The Battle of Hastings & The Bayeux Tapestry (1066)
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Key Questions: 1. Battle of Hastings
2. The Bayeux Tapestry |
Who were the contenders to the throne?
There were 4 contenders of the throne in 1066 when King Edward the Confessor died:
Watch the slideshow to find out who should be the king.
What is the Bayeux Tapestry? What is N.O.P. of it?
The Bayeux Tapestry is really an embroidery but the word tapestry has stuck. The Bayeux Tapestry is now on permanent public display in the city of Bayeux in Normandy, France. It tells the story of the Battle of Hastings; why William felt he had to invade, the preparations made for the crossing and the battle itself.
Nature: embroidery made out of linen, 70m long and 50cm wide
Origin: made in England in 1070s, probably ordered by Bishop Odo of Bayeux who was William’s half-brother, now displayed in the city of Bayeux in Normandy, France
Purpose: celebrates Norman victory, tells from the Norman point of view the circumstances that lead up to the Battle of Hastings
View the following slideshow to find out more about the tapestry.
The Battle of Hastings Game
What were the main events of the battle?
Major events of the battle were:
| January 4th 1066 | The Death of King Edward the Confessor |
| January 6th 1066 | Harold the Earl of Wessex was crowned King of England |
| September 1066 | Harald Hadrada, King of Norway, launched a Viking invasion against King Harold and England |
| September 25th 1066 | The Stamford Bridge Battle - King Harold defeated Harald Hadrada and the Vikings at York |
| September 27-28th 1066 | Duke William set sail for England and lands at Pevensey - The Norman Invasion began. |
| October 1st 1066 | King Harold marched his army back from the North of England to the South of England to defend against the Norman Invasion |
| Saturday 14th of October 1066 | The Two Armies met at the Battle of Hastings. Battle started. |
| 14th of October 1066 | An arrow striked Harold above his right eye. |
| 14th of October 1066 | The English believed that the Normans were in retreat. They pursued the Normans and foolishly broke their ranks. |
| 14th of October 1066 | The wounded King Harold was killed and his body mutilated by the Normans. |
| 14th of October 1066 | Duke William had won the Battle of Hastings - he was the Conqueror |
An animated guide to the Battle of Hastings
What are propaganda and bias? Why can the Bayeux Tapestry be considered as a form of propaganda?
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Recognizing Bias and Propaganda Bias
Propaganda
The Bayeux Tapestry is consdered as a form of propaganda because it depicts events from a totally Norman perspective. Foe example, the oath sworn by Harold to William is reported in only one other source - William of Poitiers' 'Deeds of Duke William', another Norman account, written some ten years after the conquest. The Norman version clearly needed this event to have happened - but a historian cannot be sure whether it did, or did not, take place. There is no English equivalent so it is very difficult to confirm or dispute some of the details on the tapestry. It is believed that the man who ordered the tapestry was Bishop Odo of Bayeux. He was William’s half-brother and his cathedral in Bayeux was consecrated in 1077. It is likely that the tapestry was done to celebrate both William’s victory at Hastings and the completion of Odo’s cathedral. |
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