After our sojourn with our friends in beautiful Dinard, we all headed home to Burgundy via the Normandy coast, a swing in the wrong direction. It was well worth the detour. Our first stop was Bayeux where for the moment, the incredible 230 foot long embroidered depiction of the events leading up the battle of Hastings in 1066 is on display. Created in the 11th century, this work of supreme dedication and craftsmanship is a real marvel. In 2025 the museum where it resides is being remodeled. The tapestry was slated to travel to England but that loan was cancelled. I imagine that the French got a little nervous at the idea of shipping off such an extraordinary and presumably fragile work of art. In the meantime the tapestry will be carefully stored away.

We had seen the tapestry once twenty years before and Cass and Billy had seen it a little more recently than that, but all of us agreed that it was high time to have another look, no doubt our last.

What I hadn’t remembered from our previous visit to the city was the beautiful Bayeux Cathedral which sits majestically in the town center. It was built by Bishop Odo, half brother of William the Conqueror. In fact the tapestry was commissioned to decorate it. We were hurrying off to the museum to see the tapestry itself, so didn’t visit, but we did appreciate it from afar.

All of us were very happy to have made this pilgrimage. What an amazing work of human ingenuity, hand crafted almost 1000 years ago. I’d have a hard time pointing to something in our modern world that could match it. When you visit you walk the 230 feet in a darkened room and listen to an audio tour guide in your chosen language which allows the story of the battle to unfold before you. We were asked not to take photos, which I respected, but at the end of the tour, I bought in the gift shop a marvelous little accordion book for 12€ which reproduced the whole tapestry. This week I offer you an abbreviated historic tale of Guillaume le Conquerant (William the Conqueror) and his victory at the battle of Hastings which placed him on the throne of England, with images from my little booklet (just five out of over 50).

King Edward of England was childless. According to William’s version of the story (and this tapestry is a very effective propaganda tool to put forward William’s account), the king had promised him the throne in 1051, as he was a distant cousin. A little back story on William: He was born in Falaise in 1027. We once visited the town and saw the castle where his father, Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy lived, and from where Robert spied William’s mother, the (presumably beautiful) Arlette, daughter of a lowly tanner. He brought her into his castle and had his way with her. William was born later and became known as William the Bastard. However his father recognized him and after Robert’s death, William himself became Duke of Burgundy.

In this first reproduction, the King of England has sent Harold Goodwinson, the husband of his sister, to Normandy to assure William that upon his death, the throne would go to him. Here a page has come to William’s court in Caen to tell him that Harold is about to arrive.

*A messanger arrives at the court of William in Normandy to tell him that Harold is coming from England to see him*

Harold himself, is delayed by an unfortunate adventure which involves his capture. William’s troops come to rescue him and they bring Harold to William’s court. There Harold is made to swear on holy relics that he will honor King Edward’s promise. This, in the Norman’s reckoning, seals the deal. When Edward actually dies, Harold is on hand and forgetting his promise, forsaking his pledge, he himself assumes the crown. To the people of Normandy this is shocking and scandalous. Once you’ve sworn on the relics, it is sacrilege to go back on your word.

*Harold swears allegiance to William on holy relics*

William spent seven months preparing for a battle for what he considered a righteous cause and his rightful claim. He even had the Pope on his side. The people of Normandy rallied to his cause.

*The army begins preparations for war, here they bring their chain mail suits to the ship to be loaded aboard*

I think Harold was counting on William to forget the whole affair, or at least that he had months more to prepare for William’s arrival as no one would contemplate crossing the Channel before spring when the waters were calmer. In a bold and unprecedented move, William decided to leave for England in the fall, carrying livestock, horses and all the equipment for war in open long boats. There were 600 boats and 7000 men. The winds were favorable and he arrived in England, much to the unprepared Harold’s surprise on September 28th and the battle took place on October 14th.

*Ships leave Normandy, at Honfleur to sail to England’s shores. The crossing took a few days*

It took only one decisive battle, a few hours long, to change the course of history. Harold’s troops were tired, having just returned from another campaign. They were also out-numbered and positioned themselves on the field of battle to their own disadvantage. Once Harold was killed, by an arrow to his eye, the battle was over and William was able to claim the crown of England. No one argued with him.

William’s coronation ended the Anglo-Saxon line of English kings and ushered in several generations of Norman rulers who changed the English language and culture in significant ways, introducing Norman French as the primary language of the court. It is calculated that up to 50% of the English language has French roots due to this historic period. Food and architecture was greatly affected by Norman sensibilities. William is also credited with making Christianity the state religion more aligned with Rome than the Church of England had been.

Our day in Bayeux was quite pleasant.

Next week I’ll take you to our next stop along our roundabout way home.

Bayeux

Honfleur

St. Enogat and St. Lunaire