1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class from how 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot com. Hello, welcome to the podcast. I'm 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: fair Dowdy and I'm Develinta Charko Boarding and today we're 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: going to be talking about a pretty visual subject, which 5 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: is always a little bit tricky to do in a podcast, 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: but we really take it for granted nowadays that a 7 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: complete historical record usually include some pictures, whether they're these, 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: you know, the point each in tutor portraits, or Civil 9 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 1: War era photos, or the digital photos of modern journalism 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,319 Speaker 1: that are just everywhere in people's cell phone pictures, all 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: of that. But that's obviously not the case for all 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: of history. And if we're talking about the eleventh century, 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: the pickings get pretty slim when you're looking for good 14 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: visuals of of something that went on, and and that 15 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: point is something that really makes the Bio Tapestry all 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: the more remarkable. It's a piece of art, and it's 17 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: considered the most important pictorial archive of the eleventh century, 18 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,639 Speaker 1: or maybe even of the medieval age. But it's actually 19 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 1: remarkable for quite a few other reasons too. It is. 20 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: First off, there's its size. It's two four ft long, 21 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: which is sixty eight meters, and that's after losing some 22 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: sections in the nearly one thousand intervening years since it 23 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: was made. So it's enormous. That's probably the first thing 24 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: you had noticed if you saw it exactly. And then 25 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: there's its detail. The nine panels feature two hundred two horses, dogs, 26 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: thirty seven buildings, forty one ships, and six hundred and 27 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: twenty six people, all with historically accurate hairdoice I love 28 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: very important to love that point. It's also really beautiful. 29 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: The so called tapestry is not really a tapestry at all. 30 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: It's actually embroidered linen. But it's just colorful. It's lively, 31 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: it has almost a three dimensional quality, and we're going 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: to talk about that a little more later and then 33 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: another another notable part of this tapestry story is that 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: it survived all of this time. It's made it through 35 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 1: the French Revolution, even though it was used to cover ammunition. 36 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: It survived the Franco Prussian War, it was whisked into 37 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: hiding before the occupation in World War Two, and Bayou actually, 38 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: on a side note, sort of was one of the 39 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: first cities liberated after D Day. So it's remarkable that 40 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: this nearly thousand year old tapestry has managed to make 41 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: it this long. It is, but it's the subject matter 42 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: that makes the tapestry truly important. It doesn't just document 43 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: courtly scenes or hunting outings in daily life. It also 44 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: chronicles one of the major events in Western history, the 45 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: Norman Conquest. So we're going to give you a little 46 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: background on the Norman conquests. Pretty standard history class there, 47 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: but figured a refresher would be in order. So the 48 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: English King Edward the Confessor was a nice guy, a 49 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: very pious man, a generous man, but he wasn't the 50 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: strongest leader, and most of efficantly, he was not interested 51 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: in having kids for religious reasons, or he couldn't have kids. 52 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: So there was this question who would be his heir 53 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: and there were a few possibilities. None of them really 54 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: jump out as as that obvious if if you look 55 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: into how exactly they're related to him. The first is 56 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,839 Speaker 1: Harold Godwinson and he was Edward's brother in law. So 57 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: Harold's sister was married to Edward, and he was also 58 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: a really powerful man in England, a powerful advisor. The 59 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: next guy our list is Edgar Atheling, and he was 60 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: Edward's great nephew, but he was living abroad and he 61 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: was he was pretty young too. The third guy on 62 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: our list is going to be a familiar name, Duke 63 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: William of Normandy, and he was Edward's second cousin. The 64 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: way they're related is is pretty convoluted. But he's also 65 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: a descendant of a Viking pirate, so that gives you 66 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: a good idea of what kind of drive this man has. 67 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: William was even making his case for the throne. Even 68 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: more unlikely was the bastard, son of the Duke of Normandy, 69 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: and he was known for a long time as William 70 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: the Bastard. But he had been um accepted by his father, 71 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: who had no legitimate heirs, and he had inherited his titles, 72 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,119 Speaker 1: so he was set up well in life. So who 73 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,559 Speaker 1: was the front runner here? Well. Edward initially leaned toward 74 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: making William his heir because he himself had spent a 75 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: long exile in the Norman court and he knew the 76 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: country's habits and its nobles. He also supposedly promised the 77 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: crown to William, but he really seemed interested in all 78 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: the candidates, to be honest in all these potential airs, 79 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: and it wasn't his decision to make anyway. The Witton, 80 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: the old English Council of Advisers, was the body that 81 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: was going to make this decision the call. Yeah, So 82 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 1: the next part of our story gets a little murky. 