Women Did It Better: The Bayeux Tapestry

By Lindsay Townsend

Men fought and died in England in the battle of Hastings in 1066. The kingdom and crown passed to a foreigner, William of Normandy.

This event is recorded in spectacular detail by the Bayeux Tapestry, made by women. There are only a few women shown on the tapestry in this story of feudal rights and obligations, claims, counter-claims and war, but scholars now agree that women made it.

The 'tapestry' is in fact an embroidery, done on strips of linen joined together to form a huge running narrative of the events leading up to and beyond the decisive battle. The seven joints are done with great skill and are almost invisible. At one time the tapestry was even longer, but the end is now damaged and incomplete. However the rest is a stunning, detailed account, a unique primary source.

Who were the women who embroidered this massive tapestry? Evidence suggests they were English. Earlier French tradition claimed the tapestry had been embroidered by William's wife Matilda, but what seems increasingly likely is that the piece was made in England as a gift for the new queen.

English female embroiderers were famous throughout Europe for their wall-hangings and church garments. Earlier English queens, such as Edith, were acclaimed for their skill as embroiders. A wall hanging made by English embroiders, showing the defeat of the English at the battle of Maldon in 991, was given to the monastery at Ely by the defeated leader's widow, Aelflaed, as a memorial to the English dead.

The Bayeux Tapestry may have partly served as a memorial to the English dead and have even been stitched by some English widows at either Winchester, the seat of the court and government in Anglo-Saxon England, or Canterbury, or the nunnery at the Minster in Sheppey in Kent--all famed centres of English embroidery. In some cases we may even know their names, such as the woman Leofgeat, who in 1086 in the Domesday Book is described as doing gold embroidery for the king.

Gold was not used in the Bayeux Tapestry, but wool thread dyed sage green, blue-green, red, buff and blue were stitched on the linen using an outline and stem stitch, then laid and couched stitches, making the whole stand out in low relief, like a sculptor's frieze. The figures are active and the tumult of the battle is shown. The English warriors with their moustaches and longer hair are picked out, and the Normans with their cropped locks, and several of the key moments of 1066 are there: Halley's comet, as a harbinger of trouble; William, lifting up his helmet to reveal his face and prove he's still alive; and the climax of the battle, where Harold is felled by the arrow.

A woman is also behind a faithful facsimile of the tapestry. In 1885 Elizabeth Wardle saw the original at Bayeux and, along with 35 other women, was inspired to produce a copy, to be housed in England. This is now kept at the museum in Reading, England.

Guest Author: Margaret Mallory

We're happy to welcome back one of our regular contributors, Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of KNIGHT OF PLEASURE, the second of her "All the King's Men" trilogy from Grand Central.

THE GREATEST PASSION...

Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

...IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers--until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.

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"★ ★ ★ ★ [A] riveting story, intertwining adventure and history...with a constantly increasing level of sensuality....[A] rare treat." ~ RT Book Reviews

"Margaret Mallory's passionate novel, KNIGHT OF PLEASURE, is an absolute delight for fans of historical romance." ~ Fresh Fiction

"You're not just reading a novel, you are stepping into the story...KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is amazing." ~ Gloria Gehres, The Romance Readers Connection

"Book two of Ms. Mallory's All the King's Men series is thrilling, romantic, and just plain good reading." ~ RomRevToday

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Tell us a little about the unusual setting of your new release.

KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is the second book in my medieval series, "All the King's Men." The first book in the series, KNIGHT OF DESIRE took place during the last Great Welsh Rebellion, when Henry V was still Prince Harry. This second story begins a dozen years later, in 1417, during Henry V's "re-conquest" of Normandy. Most of it takes place in Normandy. As with my first book, I incorporate real historical events and characters into the story. I love history, so that part is always great fun for me.

A number of scenes take place in Caen Castle, which served as King Henry's headquarters in Normandy at this time. My hero, Sir Stephen Carleton, is in Caen with the English army when Lady Isobel Hume arrives from England to marry a French nobleman she has yet to meet.

This massive castle once belonged to Henry V's ancestor, William the Conqueror. Another ancestor, Richard the Lionheart, gathered his knights here before leaving on crusade.

Henry V claimed Normandy as the descendant of William the Conqueror, even though his line back to William was a bit…convoluted. Despite the fact that his father had usurped the throne, Henry V was confident in his divine right to rule England and Normandy. Later, he would add France to the list.

William the Conqueror, also known as "William the Bastard," built a men's and a women's abbey on either side of the town of Caen to absolve himself of the sin of marrying his cousin. I was surprised that this was considered a sin, but apparently it was nothing that couldn't be fixed by building a couple of magnificent abbeys. In the middle ages, the church was often pragmatic in dealing with the rich and powerful. Hence, William's sin was the church's gain.

My heroine's brother spends time with the monks at the men's monastery, the gorgeous Abbaye-aux-Hommes, above.

