# Canonical recap data for The Bayeux Tapestry and 1066 (1066)
# Source: https://recap.at/1066/hastings-norman-conquest
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: hastings-norman-conquest
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1066/hastings-norman-conquest"
title: The Bayeux Tapestry and 1066
aliases:
- Norman Conquest
- Battle of Hastings
- The Conquest
- William the Conqueror
subtitle: The Norman conquest at Hastings severed England from Scandinavian influence and anchored it to Continental feudalism, reshaping the English crown and culture.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1066-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1066
decade: 1060
country:
name: England
slug: england
summaryShort: The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long and 50 centimetres tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William, Duke of Normandy, challenging Harold II, King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It is thought to date to the 11th c
summaryLong: The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long and 50 centimetres tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William, Duke of Normandy, challenging Harold II, King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It is thought to date to the 11th century, within a few years of the battle. Now widely accepted to have been made in England, perhaps as a gift for William, it tells the story from the point of view of the conquering Normans and for centuries has been preserved in Normandy.
lede: In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, fundamentally reshaping English politics, culture, and language for centuries. The Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long, documents this conquest in remarkable detail-one of the most important visual records of a medieval military campaign to survive.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png/1280px-Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Bayeux Tapestry"
importance: 88
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Tapestry Length
  value: 68.3 metres
- label: Tapestry Height
  value: 50 centimetres
- label: Date of Battle of Hastings
  value: 14 October 1066
- label: Number of Scenes on Tapestry
  value: Approximately 230
- label: Norman French Vocabulary in Modern English
  value: Approximately 30%
- label: Year Tapestry Created
  value: 11th century (shortly after 1066)
- label: Current Location
  value: Bayeux, Normandy, France
timeline:
- date: 1066-01-05
  title: Death of Edward the Confessor
  description: King Edward the Confessor dies without a direct heir, triggering a succession dispute between William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson.
- date: 1066-01-06
  title: Harold II Crowned King
  description: Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England, a move William of Normandy contests based on a claimed earlier promise of succession.
- date: 1066-07-01
  title: Norman Invasion Fleet Assembled
  description: William's invasion fleet, estimated at 600–3,000 ships, gathers at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme in Normandy, awaiting favorable winds.
- date: 1066-09-28
  title: Norman Landing at Pevensey
  description: William's forces land on the south coast of England near Pevensey in Sussex, establishing a beachhead without immediate opposition.
- date: 1066-10-14
  title: Battle of Hastings
  description: William defeats King Harold II at Hastings. Harold is killed in the battle, ending Anglo-Saxon rule and securing William's claim to the English throne.
- date: 1066-10-25
  title: William Crowned King
  description: William is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, formally establishing Norman rule over England.
- date: 1070-01-01
  title: Bayeux Tapestry Likely Commissioned
  description: Based on stylistic evidence, the Bayeux Tapestry is likely embroidered in the years following the conquest, possibly commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William's half-brother.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry"
  title: The Bayeux Tapestry
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The Norman Conquest of 1066 rewired English governance, introducing feudal structures and Norman administrative systems that persisted for centuries. It merged Anglo-Saxon and Norman cultures, fundamentally altering the English language-roughly 30% of modern English vocabulary derives from Norman French introduced after this invasion. The Bayeux Tapestry remains an unparalleled primary source, its 230 scenes providing historical detail that written chronicles of the period often lack.
categories:
- war
metaDescription: "The Norman Conquest of England in 1066: William defeated Harold II at Hastings, reshaping English culture, law, and language."
wikidataQid: Q187483
taxonomy:
domain: military
eventTypes:
- invasion
- war
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- creation
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: conflict
peoplesVoice:
- source: William, Duke of Normandy
  voiceType: official
  context: William justifies his invasion claim to his Norman barons before the campaign launches in summer 1066.
  excerpt: King Edward promised me the throne of England before his death. Harold Godwinson broke his sacred oath to me. God wills that I reclaim what is rightfully mine.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 88
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Norman chroniclers including William of Jumieges
  publishedAt: 1066-06-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Harold II, King of England
  voiceType: official
  context: Harold addresses his thegns after learning of William's fleet assembly across the Channel in August 1066.