83 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: That was supposedly in ten sixty four, Harold, one of 84 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: the potential candidates share was shipwrecked in William's territory and 85 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: William slapped him into honorable captivity until he swore on 86 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: holy relics that he would support William's claim to the throne. 87 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,119 Speaker 1: Because of course William he was no dummy. He knew 88 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: that Harold, who actually lived in England and was a 89 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: powerful man there, probably had the strongest the strongest chance 90 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:19,239 Speaker 1: of becoming king. But this oath that Williams supposedly makes 91 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: Harold take was also where the tapestries action starts and 92 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: Harold's tripped to Normandy in this all important oath or 93 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: are really important because after the Norman conquest of England 94 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: it was crucial to legitimize what had happened before, because 95 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: William's blood ties were really so weak they had to 96 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: make it a matter of honor. Almost. But whatever may 97 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: or may not have happened to Normandy between William and Harold. 98 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: By ten sixty five, Edward was dying and the Waton 99 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: selected Harold as his successor. It's likely that they did 100 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: this because they thought Harold is powerful, he's capable, he 101 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: was already just about the strongest man in the kingdom 102 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: and he would probably make the best fits. So on 103 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: his deathbed, Edward left the throne to him, and Harold 104 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: was crowned King Harold the Second on January six, ten 105 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: sixty six. It's something that you might remember from our 106 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: recent Westminster podcast, definitely. So meanwhile, William is feeling left 107 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: out here. This is not the way he hoped things 108 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: would go down, so he started to raise an army 109 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: back in Normandy to go and claim what he saw 110 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: as his right. And unfortunately for Harold the Second, William 111 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: wasn't the only person thinking okay, time to act, time 112 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:37,239 Speaker 1: to go invade England, because in September of ten sixty six, 113 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: the King of Norway landed at the Yorkshire coast and 114 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: began an attack there, and Harold the Second successfully defended 115 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: his new kingdom, defeated the Norwegians, but he was stuck 116 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: in the northern part of his country when he got 117 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: word that William had landed in the south. That's kind 118 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: of a big problem there. He had a tired army 119 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 1: and a really long way to go, and he marched 120 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: them all across England and got to London by October six, 121 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: and then they spent the next few days sort of 122 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: resting up preparing before setting off for Hastings. But on 123 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: October fourteen, William actually attacks before harold troops were ready. 124 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: Even with this element of surprise, it didn't go well 125 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: for the Normans at first. Eventually, though, Anglo Saxon leaders 126 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: did start to drop, including Harold, who was supposedly shot 127 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: in the eye with an arrow. So William ascended to 128 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: the English throne and was no longer William the Bastard, 129 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: but William the Conqueror. Definitely, he's better known as that today. 130 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: So there were also some big changes with William in charge, 131 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: because he of course brought in all of his his 132 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: Norman lords, and they took up new lands and titles, 133 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: and there were new additions to the language. I remember 134 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,679 Speaker 1: in high school French uh learning about pig versus pork 135 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: and cow versus beef, and the old Anglo Saxon versus 136 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: the Norman introduction ends, and there were other changes besides 137 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: language too, that customs and legal system changes, and as 138 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: a result, Saxon traditions really became kind of considered low class. 