Bayeux carpet. Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Carpet (Bayenne Tapestry) is a masterpiece of Norman art, located in the museum of the French city of Bayeux. The tapestry attracts historians and tourists with its huge size (70 meters in length and 50 meters in height) and colorful plot. This masterpiece has been perfectly preserved for 1000 years, which can be considered a real miracle. The perfect harmony, the freshness of the colors, the exquisite craftsmanship and the historical idea itself make viewing embroidery an extremely fascinating experience.

The tapestry depicts a historical event - the conquest of England by the Normans under the leadership of William the Conqueror. The date of manufacture of the tapestry has not yet been precisely determined, approximately the second half of the 11th century.

SHORT STORY.

The Bayen Tapestry has a rich and interesting history. It is directly related to the history of France and World History. The Tapestry originally hung for 400 years in the Bayen Cathedral, as evidenced by church records. In 1750, the British began to show genuine interest in the carpet and even took it away to study it for two years.

Then Napoleon came to power and brought the work of art to Paris to promote the invasion of England. When Napoleon was defeated, the tapestry was taken to his homeland in Bayeux and hidden in storage. As you know, then history developed rapidly, there were many different historical events, and the Second World War took place.

The tapestry was located in France in various storage facilities. After Germany's surrender, the French hung the Tapestry in the Louvre as a sign of victory over the Nazis. The tapestry then underwent major restoration and was exhibited at the Center Guillaume the Conqueror in Bayeux.

The French turned out to be reliable custodians of their masterpiece, thanks to which it still has great value to this day and pleases the eyes of both local residents and numerous tourists.

Three versions of the Bayenne Tapestry

Most historians adhere to the official point of view regarding the production of the legendary carpet. It says that the wife of William the Conqueror, Queen Matilda, ordered the carpet to be embroidered. Her decree was carried out by the weavers at court. In France, the carpet is called the “Queen Mathilde Carpet.”

Another version was put forward by historians in the twentieth century. It is possible that the customer of the carpet was Odo, the brother of William the Conqueror’s close friend. At that time he held the post of Bishop of Bayen. There are scenes on the carpet that confirm this:

The tapestry contains embroidered silhouettes of people who served the bishop. Their names are also in the English Domesday Book.
The carpet was originally located in the Bayen Cathedral, which was built during Odo's lifetime. It is likely that the carpet was created in parallel with the construction of the Cathedral. Its purpose was to decorate the building from the inside.

If the carpet was sewn to order from Odo, then the carpet was most likely made by English weavers. Most of the bishop's lands were in the English county of Kent. This hypothesis is confirmed by the dyes used in the manufacture of the tapestry; they were very common in England. Also, an inquisitive person can discover on the tapestry some Latin names that originally came from Anglo-Saxon ones.

Supporters of the third version suggest that the tapestry was made by monks from the monastery of St. Augustine in the English southeastern town of Canterbury.
A much more interesting question is who was the author of the idea and came up with the plan to create such a meaningful picture of conquest.

The carpet is entirely dedicated to the Norman conquest and was created with the aim of glorifying this great victory. Most likely, the author was a man who himself participated in the historical event. If you look at the tapestry as a whole, you will get the impression that you have been transported into the thick of a historical battle. It is unlikely that a woman could know so many details and subtleties that are depicted on the carpet.

IMAGES ON THE BAYE CARPET.

The images embroidered on the carpet tell the story of the Norman conquest of England. Events unfold in chronological order and are presented in successive scenes: the sending of Harold by King Edward the Confessor to Normandy; his capture by the men of Guy, Count of Ponthieu, and release by Duke William; Harold's oath to William and his participation in the siege of Dinan; death of Edward the Confessor and coronation of Harold; the appearance of a comet, foreshadowing misfortune, over Harold's palace; William's preparations for invasion and the route of his fleet across the English Channel; and finally the Battle of Hastings and the death of Harold.

Moreover, the scenes are embroidered in chronological order. The main fabric is made of 9 fabrics ranging from 3 to 14 meters in length. The joints are disguised with embroidery. The boundaries between the first and second panels do not coincide somewhat, but then the technique was improved, and subsequent joints are almost invisible.

Embroidered on the canvas are 626 human figures, 202 horse figures, 55 dogs, 505 other various animals, 41 ships, 37 houses and 49 trees. The embroidery begins with the departure of the heir to the throne, Harold, to Normandy. Then other historical events are depicted, including the coronation of Harold, the appearance of a comet in the sky indicating future misfortunes, and the invasion of William's fleet into England. The Battle of Hastings and the death of King Harold are also depicted. The last part of the tapestry (presumably more than 6 meters in length) has not survived. It was most likely embroidered with the coronation of William the Conqueror.

Thanks to embroidery, historians have gained an idea of ​​the armor and weapons of warriors of that distant time. Thus, most of William’s warriors are horsemen, dressed in chain mail and helmets with navels. Other armor is quilted armor like a padded robe, embroidered with multi-colored fabric triangles.

The Anglo-Saxons on foot chop off the heads of horses with long-handled axes and throw spears at the horsemen. Some riders dismount from their saddles to take part in hand-to-hand combat. The warriors' chain mail is long and has slits on the sides. Some chain mail has a special slot for a sword sheath. Only the hilt is visible from the slot, and the scabbard itself is hidden under chain mail. This is how swords were worn in the 11th century. However, later knights began to hang daggers and swords on top of their armor.

Horsemen and infantrymen have the same teardrop-shaped shields. For a long time, shields of this shape were called Norman. But they were used not only by Europeans, but also by Muslims. But the painting on them was different, and the lower part of the shield was not pointed but blunt. Warriors ate on such shields in that distant time. They mounted them on trestles and laid out food supplies.

29 warriors with bows are embroidered on the canvas. But only 6 of them are depicted on the main field. The rest are on the border. This indicates the lower status of archers compared to horsemen. But there is only one horse archer. He is depicted behind the galloping Normans pursuing the Anglo-Saxons.

As for the horses, no protective armor is depicted on them. Therefore, we can assume that the animals suffered greatly from enemy arrows. However, medieval knights never used arrows and bows in battles. They used the bow only for hunting. But eastern warriors always fired from horses, but this military tactic did not become widespread in Europe.

From all that has been said, it is clear that the carpet from Bayeux represents a unique find for historians. It tells not only about historical events, but also gives a complete picture of the uniform of Western European soldiers. This is a long chain mail, a conical helmet with a nosepiece, and a drop-shaped shield. Also a long straight sword designed specifically for slashing, a broad-bladed ax and a spear.

In the Middle Ages, the carpet was annually exhibited to the public in the cathedral. Now a special museum has been built for it, in which the carpet is the only exhibit. Indeed, the value of this item for history is difficult to overestimate. Indeed, in written sources of that time there are practically no descriptions of life, the appearance of people, or traditions. Based on the images on the carpet, many conclusions have been drawn about the clothing, weapons and customs of the people of that time.

Despite the fact that the carpet is quite many years old, the quality and brightness of the colors is amazing. The details are also very clearly and beautifully embroidered - you will especially be amazed by the noble horses and weapon details.

The Bayeux Tapestry (sometimes the Bayeux carpet; English Bayeux Tapestry; French Tapisserie de Bayeux) is a monument of medieval art, which is embroidery on linen 48/53 cm wide and 68.38 m long. Depicts scenes of the preparation of the Norman conquest of England and Battle of Hastings, created at the end of the 11th century. Currently, the tapestry is exhibited in a special museum in the city of Bayeux in Normandy and is considered a national treasure of the French Republic. In 2007, UNESCO included the Bayeux Tapestry in its Memory of the World register.

