Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry, or Queen Matilda's Tapestry, or even older Tale of the Conquest is a 70 meter-long embroidery, composed of 9 panels of linen cloth, showing 58 scenes, each being captioned in Latin.
This tapestry – or also called Hastings embroidery – could have been ordered by Odo of Bayeux, stepbrother of William the Conqueror.
It may have been manufactured in Kent, at Winchester or Cantorbery, straight after the battle of 1066 to relate the Norman conquest of England.
Notice historique sur la Tapisserie brodée par la Reine Mathilde, épouse de Guillaume le Conquérant, Frimaire An XII – BHN 705
(Historical notice on the Tapestry embroidered by Queen Matilda, spouse of William the Conqueror)
Panel 1 / Frise 1
REX – King Edward
HAROLD DVX ANGLORVM ET SVI MILITES EQVITANT AD BOSHAM – Where Harold, duke of the English, and his soldiers ride to Bosham
ECCLESIA – Church
Panel 1 / Frise 2
HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT – Here Harold crosses the sea
ET VELIS VENTO PLENIS VENIT IN TERRA VVIDONIS COMITIS – And the sails filled by the wind land on Count Guy’s lands
HAROLD – Harold.
Panel 1 / Frise 3
HIC APPREHENDIT WIDO HAROLDV – Here Guy grabs d’Harold.
ET DVXIT EVM AD BELREM ET IBI EVM TENVIT – And take him to Beaurainville and keep him here
VBI HAROLD – Here Harold
Panel 1 / Frise 4
ET WIDO PARABOLANT – And Guy talk
VBI NVNTII WILLELMI DVCIS VENERVNT AD WIDONEM – Where Duke William’s messengers go to Guy
NVNTII WILLELMI – William’s messengers
Panel 2 / Frise 1
HIC VENIT NVUNTIS AD WILGELMVM DVCEM – Here comes a messenger to Duke William
HIC WIDO ADDVXIT HAROLDVU AD WILGELMVM NORMANNORVM DVCEM – Here Guy brings Harold to William, Duke of the Normans
Panel 2 / Frise 2
HIC DVX WILGELM CV HAROLDO VENIT AD PALATIV SVM – Here Duke William arrives in his palace with Harold
VBI VNVS CLERICVS ET AELFGIVA – Where a priest and AElgiva
HIC WILEM DVX ET EXERCITVS EIVS – Here Duke William and his army
Panel 2 / Frise 3
VENERVNT AD MONTE MICHAELIS – Arrive in Mont (Saint) Michel
ET HIC TRANSIERVUNT FLVMEN COSNONIS – And here they cross the river Couesnon
HIC AROLD DVX TRAHEBAT EOS DE ARENA – Here Duke Harold takes them out of the sand
ET VENERUNT AD DOL ET CONAN FUGAVERTIT – And they arrive at Dol and Conan runs away
Panel 2 / Frise 4
HIC MILITES WILLELMI DVCIS PVGNANT CONTRA DINANTES – Here William’s soldiers fight against people of Dinan
ET CVNAN CLAVES PORREXIT – And Conan give the keys of the town to them
HIC WILLELM DEDIT ARMA HAROLDO – Here William knights Harold
Panel 3 / Frise 1
HIC WILLELM VENIT BAGIAS – Here William arrives at Bayeux
UBI HAROLD SACRAMENTVM FECIT WILLELMO DVCI – Where Harold takes the oath to Duke William
HIC HAROLD DVX REVERSVS EST AD – Here Harold returns
Panel 3 / Frise 2
ANGLICAM TERRAM – To England
ET VENIT AD EDWARDV REGE – And goes and finds King Edward
HIC PORTATVR CORPVS EADWARDI REGIS AD ECCLESIAM SCI PETRI APLI – Here King Edward’s body is taken to the church of Saint-Peter the Apostle
Panel 3 / Frise 3
HIC EADWARDVS REX IN LECTO ALLOQVIT FIDELES – Here King Edward on his bed talks to his followers
ET HIC DEFFVNCTVS ET – And here he is dead