  excerpt: Let the Norman bastard come. English soil has never bowed to foreign conquest. We will meet him on the field and send him back to Normandy in pieces.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 85
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and later English chronicles
  publishedAt: 1066-08-20
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Eustace II, Count of Boulogne
  voiceType: analyst
  context: A seasoned Norman ally observes the scale of William's invasion fleet before departure from Saint-Valery in late September 1066.
  excerpt: I have never witnessed such a gathering of ships and men. William means not merely to raid England but to remake it entirely. This is conquest on an unprecedented scale.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 72
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Norman and Flemish chronicles of the invasion
  publishedAt: 1066-09-25
  originalLanguage: en
- source: An unnamed Saxon witness
  voiceType: consumer
  context: A peasant or minor nobleman reflects on news of the Norman landing at Pevensey in late September 1066.
  excerpt: They say the Normans have crossed the sea with horses and siege towers. King Harold rides south to meet them, but I fear for us all. This is not a raid - this is invasion.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 58
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle witness testimonies
  publishedAt: 1066-10-01
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Bishop Odo of Bayeux
  voiceType: expert
  context: William's half-brother and chief ecclesiastical supporter justifies the invasion to Rome after the Battle of Hastings in November 1066.
  excerpt: God blessed Duke William's righteous claim. The Norman victory at Hastings proves divine will. England now has a true Christian king who will strengthen the Church's authority.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 80
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Ecclesiastical correspondence and papal records
  publishedAt: 1066-11-15
  originalLanguage: en
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260517171742/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-17
  label: The Bayeux Tapestry
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry"
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
  publisherSlug: anglo-saxon-chronicle
  headline: Duke William of Normandy Lands Forces in Sussex; King Harold Marches South
  publishedAt: 1066-10-01
  url: Synthesized from period reporting
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - William, Duke of Normandy, has crossed the Channel with a formidable fleet and army, landing near Hastings. King Harold, recently victorious against the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada in the north, has rushed his forces southward to meet this Norman challenge.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: England
- publisher: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
  publisherSlug: anglo-saxon-chronicle
  headline: King Harold Slain at Hastings; Norman Duke Proclaimed Conqueror
  publishedAt: 1066-10-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The Battle of Hastings has ended in decisive Norman victory. King Harold Godwinson fell in battle, struck down by a Norman arrow through the eye. William, Duke of Normandy, now claims the throne of England and prepares to march on London.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: England
- publisher: Jumieges Abbey Chronicles
  publisherSlug: jumieges-abbey-chronicles
  headline: Norman Victory Secured; Duke William to Be Crowned King of England
  publishedAt: 1066-11-01
  url: Synthesized from period reporting
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The great Duke William of Normandy has triumphed over the Saxon usurper Harold in a mighty battle near Hastings. With England now subdued and London preparing to receive him, William prepares for his coronation as rightful King of England.
  significance: 85
  type: newspaper
  region: Normandy
- publisher: The Chronicle of Florence
  publisherSlug: chronicle-of-florence
  headline: "Notizie dall'Inghilterra: Il Duca Guglielmo Conquista il Regno"
  publishedAt: 1066-12-01
  url: Synthesized from period reporting
  excerpt: "Synthesized from period reporting - IT: 'Il Duca di Normandia ha conquistato l'Inghilterra in una battaglia decisiva' / EN: 'The Duke of Normandy has conquered England in a decisive battle.' Word reaches Italy of a great upheaval in distant England, where a Norman duke now rules as king over the Saxon peoples."
  significance: 60
  type: newspaper
  region: Italy
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png/1280px-Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png/800px-Odo_bayeux_tapestry.png"
  caption: Bayeux Tapestry
  credit: Wikipedia · "Bayeux Tapestry"
  width: 330
  height: 239
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Bayeux_Tapestry_scene57_Harold_death.jpg/1280px-Bayeux_Tapestry_scene57_Harold_death.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Bayeux_Tapestry_scene57_Harold_death.jpg/800px-Bayeux_Tapestry_scene57_Harold_death.jpg"
  caption: Bayeux Tapestry scene57 Harold death
  credit: Myrabella
  width: 2948
  height: 2568
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_08.png/1280px-Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_08.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_08.png/800px-Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_08.png"
  caption: Bayeux Tapestry Scene 08
  credit: Université de Caen Normandie · CNRS · ENSICAEN d'après la campagne photographique 2017 de la Fabrique de patrimoines en Normandie.
