged his men to continue fighting, after which it was shown that Harold was defeated.

There were at least three figures in the tapestry that illustrated how Harold died, making the cause of his death vague when using the Bayeux Tapestry as basis. On one scene, Harold had an arrow sticking out in his eye, while another figure ha Harold speared with a spear.

There was another figure with legs hacked off which was presumed to be Harold. Although it is not clear, how Harold died (either he died of any of these causes, or he experienced all three fates), what was clear was that William and the Normans had won.

While the last section of the Bayeux Tapestry was said to be lost, it is assumed that this missing section deals with the coronation of William after he made the English magnates submit to him.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a work-of-art and tells a historic event in 77 panels. These panels are woven into wall hangings for individual hanging in the home or schools, to educate the children. The original Bayeux tapestry is 230' long and 20" high.

Alex Hanson writes articles to help the artists and their crafts from around the world survive just a little bit better and is supportive of high quality decor for the home that might push some power to skilled workers offering artistic works-of-art.

Decor4u.com offers European Tapestries and other wall art such as The Bayeux Tapestry.