The earliest written evidence of a carpet is contained in an inventory of the property of Bayeux Cathedral, dated 1476. The exact author of this work of art has not been identified. According to the traditional view, the tapestry was embroidered on the orders of Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, by her court weavers. In France the tapestry is known as the "Queen Matilda Tapestry". In the 20th century, another hypothesis was put forward: the customer for the creation of the carpet could have been Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother and one of the closest associates of King William I. The following facts are usually cited as confirmation of this thesis: the carpet depicts three of the bishop’s serving people, whose names also contained in the Domesday Book; the tapestry was kept in Bayeux Cathedral, built by Odo; perhaps it was created precisely at the time when the construction of the cathedral was underway (1070s) and, probably, was intended for its decoration. If the customer of the carpet was indeed Bishop Odo, its authors were probably English weavers, since the bishop's main land holdings were in Kent. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that some Latin names on the carpet are derived from Anglo-Saxon ones, and the plant dyes used to create the carpet were widespread in England. There is an assumption that the authors of the Bayeux carpet were the monks of St. Augustine's monastery in Canterbury. The tapestry is embroidered on linen with wool threads of different colors: terracotta (yellow, red), blue-green, dull gold, olive green and blue, with a small amount of blue, black, and sage green. When embroidering, the chain stitch technique, the stem stitch technique, as well as a simple “set” were used.

Discovery history

The tapestry was discovered at the end of the 17th century in Bayeux, where it was traditionally exhibited once a year in the local cathedral. The first reproductions of the carpet were published in the 1730s. Bernard de Montfaucon. During the French Revolution, some Republicans from Bayeux wanted to make a carpet out of carpet for a cart with military ammunition, but one of the lawyers, who understood the value of the carpet, saved it by providing another fabric. In 1803, Napoleon took the tapestry to Paris to promote the planned French invasion of England. However, when the invasion plan failed, he was returned to Bayeux. There it was kept rolled up until it was captured by representatives of the German Ahnenerbe...

“Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin” - The icons of the cathedral were painted by the wonderful Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev. Why are historical monuments national shrines of the Fatherland? The façade of the chamber is lined with white cut stone, hence the name of the chamber. Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin Architect: Aleviz Novy. Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

“Churches, temples and cathedrals” - Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The temple consists of 9 churches on one foundation. Holy Assumption Cathedral. Which architectural ensemble is a miracle of Russian wooden architecture? The brilliant serf architect Yakov Bukhvostov was illiterate. Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Central - Pokrovsky.

"Cathedral" - Cathedral. Construction began in 1386 and ended in 1856. The abundance of keel-shaped zakomaras and kokoshniks resembles stone lace. A. Amadeo, C. Solari, P. Tibaldi and others. Notre Dame Cathedral. There are several cathedrals in the city. Paul in London, St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kyiv and Novgorod). Zemsky Sobor.

“St. Sophia Cathedral” - Frescoes were painted with water-based paints, which absorbed the primer well into the damp surface. The presence of choirs in many churches of the Old Russian state was a characteristic phenomenon. With the adoption of Christianity, the construction of temples and monasteries begins. St. Sophia Cathedral had a so-called “zakomar” covering. Monuments of ancient Russian architecture indicate the high development of construction in the state.

“Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir” - Here at that time there were meat, shoe, and dyeing rows. Museum reserve. The plateau is divided into three parts by transverse ravines. The Assumption Cathedral became even more majestic. The leading role has always been played by the central part, or the Kremlin. In the banner armorial of 1730. For the first time, the lion's head is turned to the front.

“Resurrection Cathedral” - The Cathedral is surrounded on three sides by two-tier galleries. Once again I look at the cathedral, unable to hide my delight and amazement. Resurrection Cathedral (1652-1675). It’s like lace – a colored pattern. I was fascinated by its skillful execution. The whole temple is like a white stone wonder! K. Konyushev. The cathedral is crowned by a powerful five-domed dome with simple, slender eight-pointed crosses.

During our great French trip, we were able to get acquainted with two extraordinary works of ancient weaving and embroidery. The first is in Angers, the second is the Bayeux tapestry. You should come to this city just to see with your own eyes the grandiose creation of embroiderers (or embroiderers?), which is almost 1000 years old! Of course, no online source can replace the impression of the real thing. But it can give an idea of ​​the grandiose work of ancient masters. And at the same time, you will refresh your memory of the most important episode of the Medieval history of England - its conquest by William (Guillaume) the Conqueror in 1066.
Let's start with a brief historical background - this way it will be clearer to understand the events of the tapestry.
1051 The lands of the Anglo-Saxons are ruled by King Edward the Confessor, nephew of the Norman Duke Richard II. The Lord did not give him children (there is a legend that he did not love his wife and remained a virgin), he proclaimed as his heir the young Norman Duke Guillaume (in England he is called William), his cousin.
1064-1065. Another contender for the throne, Harold was the brother of Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor. In 1064-1065, Harold was captured by Guy I de Pontier. William the Conqueror ransomed him from captivity and Harold was forced to recognize the savior as heir to the throne, swore allegiance and promised him his support.
1066 Death of King Edward the Confessor. The English council "Witengamot" recognized Harold as king. They did not need William, because the stranger would begin to oppress the local nobility, take away their lands and titles and give gifts to his Norman associates. Harold took the throne. William immediately accused him of perjury, assembled a squadron, defeated the English troops at Hastings and reigned on the English throne. Harold died during the battle.

We will provide technical and historical details below as we look at the tapestry's many scenes. “Tapestry” in this case is named so conventionally. In fact, it is made using the technique of embroidery with wool threads on linen fabric. The pictures are taken from the official website of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum.

The events of 1064-1066 depicted in the tapestry constitute an independent view of events, which differs somewhat from the surviving written sources. And if the descriptions of the main events generally coincide with written sources, then in detail they often contradict them. The laconic nature of the tapestry text does not explain the reason for the discrepancies.

It should be noted that some events are deliberately not entirely clear. For example, about the mission that Edward the Confessor entrusted to Harold at the beginning of the story or about the contents of King Edward's will. The author was undoubtedly aware of the different interpretations of events on both sides of the English Channel.

JOURNEY TO NORMANDY
Scene 1. At the very beginning, the carpet was badly damaged, but it was carefully restored. The King of England since 1042, Edward the Confessor, speaks with his son-in-law, Earl of Wessex, Harold, probably in the Palace of Westminster. Harold was at the time the most powerful aristocrat in the country and a contender for the throne. Harold (right), hawk in hand, then sets off for the south coast to his estate Bosham in Sussex with his retinue and hunting dogs.

Scene 2. Harold and his companion enter the temple at Bosham to pray for safe sailing. They feast in one of the many palaces of Harold's estate in Bosham (note the drinking horn, such utensils were extremely common in Scandinavian circles) and set off on a peaceful campaign - none of the retinue is armed. Why - historians know nothing. Harold boards the ship and sets sail. He still holds the hawk in his hands.

Scene 3. A fair wind carries the ships and Harold crosses the English Channel. From the mast they watch the shore through the fog. This is Ponthieu, the land of the powerful Duke Guy I de Ponthieu. Harold is shown twice here. On the left, he stands on a ship, ready to step ashore. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was seized by the Duke's men, who leads them, sitting on a horse to the right.