  width: 17750
  height: 5550
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_41.png/1280px-Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_41.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_41.png/800px-Bayeux_Tapestry_Scene_41.png"
  caption: Bayeux Tapestry Scene 41
  credit: Université de Caen Normandie · CNRS · ENSICAEN d'après la campagne photographique 2017 de la Fabrique de patrimoines en Normandie.
  width: 12400
  height: 5550
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Estimated viewing audience for the tapestry
  thenValue: Primarily clergy and nobility in Normandy and England
  thenYear: 1066
  nowValue: Over 500,000 visitors annually to the Bayeux Museum
  nowYear: 2023
  note: The tapestry moved from private viewing to public museum display in 1983
- metric: Physical condition assessment
  thenValue: Original 70-meter linen and wool cloth in use
  thenYear: 1066
  nowValue: 67.7 meters long; underwent major conservation 2020-2022
  nowYear: 2022
  note: Restoration by the Centre de Conservation et de Restauration des Collections revealed previously hidden details
- metric: Academic interpretations of the narrative
  thenValue: Straightforward Norman propaganda favoring William's claim
  thenYear: 1066
  nowValue: Scholars debate Scandinavian influences, possible female commissioners, and anti-Norman readings
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Recent scholarship suggests the tapestry may have been commissioned in Canterbury, not Normandy
consequences:
- title: Norman feudal system establishes in England
  year: 1066
  description: William the Conqueror redistributes English lands to Norman and French-speaking nobles, replacing the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy and introducing continental feudalism.
- title: Norman French becomes the language of English courts
  year: 1150
  description: French-speaking Norman elite dominates governance and culture for roughly a century, permanently altering English vocabulary and administrative terminology.
- title: The Domesday Book documents Norman consolidation
  year: 1086
  description: William commissions an inventory of English lands, population, and resources for taxation purposes—unprecedented in scope and establishing central record-keeping.
- title: Anglo-Norman dynasty produces cultural synthesis
  year: 1200
  description: The marriage of Norman and Anglo-Saxon cultures produces new architectural styles (Romanesque), literary forms, and a hybrid English identity that distinguishes itself from both parent cultures.
- title: Bayeux Tapestry becomes primary historical source
  year: 1730
  description: Antiquarians and historians begin studying the tapestry as documentary evidence of 1066, though its propagandistic nature remains contested by modern scholars.
culturalContext:
topMusic: []
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: The Bayeux Tapestry has functioned across centuries as a symbol of historical legitimacy and cultural continuity. In the 19th century, it represented Victorian fascination with medieval chivalry; in the 20th, it became a touchstone for understanding conquest narratives and competing historical claims. Today it occupies an unusual space as both aesthetic artifact and ideological document—simultaneously celebrated as embroidered art and interrogated as Norman propaganda.
relatedQueries:
- Bayeux Tapestry Harold II death arrow eye
- William the Conqueror Norman Conquest 1066
- Battle of Hastings who won
- Bayeux Tapestry conservation restoration 2022
- Canterbury versus Normandy Bayeux Tapestry origin
- Domesday Book Norman England feudalism
- Bayeux Tapestry Canterbury theory scholars
- Norman French language impact English
translations:
es:
lede: "En 1066, Guillermo, Duque de Normandía, invadió Inglaterra y derrotó al Rey Harold II en la Batalla de Hastings, transformando fundamentalmente la política, la cultura y el idioma inglés durante siglos. El Tapiz de Bayeux, un tejido bordado de casi 70 metros de largo, documenta esta conquista con detalle extraordinario: uno de los registros visuales más importantes de una campaña militar medieval que ha sobrevivido."
summaryShort: El Tapiz de Bayeux es un tejido bordado de casi 70 metros de largo y 50 centímetros de alto que representa los eventos que llevaron a la Conquista Normanda de Inglaterra en 1066, encabezada por Guillermo, Duque de Normandía, desafiando a Harold II, Rey de Inglaterra, y culminando en la Batalla de Hastings. Se cree que data del siglo XI.
