Editing Bayeux Tapestry (section)

== Content ==

=== Events depicted ===
[[File:Tapisserie agriculture.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|The [[courier|messengers]] with [[Guy I, Count of Ponthieu]], with a portrayal of medieval agriculture in the border]]
The tapestry begins with a panel of Edward the Confessor sending Harold to Normandy.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#1|(scene 1)]]</sup> Later Norman sources say that the mission was for Harold to pledge loyalty to William but the tapestry does not suggest any specific purpose.<ref name="hicks">{{cite book|last=Hicks|first=Carola|author-link=Carola Hicks|title=The Bayeux Tapestry. The Life Story of a Masterpiece|year=2006|publisher=Chatto and Windus|isbn=0-7011-7463-3}}</ref> By mischance, Harold arrives at the wrong location in France and is taken prisoner by [[Guy I, Count of Ponthieu|Guy, Count of Ponthieu]].<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#7|(scene 7)]]</sup> After exchanges of messages borne by mounted messengers, Harold is released to William, who then invites Harold to accompany him on a campaign against [[Conan II, Duke of Brittany]]. On the way, just outside the monastery of [[Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey|Mont Saint-Michel]], the army becomes mired in quicksand and Harold saves two Norman soldiers.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#17|(scene 17)]]</sup> William's army chases Conan from [[Dol de Bretagne]] to [[Rennes]], and Conan finally surrenders at [[Battle of Dinan|Dinan]].<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#20|(scene 20)]]</sup> William gives Harold arms and armour (possibly [[knight]]ing him) and Harold takes an oath on [[saint]]ly [[relic]]s.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#23|(scene 23)]]</sup> Although the writing on the tapestry explicitly states an oath is taken there is no clue as to what is being promised.<ref name="hicks" />

Harold leaves for home and meets again with the old king Edward, who appears to be remonstrating with him.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#25|(scene 25)]]</sup> Harold is in a somewhat submissive posture and seems to be in disgrace.<ref name="hicks" /> However, possibly deliberately, the king's intentions are not made clear.<ref name="hicks" /> The scene then shifts by about one year to when Edward has become mortally ill and the tapestry strongly suggests that, on his deathbed, he bequeaths the crown to Harold.<ref group="note">5 January 1066.</ref><ref name="musset" /> What is probably the [[coronation]] ceremony<ref group="note">6 January 1066.</ref> is attended by [[Stigand]], whose position as Archbishop of Canterbury was controversial.<ref name="musset" /><sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#31|(scene 31)]]</sup> Stigand is performing a liturgical function, possibly not the crowning itself.<ref name="musset" /> The tapestry labels the celebrant as "Stigant Archieps" (Stigand the archbishop) although by that time he had been [[excommunication|excommunicated]] by the [[papacy]] who considered his appointment unlawful.<ref name="hicks" />

[[File:Comete Tapisserie Bayeux.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Detail of [[Halley's Comet]]]]
A star with a streaming tail, now known to be [[Halley's Comet]], then appears.<ref group="note">A comet was believed to be a bad omen at this time and Halley's comet would have first appeared in 1066 around 24 April, nearly four months after Harold's coronation.</ref> At this point, the lower border of the tapestry shows a fleet of ghost-like ships thus hinting at a future invasion.<ref name="hicks" /><sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#33|(scene 33)]]</sup> The news of Harold's coronation is taken to Normandy, whereupon we are told that William is ordering a fleet of ships to be built although it is Bishop Odo shown issuing the instructions.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#35|(scene 35)]]</sup> The invaders reach England, and land unopposed. William orders his men to find food, and a meal is cooked.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#43|(scene 43)]]</sup> A house is burnt by two soldiers, which may indicate some ravaging of the local countryside on the part of the invaders, and underneath, on a smaller scale than the arsonists, a woman holds her boy's hand as she asks for humanity.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#47|(scene 47)]]</sup> News is brought to William.<ref group="note">Possibly about Harold's victory in the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]], although the Tapestry does not specify this.</ref> The Normans build a [[motte and bailey]] at Hastings to defend their position. Messengers are sent between the two armies, and William makes a speech to prepare his army for battle.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#51|(scene 51)]]</sup>

[[File:Normans Bayeux.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|The [[Battle of Hastings]]]]
The [[Battle of Hastings]] was fought on 14 October 1066 less than three weeks after the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]] but the tapestry does not provide this context. The English fight on foot behind a [[shield wall]], whilst the Normans are on horses.<ref group="note">This reflected the military reality.</ref> Two fallen knights are named as [[Leofwine Godwinson|Leofwine]] and [[Gyrth Godwinson|Gyrth]], Harold's brothers, but both armies are shown fighting bravely.<ref name="hicks" /> Bishop Odo brandishes his baton or mace and rallies the Norman troops in battle.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#54|(scene 54)]]</sup><ref group="note">Clerics were not supposed to shed blood, hence Odo has no sword. Rather than just praying for the Norman knights, however, which ought to have been his role, Odo seems militarily active.</ref><ref name="hicks" /> To reassure his knights that he is still alive and well, William raises his helmet to show his face.<ref name="musset" /> The battle becomes very bloody with troops being slaughtered and dismembered corpses littering the ground. King Harold is killed.<sup>[[Bayeux Tapestry tituli#57|(scene 57)]]</sup> This scene can be interpreted in different ways, as the name "Harold" appears above a number of knights, making it difficult to identify which character is Harold, since one character appears with an arrow shot in his head under the name "Harold" while another character is slain by a sword underneath the words "was slain" . The final remaining scene shows unarmoured English troops fleeing the battlefield. The last part of the tapestry is missing; however, it is thought that the story contained only one additional scene.<ref name="hicks" />

=== People depicted ===
The following is a list of known persons depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry:<ref>{{cite web|title=People identified on the tapestry|url=http://www.bayeux-tapestry.org.uk/people.htm|website=bayeux-tapestry.org.uk|access-date=5 December 2018}}</ref>
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* [[Ælfgifu]], a woman of uncertain identity
* [[Stigand|Archbishop Stigand]]
* [[Conan II, Duke of Brittany]]
* [[Edith of Wessex]]
* [[Edward the Confessor]]
* [[Eustace II, Count of Boulogne|Eustace, Count of Boulogne]]
* [[Guy, Count of Ponthieu]]
* Hakon
* [[Harold, Earl of Wessex]]
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* [[Leofwine Godwinson]]
* [[Odo of Bayeux|Odo, Bishop of Bayeux]]
* [[Robert the Staller]]
* [[Robert, Count of Mortain]]
* [[Scolland]]
* [[Turold]] 
* [[Wadard]] 
* [[William, Duke of Normandy]] 
* [[Vital of Bayeux|Vital]]
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=== Latin text ===
{{Main|Bayeux Tapestry tituli}}

''[[Tituli]]'' are included in many scenes to point out names of people and places or to explain briefly the event being depicted.<ref name="musset" /> The text is in Latin but at times the style of words and spelling shows an English influence.<ref name="musset" /> A dark blue wool, almost black, is mostly used but towards the end of the tapestry other colours are used, sometimes for each word and other times for each letter.<ref name="musset" /> The complete text and English translation are displayed beside images of each scene at [[Bayeux Tapestry tituli]].