CAPTURED
Scene 1. Although Harold is now a prisoner, he is treated with respect. In the center of the scene he is depicted on horseback with his hawk, riding towards Beaurain. On the right, Guy I de Pontier on the throne talks with Harold.

Scene 2. In the next three parts, the sequence of events is shown in reverse order. Two envoys arrive from Lord William of Normandy to the Duke de Guy and demand Harold's release. It is known that this scene depicts Turold, the nephew of Bishop Odo of Bayeux. Turold is either the little man to the left of center stage, or one of the two messengers to the right. It is conveyed how furiously these horsemen—Wilhelm’s envoys—gallop—their hair flutters in the wind, they are full of a serious intention to announce to de Guy the will of his master.

Scene 3 This scene should actually be the first of three. William receives news that Duke Guy has captured Harold. Guy obeys the order and brings Harold to meet Wilhelm. Guy is on a blue horse, he points to Harold riding behind him, both holding hawks.

STRANGER

Scene 1. William and Harold, accompanied by soldiers, ride to William's palace in Rouen. (The Norman is now shown with a hawk!) William is sitting as Harold speaks to him. A mysterious episode is also depicted here. Two figures appear on the tapestry: a lady, her name is Aelfgyva (she is definitely English) and a clergyman. They seem to have no connection with the event, but the event must have been well known in the 11th century. Most likely, the scene is related to a love scandal. The lower case depicts a naked man.

BROTHERS IN ARMS
Scene 1. Harold accompanies William and the Norman soldiers on a campaign against Conan of Brittany, Duke of Brittany. They pass Mount Saint-Michel, the border between Normandy and Brittany.

To get to Brittany you need to cross the river and the army barely escapes the quicksand. Warriors raise their shields above their heads to prevent them from getting wet. Several soldiers fall into quicksand and Harold saves two at once!

Scene 2. The Norman army attacks Dol and Duke Conan escapes by rappelling out of the castle - in the center there is a small man rappelling from the tower. Pursuing Conan, the Normans reach Rennes, the capital of Brittany.

Scene 3. The Normans overtook Conan in Dinan. In battle, horsemen throw spears, soldiers try to set fire to defensive fortifications. Conan gives up. At the tip of a spear, he gives William the keys to Dinan. The campaign is over. For his faithful service, William rewards Harold with weapons and knights him. This ritual was well known in France, but in England at this time such a tradition did not exist. This scene also signifies Harold's recognition of William as his overlord. From a Norman point of view this scene is extremely important.

OATH
Scene 1. William and Harold return to Normandy and arrive in Bayeux. In this episode there is an illustration of the castle in Bayeux, it was built in the 10th century and destroyed in the 18th.

This is the climactic scene, on the holy relics Harold swears an oath of allegiance to William (image in the center). In the presence of the Norman Duke, Harold places his hands on two relics and swears allegiance to the overlord. The text of the oath is not known, but, most likely, Harold gave his word in the event of the death of King Edward not to prevent William from taking the vacant English throne. But did Harold really promise support to William? This scene is key to the entire unfolding drama of the tapestry - it will be followed by the death of Harold and the collapse of his entire family. But at least the English count is free and returning to England.

RETURN
Scene 1. Harold talks with King Edward the Confessor and tells him about his adventures. The king is depicted as old, weak and sick. However, in fact, at this time he was quite healthy, although at that time he was already 62 years old.

DEATH OF A KING
Scene 1. The events of the next year are left unattended by the author of the tapestry. The story continues with the events of January 5, 1066, when King Edward the Confessor of England died. Here the chronology of the story is broken. The tapestry shows first the burial scene and then the death scene. On the left we see the funeral procession to the great new church of Westminster Abbey. Edward was very ill and was not present at the consecration of the new temple on December 28, 1065. Although the temple is his brainchild, he built the cathedral on a scale hitherto unseen on the north side of the English Channel. A palace is depicted in the center. In the Upper House, we see King Edward in bed, talking to his loyal subjects, including Harold and his wife, Queen Edith. Whether he named Harold or Wilhelm as his successor on his deathbed is unknown; each researcher offers his own version. In the lower chamber of the palace, the king is shown dead, with a priest standing next to him. On the right, two noble courtiers offer Harold a crown and an ax, symbols of royal power. Harold accepts the regalia.

LONG LIVE THE KING!
Scene 1. On the morning of January 6, 1066, the king was buried, and in the afternoon Harold’s coronation ceremony takes place. The new king sits on the throne, his entourage stands on his left hand, and Archbishop Stigand of Canterbury stands on his right. The Anglo-Saxon nobles present at the coronation are easily identified by their weapons: they are armed with large battle axes. In the background, people welcome the new king. A “star with hair” appears – this is Halley’s Comet. An earlier image of her than on the Bayeux Tapestry has not yet been found.

The people are terrified - the appearance of a celestial body is perceived as an ominous sign. Scene left - Harold is informed about the comet and the newly-crowned king accepts the news with fear. In the lower case there are several ghostly ships depicted, this is an indication of the coming Norman invasion.

PLANNING AN INVASION
Scene 1. News reached Duke William of Normandy across the English Channel about the death of Edward and the accession of Harold: we see an English ship sailing away to warn him about what had happened. The Duke is furious - he already saw himself as an English king and considered Harold a usurper. He decides to go to war with England and gathers a fleet of ships. To his left is Bishop Odo of Bayeux, his maternal half-brother. Odo appears for the first time in this scene.

Scene 2: William's men prepare an invasion and build a fleet. Lumberjacks cut down trees and make planks out of them. Ships are built from planks and launched into the sea. These tapestry scenes are the most famous and very bright and lively. We see carpenters with axes, the fitting of boards and the appearance of a ship, in the bow it is decorated with a dragon. We know that William also requisitioned all the ships available to the Norman nobles, but this is not reflected on the trellis.

Scene 3. Food and drink are delivered to the ships by hand and on carts. They also bring weapons - chain mail, helmets, swords and spears. Wine is served in vessels made of animal skins, in barrels, in bags and in a wide variety of other containers.

CROSSING
Scene 1. William leads his army to board the ships and they set off. The author of the tapestry missed many of the events at the beginning of the campaign - the long wait for a fair wind in Dives-Sur-mer, wandering along the coast in search of a convenient pier in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme ). Only the direct crossing of the English Channel is shown - the creator shows the beginning of Normandy's march to victory.

But even better on the tapestry are the boats of the Normans - decorated with carved dragon heads, they rush forward, driven by a fair wind. Multi-colored sails and shields are clearly visible, inserted into the holes for the oars of the ships that carry warriors and, finally, a ship with horses on board.

Scene 2. There are many ships on the sea, the ships are full of soldiers and horses. William sails on Mora's ship, a gift from his wife Matilda. His ship is easy to distinguish from others - a small man blows a trumpet, a flag with a cross is visible above the mast - without a doubt, this is the “Standard of St. Peter”, awarded by Pope Alexander II who blessed the Duke for his enterprise.

BEACHHEAD
Scene 1. On September 28, William's army landed on the English coast, at Pevense, now this place is located a few miles from the sea. The ships are pulled out and dried high on the shore. The warriors gallop towards Hastings and stock up on provisions, taking the cattle from the farmers.