139 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: They weren't the the popular chic thing anymore. And that's 140 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: where we're going to transition to the tapestry. Because obviously 141 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: a story like the want of the invasion in the battle, 142 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: which is clearly a crucial piece of history and has 143 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: a long term effect, was pretty well documented. The tapestry 144 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: was not. You could think of it as some sort 145 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: of sole primary source we have, but it's not maybe 146 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: more romantic that way. It does sound romantic. You just 147 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: go consult your tapestry when you're doing research, but it's 148 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: certainly not the only record of the invasion or even 149 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: the most comprehensive source about the battle pastings. No, it wasn't. 150 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: There were several pro stories and tales and verse as well, 151 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: Norman historical texts written by monks or chaplains, and Anglo 152 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: Norman twelfth century narratives too, But the Biou tapestry is 153 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: kind of in a unique spot. It's precise, it's detailed, 154 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: and sometimes historians take its word over that of written 155 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: sources because of the level of planning and commitment that 156 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: goes into stitching versus writing. Yeah, I read an article 157 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: that sort of gave the example of weaponry that certain 158 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: men would carry. And while written accounts had different, contradicting 159 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: versions of what specific weapons so and so is carrying. Uh, 160 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: there were some historians were more inclined to go with 161 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: what somebody had bothered to stitch out across this this 162 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: huge panel, assuming that maybe they looked into the research 163 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: a little more, right, But it's also just special because 164 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: the Tapestry was created during the lifetimes of the Norman conquerors. 165 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: It's just about as close to contemporary as we can get, 166 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: all right, So it's a contemporary kind of source. It's 167 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 1: been compared to photojournalism actually before, which is pretty funny 168 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: if you think about it. But what does it look like? 169 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: The Tapestry's main narrative story covers span of two years 170 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: ten sixty four to ten sixty six. That's why it 171 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: is so long. And as we mentioned, it starts with 172 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: Harold's visit to normity, which is the really crucial component 173 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: of the moral element of the story. So from there 174 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: it progresses through Edward's sickness through Harold taking the throne 175 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: and William raising his army, crossing the channel and ending 176 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: with the battle, and they're likely was another panel that 177 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: included scenes of Williams coronation and that's the missing part. 178 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: But the interesting thing about the tapestry, though, is that 179 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: no step is rushed over. You might think, well, let's 180 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: get onto the battle and not handle the building the ships, 181 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: that that's not true at all. It shows men cutting 182 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: down trees, it shows shipwrights building boats, men loading the 183 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: ships with food and wine, really every single detail of 184 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: what happened in the lead up. Yeah, it even shows 185 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: Westminster Abbey isn't complete and everyday life too tilling, cooking 186 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: if you're a nobleman going hunting with a falcon on 187 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: your arms, so very detailed. The dress in court is 188 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: elaborate and fine, and the dress in full battle that's 189 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: shown is full of detail, with a range of weapons 190 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: and armor styles. The Anglo Saxons are wearing fashionable mustaches 191 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: while the Normans are sporting their distinctive shaved hairstyles. Actually 192 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: read a BBC article about how you know British children 193 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: are obviously taught this story pretty pretty regularly. And um. 194 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: Their idea of the Norman warrior definitely comes from that 195 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: of the bio tapestry. Those helmets with the nose guards 196 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: and the chain mail, it's it's what you probably think 197 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: of if you think of Norman armor. Yeah. But what 198 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: we've just mentioned this is just at the center of 199 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: the tapestry, right, I mean all along at the edges 200 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:57,599 Speaker 1: are animals with allegorical significance. You see cox, peacocks, rams, deer, bear, fish, lions, camels, monsters, 201 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: I mean, even dragons, motifs from Aesop's fables. So it's 202 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: not just the narrative of the conquest that we're seeing, 203 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: but a moral story about how if you break your 204 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: sacred oath the only punishment is death. Yeah, and maybe 205 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: an arrow through the eye maybe, And if we're going 206 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: to talk about that more later. The other component of 207 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: the TAPS three is these neat Latin captions that are 208 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: written throughout and they really helped break down the scenes 209 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: and label key protagonists like William and Edward and Harold 210 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: and Odo and he's going to come up later too. 211 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: He's William's half brother and the Bishop of Bayou. But 212 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: we want to talk about it as a piece of 213 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: art too, because I mean, that's that's what it is. 214 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: First and foremost. It's really notable for its craftsmanship. The 215 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: overall design is pleasant, it's uncluttered. You'd think that if 216 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: you are trying to depict in needle work a battle 217 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: with tons of horses, like literally tangled together, it would 218 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: come across as kind of messy and and maybe not 219 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: that pleasing. But it looks good. And because it's embroidery 220 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: and not tapestry, and that background is left unfinished, it's um. 221 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: The figures really pop off of the light linen. It's 222 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,719 Speaker 1: it's it looks nice. Plant based eyes were actually used 223 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: to make the ten different colors of wool that were used, 224 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: ranging from mustard to yellow to blue black and pale green, 225 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: and four types of stitches were used stem stitch, change stitch, 226 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: split stitch, and couching work or buy you stitch. So 227 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: this variation is what makes the tapestry have greater dimension 228 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: than most medieval art. I like the way you put it, Sarah, 229 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: we're talking about it earlier. You said that has like 230 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: a layered quality to it. It does, even if you 231 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: know that if you look at a picture where two 232 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 1: horses are right next to each other. Even though you 233 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: know that on the actual piece of linen, those stitches 234 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: are right next to each other. It looks like one 235 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: horse is front of in front of the other. I mean, 236 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: don't don't go expecting some great feet of perspective, but 237 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: I think it's it's pretty cool that so much depth 238 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: was achieved through stitches alone in different shadings and such. 239 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: But unfortunately, not all of that stitching is original. Some 240 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: of the older restorations have faded really badly, and some 241 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: done in the nineteenth century with wool that was colored 242 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: by chemical dies look really garish. And um, I didn't 243 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: see pictures of this, but all all sources said it 244 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 1: looked quite obvious the nineteenth century restoration work, and those 245 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: restorations actually create some bigger problems than just affecting the 246 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: look of the whole thing they do. I mean, you 247 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: have to wonder, when all these restorations have been done, 248 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: how much has been altered, reinterpreted, or just plain lost. 249 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: And the best example here is the famous arrow in 250 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: the Eye of King Harold. The tapestry is mentioned as 251 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: the earliest source for this particular claim, of of that 252 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: being the way that he died but since that claim 253 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: wasn't made until hundreds of years after the works creation, 254 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: who's to say the tapestry was an all heard or 255 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: incorrect in the first place. Another matter complicating that is 256 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: the Latin text doesn't really help clarify who is actually 257 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: getting shot in the eye. Clarifies that Harold was killed, 258 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: but there's another guy next to him too, And and 259 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: people have debated whether the guy with the arrow in 260 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: his eyes actually Harold. But there are a few mysteries. 261 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: That's just the first one in this In this tapestry, 262 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: a big one is who actually made it, who commissioned it, 263 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: who designed it. And tradition says that the work was 264 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: wrought by William's own wife, Queen Matilda, and her ladies. 265 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: And that's a very romantic idea that you would become 266 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: Queen of England and then immediately get to work on this, 267 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: on this embroidery, massive embroidery project of commemorating your husband's triumph. 268 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: But it's likely that the work was instead commissioned by 269 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: Williams half brother Odo, who he mentioned earlier, the Bishop 270 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: of Bayou, and he would have wanted it for the 271 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: dedication of the cathedral of our Lady of Bayou, which 272 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 1: was um started about ten years or so after the 273 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: Battle of Hastings, so that's what most people are thinking. 274 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: There are a few other theories out there, though. Art 275 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: historian Carola Hicks suggests that Edith Godwinson, Edward the Confessor's 276 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: widow and Harold's sister, actually commissioned it as a way 277 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: to establish herself in the new Norman court. So that's 278 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: another theory for that question. But where it was made 279 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: is also a mystery too. Many think that it was 280 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: made in England, most likely at the embroidery center of Winchester, 281 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: but some people think it was made in Normandy. American 282 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: historian George Beach even suggests that the tapestry was made 283 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: in a French abbey. People have also debated about what 284 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: purpose it served. In Some of the purposes seem obvious. 285 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: It's a beautiful decorative item. It's something that you would 286 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: bring out for for celebrations, very special days. It's clearly 287 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: a propaganda piece, and it's clearly a celebration of the 288 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: Norman conquest to and justification for William's rule. But it 289 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: then suggests that it's also maybe some kind of memory device. 