The Bayeux Tapestry is not a tapestry at all. It is a monumental embroidery, nearly 70 metres long, stitched by English artisans in the 1070s. This incredible linen scroll tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England in 58 scenes. Commissioned by Bishop Odo, William the Conqueror’s half-brother, it served as the primary visual record of the event. Created using wool yarn in just ten colours derived from three different plants, it lays out the Norman justification for war. From a broken oath to a bloody battle, the stitches narrate a turning point in English history from the victor's perspective. The story it tells begins not on the battlefield, but two years earlier, when King Edward the Confessor sends Harold on the mission to Normandy that would lead to his fateful promise.
The Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry, a 70-metre embroidery from the 1070s that tells the Norman story of the Conquest, from Harold's oath to his death at Hastings, and how it survived nearly a thousand years.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bayeux Tapestry really a tapestry?
No, despite its name, it is technically an embroidery. A tapestry's image is woven into the fabric on a loom, while an embroidery uses stitches to add a design onto a pre-existing piece of cloth. The Bayeux Tapestry consists of wool yarn stitched onto a long linen backing.
Who made the Bayeux Tapestry?
While an old French legend attributed it to William the Conqueror's wife, Queen Matilda, scholars now believe it was commissioned by his half-brother, Bishop Odo of Bayeux. It was likely created by skilled English embroiderers in Canterbury between 1070 and 1077.
Does the tapestry show King Harold being shot in the eye?
This is a famous debate. The tapestry shows a figure with an arrow near his eye, but also a second figure being cut down by a knight, both under the caption 'King Harold is killed.' Early written sources don't mention an arrow, leaving the tapestry’s most famous image a compelling historical mystery.
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