Scene 2. September 29, 1066, the operation begins. The necessary provisions are obtained on the shore and an unprecedented feast is prepared in the open air - chickens on skewers, meat is stewed over an open fire, dishes are taken out of the oven. Here you can appreciate how food was prepared at that time.

Bishop Odo of Bayeux blesses the food and wine. On the right is William seated at the table, feasting with his two half-brothers, seated with dignity on either side of the Duke. Servants load food onto shields and bring it to the banquet. Wadard, Odo's close associate, is depicted on the left at the table.

Scene 3. Duke William enters into an argument with his half-brothers Bishop Odo and Robert, Count of Mortain.

To strengthen the Norman base, a motte was erected in Hastings - a castle-like building. A messenger brings news of the arrival of Harold and his troops. Wilhelm clears the battlefield - he orders several houses to be burned. On the right, a woman and child are fleeing a burning house.

WILHELM RIDES TO WAR
Scene 1. The morning of the battle is depicted, October 14, 1066. William leaves Hastings and, fully equipped, is about to jump on his horse. William's Norman cavalry gallops towards Harold's English army. The meeting took place about 8 miles from the present shore where an abbey was later built.

Scene 2. Here William is depicted twice: first on a dark horse at the head of his army. Then, immediately to the right, he asks one of Odo's close associates, Vital, if he has already noticed the enemy army.

Scene 3: The English side is now shown. The guard warns Harold that the Norman army is approaching. And again the Normans are shown: William, with a mace in his hand, makes a speech to encourage his warriors, he calls on them to be brave and courageous.

BATTLE OF HASTINGS
Scene 1: The Normans attack and the Battle of Hastings begins. The fast march of the French cavalry is protected by foot archers

Scene 2. The air is filled with arrows and lances, the warriors fall dead. The English side is on foot, the soldiers are armed with battle axes and pikes, they protect themselves with a wall of shields. The Normans are advancing on both sides. The lower register of the carpet is filled with paintings of the bodies of dead and wounded soldiers.

Scene 3: The violence continues as people hack and stab each other to death. Both of Harold's brothers died in this battle.

Scene 4. The battle is shown in full swing: people and horses fall dead to the ground, the bottom row is littered with dead warriors and horses.

Bishop Odo appears with a mace in his hand, waving his weapon and encouraging his followers. Please note that the clergyman does not have a sword, but a mace; his rank prohibits the shedding of human blood.

Scene 5. Wilhelm fell from his horse. But to show that he was alive, the Duke raised the visor of his helmet and revealed his face. His soldiers must see this, he encourages the soldiers to continue the battle. Count Eustace carries a decorated banner, quite possibly the same banner that the Pope presented to William as a sign of support for his intention to invade England.

Scene 6. The Normans seem to have the upper hand in the battle, but it is still ongoing. Many soldiers were killed, one had his head cut off. On the right is the most famous scene: the Normans killing King Harold. But how was he actually killed? It seems that he was depicted twice in this scene: first he pulls the arrow out of his eye, the second time he is defeated by the Norman knight. This part of the carpet is very difficult to decipher, but researchers agree that the scene of Harold's death is shown.

Scene 7. The battle ends with the death of the king. The victors pursue the surviving Anglo-Saxons.

The final scene of the carpet has not survived. Did it depict the ceremony of William the Conqueror's coronation as King of England at Wenstminster? It is hardly possible to answer this, but this scene fit perfectly with the beginning of the story - the coronation of King Edward the Confessor, who established himself on the throne just two years before the events described.

The final scenes of the tapestry were restored in the 19th century and very crudely.

• GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY

The Bayeux Carpet is not only an amazing work of art, it is also an invaluable historical document. Historians find many important details in it. Even after two centuries of research, the meaning of many elements is not clear and scientists still have to work hard to decipher their true meaning.

Any textbook on the history of the Middle Ages must have illustrations of some part of the Bayeux carpet. There are even more of them in English, American, and Scandinavian books than in French ones. The famous tapestry attracts not hundreds, but thousands of tourists every year, many books and countless articles have been written about it, but it has never been fully studied.

The tapestry was discussed in relatively recent sources. It was first mentioned in 1476 among the treasures of Bayeux Cathedral and until the beginning of the 18th century nothing was known about it. Therefore, the exact date of its manufacture is highly controversial. It was most likely woven shortly after William of Normandy conquered England in 1066. The trellis may have appeared between 1070 and 1080. There is reason to believe that the tapestry was embroidered for the ceremonial illumination of the newly built cathedral in Bayeux.

It is certain that the work was carried out by English craftsmen, possibly from the County of Kent. Now no one can say whether women or men were engaged in embroidery. But there is no doubt that these people had a connection with the Canteberry temples. There is every reason to believe that the work was commissioned and paid for by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, half-brother of William the Conqueror, when he was first Earl of Kent. In the Middle Ages and until the French Revolution, the carpet was regularly hung in the cathedral in early July, to commemorate the events that it depicts.

During the Revolution, the city fathers managed to preserve the priceless trellis. By decree of Napoleon it was declared a national treasure and Bayeux was obliged to preserve and care for it. In the 19th century, the tapestry was restored several times. In 1982, careful research determined that the last few scenes of the carpet had been lost. Since 1983, it has been exhibited in the building of the former main diocesan seminary. The inspection of the tapestry is organized very competently - tourists are given audio guides in different languages, including Russian. The Russian text is beautifully composed - the announcer narrates the events in a lively and interesting manner, paying attention to the details, which are numbered. Tourists move in the same direction without interfering with each other. Photography and video shooting are prohibited, so no one stands in front of you with a camera and does not interfere with your study of the carpet.

• TECHNICAL ASPECT OF THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY

Let us emphasize once again that although this work is called a tapestry, it was not made by weavers, but by embroiderers. The carpet consists of eight wide linen strips of unequal length. The scenes are embroidered with wool threads. The length of the carpet is about 70 meters, the width is about 50 cm. Later, the entire work was sewn onto another linen fabric, of a coarser quality. This made it possible to number all the scenes, which was almost certainly done in the 18th century.

All scenes are embroidered with eight different colors of yarn. They protrude quite high above the biscuit-colored background. The contours of the figures are emphasized by the stem stitch; they contrast with the smooth areas of the satin stitch. Despite the fact that the tapestry is over 900 years old, the threads have retained their original color! Only a few threads were pulled from the tapestry, maybe in the Middle Ages, maybe later, but the seams and stitches are visible so clearly that you can trace the entire technique of work. The only scenes that have suffered the most from time are the scenes after Harold's death. They cannot be restored. And the scenes of the retreat of the British troops are considered a rather crude fake. No one can now say what was depicted in the final paintings, but it is absolutely clear that not much was lost.

Along almost its entire length, the tapestry is divided from top to bottom into three segments: the upper and lower parts are separated from the main central composition by an almost continuous line. They depict figures who are not related to the main narrative. It is still a mystery why they were placed on the carpet. It depicts mainly fantastic animals that are mentioned in Romanesque art (lions with raised tails, griffins, etc.), foliage patterns, and various curls. In the first half of the carpet, the lower strip is occupied by living scenes, partly taken from the plots of ancient legends, but most often without any specific meaning.

Do these images have any parallels with the main action? To this day this has not been determined. As scenes in the main narrative become more intense, figures in the top and bottom stripes add to the story, especially noticeable in the second part of the story: archers surrounding the cavalry, scattered bodies of the dead, marauders stripping the dead of weapons and ammunition. At the top of the central stripe there is a commentary in Latin. The narrative is embroidered in capital letters, and some of the main characters are named. This brief description of events is of no literary interest, but is one of the main sources for the history of the conquest and the events preceding it. The spelling of names and titles - for example, King Edward, the mystical Aelfgyva, the cities of Bayeux, Pevensey and Hastings, and finally the names of Harold's brothers, prove that the text was composed by an Englishman.

The sequence of events is shown in quite modern ways - the action develops from one scene to another. The movement is conveyed by several images of almost identical figures - when the cavalry gallops or attacks, when the fleet crosses the English Channel. Throughout the entire tapestry there is not a single image of a landscape in the background, with the only exception being Mount Saint-Michel. But contrasting colors, for example between the horses' legs, emphasize the idea of ​​perspective.

• AUTHORS OF THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY

From the point of view of the authorship of the tapestry, three or even four levels of performers should be named.
1. The person who commissioned this work was probably Bishop Odo of Bayeux or Edo Conteville (1045-1096), half-brother of William the Conqueror. On the trellis itself he is shown at least three times: blessing food, when the Normans landed on the English coast, when the French were building a camp and, for the last time, during the climax of the battle. It is likely that he was also depicted, although not named, in the scene where William receives news of Harold's coronation. It is known that Odo was a very strong personality, had a sharp mind, and appreciated art. He was more attracted to politics than to serving the church.
2. The author of the tapestry drawings was without a shadow of a doubt an Englishman. He was familiar with early works in the same technique, as well as with ancient manuscripts from the early 11th century, kept in Canterbury. Different approaches to depicting these events gave him complete freedom and he did not fail to take advantage of them.
3. Whether the author of the drawings was also the author of the text is unknown, but almost certainly he was also an Englishman. This man clearly received an excellent education. Some of his figurative expressions are amazing and have a literary aspect to them, such as William the Conqueror's speech during battle.
4.And, finally, the embroiderers or embroiderers who completed the work. They spent long months doing the meticulous work entrusted to them. The artel of ancient needle masters worked so harmoniously that it is impossible to distinguish between areas made by different hands; it seems that the figures were embroidered by one person, which is impossible to even imagine.

It should be added that in the 18th century a legend appeared about the involvement of William the Conqueror’s wife, Queen Matilda, in the creation of the trellis. The legend has no basis; Queen Matilda has nothing to do with the outstanding work of ancient masters.

• THE THEME OF THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY

At first glance, the main theme of the tapestry was the Battle of Hastings and the death of the English king Harold. This plot was named the main one at the end of the 15th century, when the tapestry was discovered. But such a scene is absolutely unacceptable for a temple and it would never be stored or displayed in the cathedral! And if the main plot of the composition really were the victory of the Normans, then why start the story from 1064?

In fact, the main idea of ​​the story has a deep religious meaning - this is the punishment for perjury, for the fact that a person did not keep his word given on holy relics and the inevitable punishment of the perpetrator for deception, shown in the sequence of events.

That is why it was imperative to show the oath taken by Harold on the holy relics. The narrative ends with the death of the perjurer; the punishment shows the power of the Almighty. Consequently, the moral aspect of the image prevails over the military and political. All the necessary scenes that help to understand the reasons for the invasion and the details of the battle itself are left without attention. We see no reason why William has the right to lay claim to the English throne, nor the intrigues of Harold's younger brother Tostig, nor the coronation at Wenstminster on December 25, 1066. All this is known from other sources and is not reflected in any of the scenes in the tapestry.

But there is no reason to say that the tapestry does not glorify the victory of the Normans at Hastings and their leaders - William the Conqueror himself and his half-brothers - Bishop Odo and Count Robert. But at the same time, this is done in a surprisingly restrained manner: neither in the text nor in the illustrations, the British are not humiliated by a single word or a single action. The blame for the Lord's punishment lies entirely with Harold and this in no way reflects on their human qualities, nor any more than the aspirations of military valor in battle, which is placed on the same level as the courage of the Normans. “Here the English and French die together in battle,” says scene 53 of the tapestry. It is surprising that the winners are called “French”, and not “Normans”, as they always said north of the English Channel, and not “Normans”, as all the authors of the duchy wrote.

• THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT

The unprecedented wealth is expressed, first of all, by many scenes - 626 figures, 202 horses, 41 ships, 37 buildings, and other details can be counted. There is also an amazing amount of detail in all aspects of life in the 11th century - weapons, clothing, horse harness, ship building, scenes of hunting and cooking. It’s impossible to even list all the details; let’s focus on the most important ones.

First of all, in most cases, the artistic ideas of the carpet are taken from the point of view of the English side of the English Channel, where its creator worked. With the exception of some scenes, the author was not interested in the difference between the English and the Normans. On the battlefield, the warriors of both sides wear the same chain mail (with trousers, very comfortable for the English infantry and completely useless for the Norman cavalry), have the same helmets on their heads, and they fight with the same swords and spears. At sea, English and Norman ships are indistinguishable. However, at least in the early scenes, the English are shown with long hair and mustaches, while the Normans are shaved, their hair cut to neck level. In battle, the Normans are mainly archers, and Harold's Anglo-Danish guards are armed with the famous Viking battle axes.

It should be noted that the author, most likely, was an eyewitness to what was happening. Professional cavalrymen and horse breeders, in any case, accept him as one of their own: he was a horse lover and did not ignore any possible movement of the horse. Also, the creator of the trellis had such a good understanding of ships and navigation, which has not yet been observed since the times of the ancient Greeks. He also knew a lot about reliquaries in which holy relics were kept: one of them is shown in the scene of Harold's oath, this reliquary surprisingly resembles the only Scandinavian relic of that time. In addition, the author of the tapestry is familiar with knightly traditions and the royal burial ceremony. From this we conclude that he was a man of wide interests and had an undoubted talent for conveying in a few strokes (the possibilities of embroidery are limited) the essence of the plot that he showed so vividly.

Many scenes in the tapestry, even those not directly related to the action, have been studied very carefully. Harold sets sail for Ponthieu after visiting the church in Bosham. This temple is depicted with a high and narrow arch.

This is the exact form of the arches of Saxon churches, such arches still separate the nave and choir of temples. Harold leaves the ship with a hawk on his arm - from 12th century sources it is known that he owned a book on the habits and breeding of hawks. During the siege of Dol, a fugitive rappels down from a watchtower.

The same method was described by the chronicler Orbderic Vital shortly after the siege of Antioch. Upon the surrender of Dinan, Duke Conan gives the keys to the city to the Normans; they seem huge.

Danish archaeologists have discovered similar keys. Here and there, buildings with arched roofs and buildings that look like an inverted hull of a ship appear - the existence of such houses is confirmed by the finds of Norwegian and English archaeologists.

Did the author convey events with chronological accuracy? I would like to ask him for clarification about the obvious fact - King Edward the Confessor is first shown on his deathbed, and in the next scene he is shown giving instructions to those close to him. Here the author used inversion, why is not known. However, temporal relationships are conveyed with different intensity: in some scenes time moves slowly, the action is shown in detail, in others, on the contrary, the creator jumps from one temporal event to another very quickly, for example, what happened in 1065 is not shown at all. Many modern researchers have declared the tapestry's author guilty of blatant violation of the sequence of events. But more thorough research showed that they were wrong.

• BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND MILITARY HISTORY

Only a few documents have survived to this day that present such vivid pictures of such a large-scale military operation, including weapons and combat tactics.

The carpet shows three types of ammunition: chain mail, helmets and shields. About two hundred horsemen, both English and Norman, are dressed in identical mail. They protect the body, arms up to the elbows or a little lower, the legs are covered by something like chain mail trousers (although, in fact, the riders were unlikely to wear such trousers). A removable plate is very often shown on the chest. During battle, warriors wear a so-called “chain mail cap” - a mesh that protects the neck. In a time when every ring and every joint was forged by hand, you can imagine how much a complete weapon would cost.

All helmets were conical with a plate protecting the nose, but there was no neck protection on the helmet. Most shields are oval or almond-shaped with the point down. The shields, most likely wooden, are covered with leather. The shields have different colors. Those that belong to commanders have distinctive insignia. Several English infantrymen are depicted with round shields.

The weapon on the tapestry shows a sword - long and double-edged; pike, it is placed under the arm and thus the rider can use it in a frontal attack (one of the earliest mentions of such a use of the pike in the Bayeux Tapestry) or when the arm is raised like a javelin; a Viking battle ax is also depicted, with Harold's bodyguards swinging it with both hands.

Archers are armed with fairly short bows and this is their only weapon. The quiver is attached either to the shoulder or to the belt. Several members of the nobility are shown with clubs or maces, such as Bishop Odo of Bayeux, as mentioned above, a cleric cannot shed blood, and Duke William.

The horse harness is also of interest. The horses are wearing heavy saddles, the rider sits firmly and securely in them, the body is fixed both in front and behind: stirrups descend from the saddle, they were a new invention of the West. In this position, the rider could withstand the blow of the enemy's pike without running too much risk of being knocked over from the saddle. In those days everyone wore spurs.

The English usually fought on foot, even if Harold himself was mounted. The Normans delivered the main blow with heavy cavalry. But the tactics of the beginning of the battle can hardly be called Scandinavian: a detachment of archers came out first, which retreated back immediately after the main forces entered. In battle, commanders can be recognized by their standard, which is held by the retinue surrounding him. Undoubtedly, William's banner bears the image of a cross because he received the blessing of the Pope. Harold's standard features a dragon-like beast, probably carved from a sheet of bronze, similar to those found in Norway and used as weather vanes on church roofs.

It is worth noting that the tapestry also serves as the main source of the history of fortifications of some regions and cities: Brittany, Bayeux and Hastings. Castles are built of wood and sit on mounds: they are fundamental to the Normans in the 11th century, but are unlikely to have existed in England in the time of Edward the Confessor.

• THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE HISTORY OF THE FLEET

From this point of view, the tapestry was studied most carefully. Without this, many aspects of the design and use of naves (esnèques) would remain unknown. Esnèque - (from the Scandinavian snekkja) - in the 11th - 12th centuries in Normandy, this was the name for the longships on which the Vikings sailed. Until now, archaeologists have not discovered a single beast like the dragon that adorns the bows of these ships. And although many sources mention such decorations, they can only be seen on the Bayeux Tapestry. Similarly, illustrations of sails and other equipment of ships are found only in vague images on columns in the Swedish islands of Gotland and date back to the 8th-9th centuries.

All ships in the tapestry are of the same Scandinavian type, with the exception of some variations. They are descended from the same type of Viking ships found in royal burials in Norway or found during archaeological excavations in the Danish fjords. This type of ship dominated throughout northern Europe from the 8th to the 12th centuries. They were adapted for military needs, or for transporting people and goods. They were made from wood, the boards were fitted not end-to-end, but with an overlap, the keel was empty. The ships were distinguished by a rather low bulwark with holes for oars; the last oars could be removed. Such boats had neither a deck nor a hold. Their draft was quite shallow, such ships did not need a harbor: the crew simply dragged the ship to the shore, and the mast was removed. The ships were quite large and moved using sails. There was one sail, more triangular in shape than rectangular, and was attached to the central mast at the bottom. These boats could also be propelled by rowers, but there are no rowing scenes on the tapestry.

These ships were quite reliable and served for a long time; they were distinguished by maneuverability, but were extremely inconvenient. The Bayeux Tapestry does not answer the question of how many people such a ship could accommodate, but Scandinavian sources say that 30-40 people could sit on an ordinary ship. Therefore, one can imagine that in the campaign of 1066 the entire fleet consisted of several hundred ships.

The horses were apparently loaded on wide gangways made of logs, this can be seen on the tapestry; this technology was already known to the Vikings. It was improved in Normandy during the campaign against Sicily in 1060 and became one of the decisive reasons for the success of William the Conqueror.

In conclusion, we attach a video recording of the tapestry animation. Some scenes from the tapestry are missing, but the video gives an excellent idea of ​​the events depicted on the tapestry.

Usually the museum is open daily, but sometimes it gets closed for restoration.
In 2014 it is closed from January 6 to January 31. It is also closed from December 24 to 26, 2014.
Every year the museum closes at 12:30 on December 31st and opens at 2:00 pm on January 2nd.
On other days it is open:
From March 15 to November 15 - 9 to 17.45, from May to August - until 18.15.

From November 16 to March 14, the museum is open from 9.30 to 11.45 and from 14.00 to 17.15.
Link to the museum's opening hours page.

The authors of the article traveled around France by car and set their destination in the navigator - the center of the city of Bayeux. Address: Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux Center Guillaume le Conquérant 13 bis rue Nesmond.
Attached is a link to the Google map of the museum.

On our website you can get acquainted with another extraordinary work of weaving - the Apocalypse Carpet

What to look at: The Bayen Tapestry is a strip of coarse linen material about 70 m long and 50 cm wide, on which the story of the conquest of England by the Normans under the leadership of William is embroidered in multi-colored wool.

Manufacturing history.
It was made between 1066 and 1082. The exact customer of the work is unknown. There are three versions.

According to the traditional point of view, the carpet was embroidered by order Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, her court weavers. In France, the carpet is known as the Queen Mathilde Carpet. (Biography of the Queen)

In the 20th century, another hypothesis was put forward: the person who ordered the creation of the carpet could have been Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother and one of the closest associates of King William I. The following facts are usually cited as confirmation of this thesis:

The carpet depicts three of the bishop's servants, whose names are also contained in the Book of the Last Judgment;

The carpet was kept in Bayeux Cathedral, built by Odo. Perhaps the carpet was created precisely at the time when the cathedral was being built (1070s) and was probably intended for its decoration.

If the customer of the carpet was indeed Bishop Odo, its authors were probably English weavers, since the bishop's main land holdings were in Kent. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that some Latin names on the carpet are derived from Anglo-Saxon ones, and the plant dyes used to create the carpet were widespread in England.

The more difficult question is who the designer of the image was. If you look at the entire tapestry as a whole, it becomes clear that it glorifies a great victory. And it is clear that the authorship of the idea belongs to one person. Who could it be - a man or a woman? Most likely, a man, a direct participant in the events. The battle scenes on the tapestry are depicted very vividly and with bloody details. It is unlikely that the lady could have known about such details without having been in the thick of things.