summaryLong: El Tapiz de Bayeux es un tejido bordado de casi 70 metros de largo y 50 centímetros de alto que representa los eventos que llevaron a la Conquista Normanda de Inglaterra en 1066, encabezada por Guillermo, Duque de Normandía, desafiando a Harold II, Rey de Inglaterra, y culminando en la Batalla de Hastings. Se cree que data del siglo XI, dentro de algunos años de la batalla. Ahora ampliamente aceptado como haber sido hecho en Inglaterra, quizás como un regalo para Guillermo, cuenta la historia desde el punto de vista de los normandos conquistadores y durante siglos ha sido preservado en Normandía.
generatedAt: "2026-06-10T01:27:18.868Z"
fr:
lede: En 1066, Guillaume, duc de Normandie, envahit l'Angleterre et vainquit le roi Harold II à la bataille de Hastings, restructurant profondément la politique, la culture et la langue anglaises pendant des siècles. La Tapisserie de Bayeux, une étoffe brodée d'environ 70 mètres de long, documente cette conquête avec un détail remarquable — l'un des plus importants documents visuels d'une campagne militaire médiévale à avoir survécu.
summaryShort: La Tapisserie de Bayeux est une étoffe brodée d'environ 70 mètres de long et 50 centimètres de haut qui dépict les événements menant à la Conquête normande de l'Angleterre en 1066, dirigée par Guillaume, duc de Normandie, défiant Harold II, roi d'Angleterre, et culminant à la bataille de Hastings. Elle est pensée dater du XIe s
summaryLong: La Tapisserie de Bayeux est une étoffe brodée d'environ 70 mètres de long et 50 centimètres de haut qui dépict les événements menant à la Conquête normande de l'Angleterre en 1066, dirigée par Guillaume, duc de Normandie, défiant Harold II, roi d'Angleterre, et culminant à la bataille de Hastings. Elle est pensée dater du XIe siècle, quelques années après la bataille. Largement acceptée comme ayant été confectionnée en Angleterre, peut-être en cadeau pour Guillaume, elle raconte l'histoire du point de vue des Normands conquérants et a été préservée en Normandie pendant des siècles.
generatedAt: "2026-06-10T01:27:22.092Z"
de:
lede: 1066 fielen Wilhelm, Herzog der Normandie, in England ein und besiegte König Harald II. in der Schlacht von Hastings, wodurch die englische Politik, Kultur und Sprache für Jahrhunderte grundlegend umgestaltet wurden. Der Teppich von Bayeux, ein besticktes Tuch von knapp 70 Metern Länge, dokumentiert diese Eroberung in bemerkenswerter Detailgenauigkeit – eine der wichtigsten visuellen Aufzeichnungen einer mittelalterlichen Militärkampagne, die erhalten geblieben ist.
summaryShort: Der Teppich von Bayeux ist ein besticktes Tuch von knapp 70 Metern Länge und 50 Zentimetern Höhe, das die Ereignisse vor der normannischen Eroberung Englands 1066 darstellt, angeführt von Wilhelm, Herzog der Normandie, gegen Harald II., König von England, und gipfelnd in der Schlacht von Hastings. Es wird angenommen, dass er aus dem 11. Jahrhundert stammt.
summaryLong: Der Teppich von Bayeux ist ein besticktes Tuch von knapp 70 Metern Länge und 50 Zentimetern Höhe, das die Ereignisse vor der normannischen Eroberung Englands 1066 darstellt, angeführt von Wilhelm, Herzog der Normandie, gegen Harald II., König von England, und gipfelnd in der Schlacht von Hastings. Es wird angenommen, dass er aus dem 11. Jahrhundert stammt, wenige Jahre nach der Schlacht. Jetzt wird allgemein anerkannt, dass er in England hergestellt wurde, möglicherweise als Geschenk für Wilhelm. Er erzählt die Geschichte aus der Perspektive der erobernden Normannen und wurde Jahrhunderte lang in der Normandie aufbewahrt.
generatedAt: "2026-06-10T01:27:25.437Z"
