Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
am and not contest the decision. To test his loyalty, William sent Harold to battle
for him in Brittany. Harold was successful, and William knighted him. To further
test his loyalty, William had Harold swear on the relics of the Bayeux cathedral that
when Edward died, he would allow William to ascend the throne. Harold returned
to England, Edward died...and Harold grabbed the throne.
William, known as William the Bastard, invaded England to claim the throne.
Harold met him in southern England at the town of Hastings, where their forces
fought a fierce 14-hour battle. Harold was killed, and his Saxon forces were routed.
William—now “the Conqueror”—marched to London, claimed his throne, and be-
came king of England (though he spoke no English) as well as duke of Normandy.
The advent of a Norman king of England muddied the political waters and set
in motion 400 years of conflict between England and France—not to be resolved
until the end of the Hundred Years' War (1453). The Norman conquest of England
brought that country into the European mainstream (but still no euros). The Nor-
mans established a strong central English government. Historians speculate that
had William not succeeded, England would have remained on the fringe of Europe
(like Scandinavia), and French culture (and language) would have prevailed in the
New World—which would have meant no communication issues for us in France.
Hmmm.
Film:
When buying your ticket, ask when they'll show the English version of the
15-minute battle film (runs every 40 minutes, English times also posted at the base of the
steps to the theater).
Visiting the Museum:
Your visit has three separate parts that tell the basic story
of the Battle of Hastings, provide historical context for the event, and explain how the
tapestry was made. At a minimum, allow a full hour to appreciate this important artifact.
Your visit starts with the actual
tapestry,
accompanied by an included audioguide
that gives a top-notch, fast-moving, 20-minute scene-by-scene narration complete with
period music (if you lose your place, find subtitles in Latin). Learn to pause your audi-
oguide so you can stop and focus when and where you want. Pay attention to scene 23,
where Harold reneges on his oath to William and takes the crown of England. Get close
and (almost) feel the tapestry's texture.
Next you'll climb upstairs into a room filled with engaging exhibits, including a
full-size replica of the boats William used to cross the Channel, mannequins (find Willi-
am looking unmoved with his new crown), terrific models of castles (who knew that the
Tower of London was a Norman project?), and medieval villages. Good explanations out-