The tapestry consists of eight separate pieces of linen joined together lengthwise. It is believed that a design was first applied to the fabric, then embroidered, and only then joined into a single fabric. In total, 58 scenes are applied to the fabric, following one after another in chronological order. Each of them is equipped with comments made in “dog” Latin. The paintings meticulously reproduce weapons, tools and even food traditional for the Normans and Saxons. The Saxons on the tapestry are depicted with a mustache, and the Normans with shaved heads. In 1066, Halley's comet approached the Earth - it is also embroidered on the tapestry. It can be seen that the tapestry was previously longer; over the 1000 years of its existence, at least 7 m was lost. How, when and why one part was lost is unknown. It probably depicted events after the Battle of Hastings, including the coronation of William the Conqueror, which took place on Christmas Day 1066. It may have depicted his arrival in London and the construction of the Tower.

Having carefully studied the tapestry, historians came to the conclusion that it was woven by only two people, working with four hands. Nowhere in the world is there anything like the Bayeux Tapestry - even if it had been embroidered not a thousand, but twenty years ago, it would have attracted many admiring spectators.

Interesting Facts.
The tapestry depicts:
- 623 human figures;
- 55 dogs;
- 202 horses;
- 41 ships;
- 49 trees;
- almost 2000 Latin words;
- more than 500 mythical characters (like dragons);
- at least 8 shades of wool threads can be distinguished: purple, blue, green and black;
- when embroidering, the chain stitch technique, the stem stitch technique, as well as a simple “set” were used.

History of the tapestry.
After the carpet was completed, it was taken to Bayeux and exhibited in the Notre Dame Cathedral, built by Bishop Odo. It is known that for more than 400 years the tapestry was on the walls of the cathedral - this becomes obvious when studying the inventory of church property of those times. The earliest written evidence of a carpet is contained in an inventory of the property of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bayeux, dated 1476. No inventory was kept for the next three hundred years, but it can be assumed that the tapestry remained in its place. The first reproductions of the carpet were published in the 1730s. Bernard de Montfaucon. In 1750 he was sent to study in England, to the historical society Palaeographia Britannicus. Upon return, the tapestry was in danger. During the French Revolution, some Republicans from Bayeux wanted to make a carpet out of carpet for a cart with military ammunition, but the lawyer Lambert Leonard Leforestier, who understood the value of the carpet, saved it by providing another fabric.

In 1803, Napoleon took the carpet to Paris to promote the planned French invasion of England. However, when the invasion plan failed, the carpet was returned to Bayeux. There it was kept folded, although this caused the embroidery to stretch out, but at least the tapestry was safe. In 1818, the British showed interest in the masterpiece. A restorer arrived who studied the tapestry for more than two years and drew up a restoration plan, but death prevented him from proceeding with it. However, restoration was carried out in 1842. At the same time, the tapestry was placed under glass for the first time. In 1870, it was folded again and put into hiding places - the Franco-Prussian War was going on, no one wanted to take risks. Two years later, the masterpiece again revealed itself to the world. Until 1913, it was open to the public, and then the outbreak of World War I again forced the residents of Bayeux to roll up the carpet and hide it in hiding places. The authorities did the same during World War II, knowing the Nazis’ desire to collect works of art in the conquered territories. Therefore, the carpet spent most of the wartime in the dungeons of the Louvre. After the surrender of Germany, the tapestry was exhibited in Paris in all the splendor of its glory. A year later he returned to Bayeux.

Currently, the carpet is exhibited in a special museum in Bayeux (a former seminary, and now the “Centre Guillaume the Conqueror”), and, in order to avoid deterioration of the condition of this work of art, it is placed under glass, and special low lighting is maintained in the room.

Plot
The story of King Harold and William the Conqueror is known to every schoolchild - in 1066, the English ruler Harold fought at Hastings with the invader, the visiting Norman William. Harold died in battle, the Saxon troops were defeated, and a Norman duke sat on the throne in England. It was a historical battle - it is not for nothing that it has been sung for many centuries in novels and ballads: " The Abbot of Waldham sighed heavily, struck by the news that the Saxon leader, King Harold, had fallen honorably at Hastings.".

In the museum, on the way to the tapestry, visitors look at wax figures of Guillaume and his warriors, battle maps, models and many other exhibits of similar themes; the inspection seems endless - but in the end you find yourself in front of a door with the treasured word “tapestry”. And at the same time you find yourself completely unprepared to meet this amazing creation - it is impossible to imagine that in the 11th century. it was possible to illustrate historical events in such a revealing and witty way. The tapestry is stretched in a black hall, protected by glass and well lit - all 58 scenes are dedicated to the story of Harold and Guillaume, a story, as the guide kindly explains, of betrayal and perjury. Each scene is accompanied by rather sarcastic inscriptions written in Latin, but, in principle, one can do without explanations. Harold and the other Englishmen can be identified by their bushy cockroach mustaches, while the Norman warriors appear clean-shaven in the tapestry. The story begins long before Hastings - and tells of friendship and brotherhood between future enemies. Guillaume, according to the French, helped Harold fight, freed him from captivity and only asked for one thing - not to occupy the English throne. The treacherous Harold (trust Heine after this!) broke his promise, and the Normans, led by Guillaume, set off on a long campaign to put the presumptuous king in his place. The scenes of the gathering of troops, loading onto ships and landing in England are perhaps the most powerful in the entire tapestry, especially striking are the embroidered horses and carefully detailed designs of weapons. And even though the colors have faded a little over time, the canvas still surprises with its bright colors and extremely accurate images. Before the first discovery by archaeologists in the swamps near Schleswig in 1862 of the famous Viking boat, historians knew about their species only from descriptions by Tacitus and images of them on the Bayeux Tapestry!

King Harold, as everyone knows, died on the battlefield - an arrow from a Norman warrior hit him in the eye, and the ensuing death brought panic to the Saxon troops. The scene of his death is very often “quoted” on all kinds of souvenirs, which are sold in Bayeux literally at every turn. Cups, boxes of butter cookies, mouse pads and even a DIY embroidery kit are all adorned with familiar motifs. The French are no less proud of the Bayeux Tapestry than they are of William the Conqueror - after all, for the British he is the Conqueror, and for the French he is the hero and King Guillaume. Modern fashion designers have paid attention to an example of ancient embroidery: in summer collections there are women's silk scarves decorated with fragments of the Bayeux Tapestry.

The tapestry itself.

King Edward. Harold, Duke of England and his retinue ride to Bosham.
King Edward the Confessor of England in 1064 gave the unpleasant task to his subject Duke Harold to go to Normandy to pay tribute to the Norman Duke William. The humiliation of the event for Harold was enhanced by the fact that in 1051 Edward and William entered into an agreement under which the throne after Edward would go to the Norman duke. However, Harold used his mission for personal purposes - he organized the release of his nephews Wulfnot and Harkon. Unfortunately, the ship on which Harold was moving to the shores of Normandy was caught in a strong storm, and the poor duke was captured by a certain Guy of Ponthieu. Pay attention to the mustache fashion of those times.

Church. From here Harold goes to sea...

...to sail in full sail to the territory of Count Guy.

Harold. Guy captures Harold and sends him to Beaurain, where he is held by force.

Harold and Guy are having a conversation.
Duke William's envoy arrives at Guy.

Guy's envoys arrive to Duke William.

Guy Pontu notifies William that he has captured Duke Harold. To this day, the question remains open whether a ransom was paid for the captive. Some say that William forked out money to free a noble captive. Others believe that he flatly refused. Pressing Guy slightly, using a gentle threat, he tried to convince him of the error of his behavior.