290 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: And I like this idea for someone who was reciting 291 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: a ballad, uh, they could consult the tapestry and present 292 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 1: the ballad while almost using the tapestry as some sort 293 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: of slideshow as as they were going along of visually acually. 294 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: And I mean that power of images though it would 295 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: have been powerful then and it's still powerful today, even 296 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: nearly a thousand years after. Ten sixty six is clearly 297 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: a banner year in Western history. But maybe one of 298 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: the reasons why we remember it so well while it's 299 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 1: why it's still seems so accessible and recognizable, is because 300 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,959 Speaker 1: we do have these images, and they're so common and 301 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: so well known. If you go and look up William 302 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: the Conqueror, if you go and look up the Battle 303 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: of Hastings, the little thumbnail image you're going to get 304 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: next to it will be from the bio tapestry. And 305 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: that's not something you can say for every medieval battle 306 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: or character you come across. No, you can't. But it's 307 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: cool that you can still see. The actual tapestry too, 308 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 1: is at the Bayou Museum in Bayou, right, It is 309 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: in Bayou, And yeah, you can go and visit it, 310 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: and there are actually a few replicas around the world too. 311 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: If you can't make it out to France. I think 312 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: there's one in Reading, England. And I also learned there's 313 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: not a replica tapestry, but there's a hand painted replica 314 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 1: really near by us to Blina over at the University 315 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: of West Georgia. I feel kind of obligated now that 316 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: you've said that, to go take some pictures or something. 317 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 1: I know. Well, I was, I was checking out how 318 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,719 Speaker 1: far away the one in France was from Paris, and 319 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: I feel like be a lot easier to just go 320 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: to the West Georgia check and maybe well, I feel 321 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 1: like our listeners always go visit places, but we've talked 322 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: about and send us pictures, so they do. Maybe somebody 323 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: already lives in Carrollton and can go visit and they 324 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: have some pictures ready. I am curious to know what 325 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: it looks like the rep. Well, if you know, listeners, 326 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 1: please write in and let us know. But for now 327 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: we're gonna see what another listener has to say in 328 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: listener mail. So this message is from Chris. He wrote 329 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: in about our recent episode on the Belly Ruth and 330 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: the Right of Spring, and here's what he had to say. 331 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 1: It was fascinated to learn about the controversial ballet, and 332 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: it was amazed by the detailed account of the riot. 333 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 1: But I would surprise you left out the little detail 334 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: about the ballet causing World War One. That's right, the 335 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: Great War. Maybe you weren't aware, or maybe you left 336 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,439 Speaker 1: it out because it's a little too Goldburgian. But the 337 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: idea comes from a fascinating book by Modus X Steins 338 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: called What Else The Rights of Spring. The book focuses 339 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: on the cultural implications that led to the Great War, 340 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: with the famous modernist ballet skeearheading the way. So really 341 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: interesting read, a fascinating take on World War One, and 342 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,479 Speaker 1: I would recommend it to anyone interested in world history. 343 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for all the wonderful podcast. So thank you Chris 344 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 1: for letting us know about the book. I always like 345 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:09,679 Speaker 1: getting book suggestions from our listeners, especially when especially when 346 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: they're pitching an idea recommend a book. Yeah, we're always 347 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: looking for new things to read, so if you have 348 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: any suggestions, please write us where at History podcast at 349 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: how Stuff Works dot com, or you can look us 350 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: up on Twitter at liston history or on Facebook. And 351 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: if you like fun art stories, we also have a 352 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: really great article called Five Impressive Art Heights by Julia Layton, 353 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 1: and uh it's it's a great look at some museums 354 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: and and strange cases. And I think we've covered a 355 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: few before on the podcast, but if you're ready for fresher, 356 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: go back and check it out Five Impressive Art Heights 357 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: so you can find it by searching on our homepage 358 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: at www dot how stuff works dot com. Be sure 359 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: to check out our new video podcast, Stuff from the Future. 360 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: Join how Stuff Work staff as we explore the most 361 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: promising and perplexing possibilities of tomorrow. The Houseda brooks iPhone 362 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: app has a ride. Download it today on iTunes, m