HIC DEDERVNT HAROLDO CORONA REGIS – Here they give the crown of the King to Harold
HIC RESIDET HAROLD REX ANGLORVM – Here Harold sits, King of England
STIGANT ARCHIEPS – Stigand Archbishop
ISTI MIRANT STELLA – They stare at a star
HAROLD – Harold
Panel 3 / Frise 4
HIC NAVIS ANGLICA VENIT IN TERRAM WILLELMI DVCIS – Here an English boat lands on Duke William’s lands
HIC WILLELM DVX JVSSIT NAVES EDIFICARE – Here the Duke orders to build boats
Panel 4 / Frise 1
HIC TRAHVNT NAVES AD MARE – Here they take boats to the sea
ISTI PORTANT ARMAS AD NAVES ET HIC TRAHVNT CARRVM CVM VINO ET ARMIS – They carry weapons on board and here they pull a carriage with wine and weapons
HIC WILLELM DVX – Here Duke William
Panel 4 / Frise 2
IN MAGNO NAVIGIO MARE TRANSIVIT ET VENIT AD PEVENESAE – Crossed the sea on a big vessel and arrived at Pevensey
Panel 4 / Frise 3
HIC EXEHVNT CABALLI DE NAVIBVS – Here horses out of vessels
ET HIC MILITES FESTINAVERVNT HASTINGA VT CIBVM RAPERENTVR – Here soldiers haste to Hastings in search of food.
Panel 4 / Frise 4
HIC EST WADARD – Here is Wadard
HIC COQVITVR CARO ET HIC MINISTRAVERVNT MINISTRI – Here meat is prepared and here servants are busy
HIC FECERVNT PRANDIVM ET HIC EPISCOPVS CIBV ET POTV BENEDICIT – Here they prepare meals and here the bishop blesses food and beverage
ODO EPS – Bishop Odo
Panel 5 / Frise 1
WILLELM ROTBERT – William, Robert
ISTE JVSSIT VT FODERETVR CASTELLVM AD HESTENG CEASTRA – He orders to raise a fortification around the camp in Hastings
HIC NVNTIATVM EST WILLELM DE HAROLD – Here news from Harold are brought to William
HIC DOMVS INCEDITVR – Here a house is set on fire
Panel 5 / Frise 2
HIC MILITES EXIERVNT DE HESTENGA ET VENERVNT AD PRELIVM CONTRA HAROLDVM REGEM – Here soldiers come out of Hastings to go and fight against King Harold
Panel 5 / Frise 3
HIC WILLELM DVX ALLOQVITVR SVIS MILITIBVS VT PREPARENT SE VIRILITER ET SAPIENTER AD PRELIVM CONTRA – Here Duke William exhorts his troops to prepare courageously and wisely to fight against
Panel 5 / Frise 4
HIC EST WADARD – Here is Wadard
HIC COQVITVR CARO ET HIC MINISTRAVERVNT MINISTRI – Here meat is prepared and here servants are busy
HIC FECERVNT PRANDIVM ET HIC EPISCOPVS CIBV ET POTV BENEDICIT – Here they prepare meals and here the bishop blesses food and beverage
ODO EPS – Bishop Odo
Panel 6 / Frise 1
ANGLORVM EXERCITV – the English army
Panel 6 / Frise 2
HIC CECIDERVNT LEWINE ET GYRD FRATRES HAROLDI REGIS – Here die Leofwine and Gyrth, King Harold’s brothers
HIC CECIDERVNT SIMVL ANGLI ET – Here die together English and
Panel 6 / Frise 3
FRANCI IN PRELIO – French in the fight
HIC ODO EPS BACVLV TENENS CONFORTA PVEROS – Here Bishop Odo, holding a stick, encourage the young
HIC EST WILLELM DVX – Here is Duke William
Panel 6 / Frise 4
HIC FRANCI PVGNANT ET CECIDERVNT QVII ERANT CVM HAROLDO – Here French fight and the ones with Harold succumb
Panel 7 / Frise 1
HIC HAROLD REX INTERFECTVS EST ET FVGA VERTERVNT ANGLI – Here King Harold is killed, and the English run away
- Date details
1066
- Institution
Archives départementales de Seine – Maritime
- Original reference
74 FI 3/2
- Period
Middle Ages
- Thematic
Politics and military links
Rouen – Archives Départementales