So tell us a little about your hero and heroine.

I have to say, I adore this hero, Sir Stephen Carleton. Stephen, who was the thirteen-year-old brother of the hero in my first book, proved to be such a charmer that I had to write a story for him when he grew up. Stephen is the sort of man I avoided like the plague back in my dating days—the fun, handsome guy who had too many women hanging off him. My sensible heroine will take one look and tell herself not to trust him further than she can throw him. But Stephen is always more than he seems. Beneath the good looks and charm, beats a true hero's heart.

Isobel is a serious young woman who has learned to put childish dreams aside. Her trust was shattered when the father she adored forced her to marry a disgusting elderly man in order to regain the family lands. When her husband dies, the lands she was promised are taken from her. Faced with only bad choices, she agrees to make a political marriage to a French nobleman at her king's behest.

The moment Stephen and Isobel meet, the attraction sizzles between them--and the King's plans for Isobel are in jeopardy. But trust doesn't come easy for Isobel. And putting her fate in the hands of a Knight of Pleasure does not seem a wise course at all.

Do you have a favorite scene?

I can't say which scene is my very favorite, but one of them is Stephen's opening scene. He's a disillusioned young man with tremendous potential who is headed down the wrong road fast. In this first scene, I show him waking up hung-over and not knowing where he is. When he turns to see who he is in bed with, he groans. Not her again. He's hit bottom, and he knows it.

What's next?

The third book in the series, KNIGHT OF PASSION, is scheduled for release in June. Except for the prologue, which takes place at the Louvre in Paris, this last book is set in England. The hero is Jamie Rayburn, who was a toddler in the first book and a teenager in the second. Other characters from the earlier books, including Stephen and Isobel, will make appearances in KNIGHT OF PASSION

I have plans for a new series after that, but I can't talk about it yet! Learn more about my books, events and contests, check out my website.

Thanks for telling us about your new release, KNIGHT OF PLEASURE!

I'd love to respond to comments! I will be in an airplane most of Monday, so please be patient with me that day. I will give an autographed copy of KNIGHT OF PLEASURE to one of the commenters.

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Thanks for stopping by, Margaret. All right, dear readers, leave a comment or question for Margaret and you'll be entered into a random drawing for an autographed copy. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Good luck!

Expansion & Invasion: The Normans

By Lisa Yarde

During the Viking Age, the spirit of conquest and expansion beyond Scandinavia gave birth to a new race of warriors--the Normans. From their base in northern France, a region called Normandy, they expanded their influence and control into the British Isles and the Mediterranean with bloodied swords.

Beginning in 820, Scandinavian raiders penetrated the northern Frankish kingdom, sacking Rouen and besieging Paris. After decades of repeated incursions, a new leader emerged named Hrolfr Ragnvaldsson known as "the Ganger" who set his sights on the Frankish territory. Born on the Norwegian island of Giske to Jarl Rognvald the Wise of More in about 860, Hrolfr descended from lone of the oldest ruling families in Norway, one which would come to control the Earldom of Orkney. Clearly, ambition ran in the family. Hrolfr did not want the usual bribes, loot and plunder; he intended to stay and establish holdings in the beleaguered kingdom.

In 887, he carved out territory and settled his people in the lower Seine region. Twenty-four years later in 911, King Charles the Simple of France concluded a treaty with Hrolfr at Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, conceding the territory the Viking leader had held for so long. In return, the Viking leader promised to protect the land against other Scandinavia raiders. Hrolfr, now baptized Rollo / Robert became the first Count of Normandy.

By the custom of hand-fasting he wed Poppa, daughter of the Count of Bayeux after killing her father Berenger and fathered at least fourteen children during his marriage with her. He also married the daughter of Charles the Simple, Giselle but had no heirs by her. He built fortifications at Bayeux, Brionne, Bessin and Maine, and his followers also married Frankish women and took local concubines. When he died in 933, the Normans were in complete control of northern France from the outskirts of Brittany to the coast of Flanders. In 1911, on the thousandth anniversary of the treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, France erected statues of its first Viking leader, like the one shown here at Falaise.

Statue of Hrolfr the Ganger / Count Rollo at Falaise, Normandy
Despite the next two centuries of intermarriage between the native Frankish people and the Scandinavians, and their acceptance of Christianity, their Norman descendants yearned to expand their territory and control. Hrolfr's heirs added the Contentin and Avranchin and Richard II became first to style himself Duke of Normandy. The warlike tendencies of their ancestors led to bitter struggles among the Normans. In 1017, when Richard exiled Osmond for killing one of the Duke's relatives, he raised a band of more than 200 warriors and journeyed to Italy. Osmond's brother Rainulf became the first count of Aversa, north of Naples.

