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.

European Tapestries - Bayeux Tapestry

France's Bayeux Tapestry is part of the Memory of the World Register of UNESCO, a collective that encourages the preservation of historical archives and documents in the world. Among the four other French documents and archives that are part of the Memory of the World Register, it is perhaps the most elaborate in terms of form, content, and artistry.

The Bayeux Tapestry is unparalleled for its depiction and documentation of an important historical event. There are other tapestry pieces that depict real events. The Valois Tapestry, for one, illustrates the various festivities done during the time of Catherine de' Medici in France.

Others, like the New World Tapestry (which illustrates the English's attempt to colonize Newfoundland, America) rivals the Bayeux Tapestry in extravagance (the New World Tapestry is even bigger than the Bayeux Tapestry), but is not included in the UNESCO list (only the Bayeux Tapestry is the tapestry piece included on the Memory of the World Register list).

The Bayeux Tapestry narrates how the conflict Harold II (or Harold Godwinson) and William I (or William the Conqueror) began, which later lead to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The panels are detailed on narrating this event through the embroidered figures in the tapestry (although called a tapestry, the Bayeux Tapestry is actually embroidery).

The tapestry began when King Edward the Confessor sent Harold to Normandy. The tapestry did not specify why he sent him to Normandy. When he arrived, Harold was captured by the Count of Pontheiu, Guy, although was immediately released as per order of William, then a powerful duke.

After Harold saved two Norman soldiers from being trapped in quicksand and after William and Harold made Conan II, the Duke of Brittany, surrender, William knighted Harold. The meaning of the supposed knighting is not clear, although William could have seen this as a sign that Harold will support his campaign to get the English throne.

This, however, is not clear, as the tapestry did not have any evidence of this. When Harold returned to King Edward, the king was already sick. Edward died and Harold became his successor. After the coronation, a comet appeared (the comet is believed to be the Halley's Comet).

During the Middle Ages, comets are signs of impending doom. When the news regarding the coronation of Harold reached William, he went to Normandy, hence starting the 1066 Battle of Hastings.

Through the tapestry, the characters -- especially during the panels concerning the conflict -- can be differentiated using certain characteristic of the figures; the Normans had shaved the back part of their heads, and Harold's side had mustache. This was said to be the norm during those times.

Besides this, The Bayeux Tapestry is successful in documenting other aspects of life during the Middle Ages-the premonitions, the clothing, the appearance of the people, the society's norm. European Tapestries are incredible works-of-art.

How Needlework Was Used to Re-Write History – the Secret of the Bayeux Tapestry

You do not have to be a needlepoint enthusiast like me to appreciate the magnificent Bayeux Tapestry, which chronicles the events leading up to the conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1066.

Technically speaking it is not a tapestry at all – but an embroidery, stitched with wool on a linen background by a team of needle workers. But the interesting question is: was it made just to celebrate a great victory?

To answer this question you have to consider the political situation at the time. Duke William claimed that the King, Edward the Confessor, had promised him the throne of England. However this event had not been properly witnessed or recorded. He also claimed that Harold, the future King of England, had previously sworn allegiance to him. But Harold had been imprisoned in France at that time, and his actions could have been misunderstood.

On Edward’s death, William of Normandy had expected to ascend the English throne. But instead Harold disputed his claims, insisting that the Kingdom had been bequeathed to him by the dying monarch, and was duly crowned King. William replied to this by invading England, defeating the English army and killing King Harold at the Battle of Hastings.

Now the new King William had to ensure that history told the story his way. What better way to achieve this than with a huge 230 feet long tapestry – a priceless work of art, which would be preserved for centuries, and confirm his right, and that of his successors, to the throne of England.

Thus the whole scene of Edward promising his crown to William, and Harold swearing allegiance, was stitched into the tapestry, and recorded for all time. Picture an era when very few people could read, and imagine the visual impact of this story told in vivid images, complete with the mangled bodies of the dead in battle. Even today you can walk along beside the Tapestry, and the whole epic story unfolds before your eyes, just as William the Conqueror intended, a thousand years ago.

The Da Vinci Code was an example of a good, but unconvincing attempt to re-write history. But the Bayeaux Tapestry succeeded!

Tom McMorrow is a partner at Cross Stitch Centre, the specialist needlecraft retailer - visit their website http://www.cross-stitch-centre.co.uk and learn more about tapestry needlepoint, cross stitch and embroidery.

by Tom McMorrow