Guy takes Harold to William, Duke of Normandy.
The scene in the tapestry shows the moment of Duke Harold's handing over to William. On the left we assume that this is Guy pointing to Harold, addressing William, standing on the right.

Duke William arrives at his palace with Harold. There is a certain church servant and Aelfgyva.
Wilhelm and Harold discuss current issues. Many meetings similar to this one were organized. These men were worthy rivals in intelligence, so they must have been interested in listening to each other. Harold realized that he was effectively a hostage, so he had to be very careful in these meetings, so Harold and William became good friends and fought side by side. It was assumed that if Harold ever returned to England, he would immediately swear an oath of allegiance to William.

Duke William and his army arrive at Mont Saint-Michel.

They cross the Cuesnon River.
Duke Harold pulls them out of the sands.
And together they arrive in Dol, and Conan flees.
Rennes.

Duke William's soldiers fight the people of Dinan and Conan hands over the keys.

Wilhelm gives Harold a weapon.
William arrives in Bayeux.
Harold swears allegiance to Duke William.
Harold realizes that he has no choice, that he will have to swear an oath of allegiance to William if he ever wants to get home and free Walfnoth and Harkon. The scene depicts an act of worship before holy relics. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Being a cunning politician, he even used this oath of allegiance to his advantage. They say that he took it under pressure and while in virtual captivity, so this oath has no legal force. However, at the moment, Harold's goal was achieved: Harkon, his nephew, followed his uncle to England. His brother Valfnot remained hostage for obvious reasons.

Duke Harold returns home to England.

And he came to King Edward. King Edward is in bed talking to his subjects. And here he dies.
The body of Edward the Confessor was carried to Westminster, where he was buried, for the abbey was built by himself. Now the events that followed 10 months later have become irreversible.

Harold is presented with the royal crown.
Now on the throne of England is Harold.
People admire the star.
The death of Edward the Confessor occurred on January 6, 1066. One of the characters in this scene must be Harold, for Edward's last words were: "I commit my wife to your care, and with her all my kingdom." Whether these words were actually spoken by Edward is still in question. If there were, they can be interpreted in different ways. Harold had no doubts.
The day after the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold was crowned king at Westminster Abbey. He became the first king to be enthroned in this place. On his left is Stigand, the excommunicated Archbishop of Canterbury who, along with the Godwins, made the coronation possible.
Halley's Comet was first spotted on April 24, 1066. The Saxons considered it a bad omen. It was calculated that the comet was much brighter then than in the winter of 1985. It is clear that in those days any celestial anomalies were considered a sign of God, sent for support or warning. Omens were given great importance in the Middle Ages.

Harold is warned of a comet.
An English ship lands on the lands of Duke William.

Wilhelm orders the construction of a ship.
The news of Harold's coronation angers William. He convinces his counts and barons to join him in this crusade. In addition, he enlists the support of the Pope. So preparations begin for the conquest of England. The scene shows the construction of ships. Notice how similar they are to Viking longships.

The ships are launched.
People load weapons onto ships.
Pay attention to the chain mail that is carried on poles - this tells us how heavy they were. They also carry swords. The cart on the right contains a barrel of water or even wine. On top of everything are spears and helmets.

Wilhelm crosses the sea on a large ship...
William joined his fleet in the area of ​​St Valery sur Somme, awaiting ideal conditions to cross the English Channel and begin an operation of conquest.

... and arrives in Pevensey.
William's army lands at Pevensey. This process did not go very well. Firstly, the soil in that area was too marshy due to frequent floods. And secondly, Wilhelm had the misfortune of falling flat on his face (in the literal sense of the word), which in those days was considered a bad omen. However, the Duke hastened to put the thought of omens out of his head, but it is still believed that only a small part of his troops landed on the ground at this place to get to Hastings. The rest remained on the ships and sailed 20 km east to meet their leader there.

The horses go ashore.
And the soldiers rush to Hastings to expropriate food from the locals.
The final landing of the ships at Hastings. Wilhelm immediately took care of the construction of wooden protective structures, which were taken to the ships in disassembled form. They were installed on the tops of rocks. His Scandinavian blood made itself known again when Viking tactics were used.

Wadard.
The meat is being prepared. Servants setting tables.

Dinner.
Bishop Odo blesses the food and wine.
William.
Robert.


In Hastings.
Wilhelm receives news about Harold.
The house is set on fire.
This image shows William learning about Harold, his location and the likelihood of his victory at Stamford Bridge. On the right, the Normans set fire to a house, one of many that would be burned throughout the conquered territories.

Battle.
The right part is interesting, where we see two shooters. The top one doesn't have armor, but the bottom one does. Perhaps there were special arrows that were used in the closed row, or the answer lies in the next image.

Duke William urges his soldiers to prepare for battle with the English army.
Norman attack on the Saxon shield wall. The spears were held above the shoulder for greater impact efficiency. This technique was often used in jousting matches. However, it was quite difficult to break through the barrier of shields, which protected well from both arrows and spears. Wilhelm had never encountered such defensive tactics before, and was therefore slightly confused. Also pay attention to the shape of the shields - in the form of a kite, right? It is known that round shields were also used in the battle, by both sides, but this is not depicted on the tapestry, as far as I can see. The Saxons were not inclined to use archers, but still the position of this archer behind the screen of Saxon shields convinces us that he is a supporter of King Harold. Along the lower edge of the tapestry we see numerous bodies of people and animals.

Pali Leofwine and Gyrth, Harold's brothers.
This part of the tapestry tells the story of the death of Harold's brothers - Jirt and Leofwyn. It looked like they weren't with Harold at his hillside command headquarters. They were most likely on the right flank of the Saxon army and were drawn into chasing the Bretons down the hill, believing that the entire army was retreating. It is not known whether Harold himself made this tactically incorrect step, or his impulsive brothers, but the fact is clear: it was this mistake that became the reason for the defeat of the Saxons.

Death of the French and British in the battle.
A live illustration of the effectiveness of the Danish war axe. These long-handled axes could kill both rider and horse. It was a sinister weapon and was originally used by the Danes, especially the bodyguards of King Cnut.

Bishop Odo, staff in hand, encourages the soldiers.
Duke Wilhelm.
Things did not go well for William when his left flank weakened. In addition, rumors spread about his death. To show his men that he was still alive, William raised his visor and showed his face to the soldiers. If he had not done this, the battle might have been over.

Eustace. The French are fighting here.
Following the approved and successfully implemented tactics of a false retreat, William decided to break through the Saxon line. His archers could do little after firing as they needed time to reload their weapons. In addition, since the Saxons do not use archers on their side, then there were no arrows from their side. The archers were forced to retreat back to replenish their supplies of throwing weapons with stones, and awaited further instructions from their superiors. William decided to send them forward and use them as fire weapons so that they could throw their arrows over their shields while his foot soldiers and cavalry could move forward. The exhausted Saxon wall collapsed under these tactics and this signaled the end of the battle.

And those who were with Harold fell. And King Harold was killed.
Harold is depicted holding or attempting to remove an arrow from his eye. Even if he had not been killed, the bravery of his defenders would not have been enough to protect him from the Normans. So that there is certainly no doubt about Harold’s death, the Normans finish him off.

And the British flee from the battlefield.
This final part of the tapestry shows us the retreat of the remnants of the Saxon army.

When preparing the material, information was used from sites dedicated to the Battle of Hastings, incl. from Wikipedia.
You can view the tapestry in panorama.