In 1035 Rainulf struggled to hold his land against Byzantine interests and appealed to his fellow Normans. Two of the twelve sons of Tancred de Hauteville, William and Drogo answered the call. William won the nickname "Iron Arm" by killing a Muslim ruler at the siege of Syracuse, in southern Italy. He became Count of Apulia. His brother Drogo succeeded him. From their bases in Italy, the Normans wrested control of Sicily and Malta from the Muslims, and established the kingdom of Sicily which existed until 1194.

Statue of William II, last Norman king of Sicily
In 1066, Hrolfr's great-great-great grandson William the Conqueror set his sights upon an even greater conquest than in the Mediterranean; rule of England. The Vikings had raided along the English coast for at least 50 years before they began terrorizing the Frankish domain. From early on, they also expressed a strong intent to remain in the lands they raided.

After the Battle of Edington in 878, the Danish Viking leader Guthrum the Old wanted to settle peaceably in England. By treaty with King Alfred the Great in 886, Guthrum achieved his wish in the establishment of the Danelaw, territory stretching from Northumbria and East Anglia to the eastern coast. Two centuries later, Duke William of Normandy married Matilda of Flanders, a descendant of the King Alfred and consolidated his power. The English king Edward the Confessor was half-Norman by his mother Emma and he held the Normans at his court in high favor.

When he died, his Anglo-Danish in-laws, the Godwinsons, under Harold seized the throne. William claimed that two years before, Harold had sworn an oath recognizing Edward's offer of the English crown to the Norman Duke. In the autumn of 1066, William sailed to England and his followers ravaged the English coastal towns, daring a response from Harold. The King marched his army south, just after defeated a Viking invasion from the north at Stamford Bridge. So it was that an Anglo-Danish ruler met the Norman Duke, himself descended from a long line of Viking seafarers, but Harold lost England and his life at the Battle of Hastings.

Bayeux Tapestry, depicting Duke William and his Norman retainers
With their rise to power, the Normans imposed feudalism and dynamically changed the political power structure and culture of very domain they conquered.

Famous People: William the Conqueror

By Lisa Yarde

William the Conqueror is one of the world's most famous bastards.

Not in the contemporary sense--though his enemies might have agreed--but because he rose above his birth to become Duke of Normandy and King of England. His impact on history is reflected in English law and language, and in the dominance of feudalism.

Image: William the Conqueror

Born in 1027, William was the only acknowledged son of Robert I of Normandy, alternatively known by the epithets "the Devil" or "the Magnificent" during his life. Allegedly, Robert first saw William's would-be mother Herleva from his castle at Falaise, Normandy, while she was dyeing leather. Robert promptly fell in lust and ordered the daughter of a local tanner to his bed. His mother's heritage haunted William all his life. In 1047, at William's siege of Alençon, a buffer state between Normandy and Maine, its people hung animal skins over the walls to taunt the young duke. When William captured Alençon, he cut off the hands of his tormentors.

This occurred many years after a fraught upbringing. William's father went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1035. Robert died on the return journey, but before he left Normandy, he had proclaimed his illegitimate son his heir. Raised by his paternal uncle, the Archbishop of Rouen and other guardians, William survived several assassination attempts even before he became an adult. He enjoyed the support of King Henry I of France during the early years, but rivalry between the two men led to warfare in 1054 and 1057.

William married Matilda of Flanders, who bore him four sons and at least four daughters. As with most events in William's life, his union with Matilda did not begin easily. His first envoys to the Flemish court received a stinging rejection from Matilda; as a descendant of Alfred the Great of England and the French kings, she refused to marry William because of his mother's low origins and his birth.

But William did not give up. Allegedly, he rode one summer to Flanders, pulled Matilda from her horse and beat her. Whatever her feelings about this episode, Matilda changed her mind about the bastard duke. Theirs seems to have been a long and happy union, altered only by the rebellions of their oldest son Robert against his father. Matilda died in 1083; when her bones were exhumed, she measured little more than four feet tall, one of England's smallest queens but a match for the strength of her husband.

William had connections to the English court through his great aunt, Queen Emma, the mother of England's Edward the Confessor. The English king had also spent several years in Normandy as a young man and emulated Norman dress and architecture. King Edward had married Edith, a daughter of the powerful Godwin clan. When he died childless, the succession was at risk.

His brother in-law Harold Godwinson claimed the crown, but so did William of Normandy, who claimed that not only had Edward the Confessor named him heir to the throne, but Harold had sworn an oath on holy relics to support the claim.

When William learned Harold had been crowned king in January 1066, he supposedly withdrew from an afternoon of hunting and spoke to no one for several days. But this depression did not last. He summoned a war council and planned an invasion. He arrived on England’s southern coast at an optimal time; Harold was north battling Harald Hardrada for the throne, the first of two threats the English would face that year. When Harold won his first battle, he rapidly marched his army south. The Normans and English met near Hastings in October 1066. William defeated his enemy and became King of England two months later.

Image: Battle of Hastings, from the Bayeux Tapestry

Not bad for an illegitimate son who started out with an uncertain future.