The Bayeux Tapestry is a very long strip of embroidered linen, rather than a true woven tapestry, that tells the story of the Norman conquest of England. Its scenes begin with the visit of Harold Godwinson to Normandy and continue to the Battle of Hastings, in which Harold was killed and William, Duke of Normandy, won the crown. It is generally thought to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William's half-brother, and probably made in England by skilled embroiderers. Latin captions explain the scenes, and borders include animals and fables, as well as the appearance of Halley's Comet. The work has been displayed in Bayeux, in Normandy, for centuries and is one of the most important historical documents of the medieval period.
Before and after
- 1098Birth of Hildegard of Bingen
- from 15 July 1099 to 18 May 1291Kingdom of Jerusalem
- from 11th century to 14th centuryOrigins of Catharism
- 11th centuryPublication of The Song of Roland
- 11th centuryBayeux Tapestry
- from 11th century to 17th centuryConstruction of Bagrati Cathedral
- 11th centuryConstruction of Daphni Monastery
- 11th centuryOrigins of Shah-i-Zinda
- 11th centuryRise of House of Hohenzollern
More in Art, literature & culture
- 787 CESecond Council of Nicaea
- 803 CELeshan Giant Buddha
- 14th centuryPublication of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
- 1387Publication of The Canterbury Tales
- from 5 November 1414 to 22 April 1418Council of Constance
- 15 April 1452Birth of Leonardo da Vinci
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes.