Wela wæ! Today is the 959th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. 1066 is a celebrity date in the sense that it is universally known and recognized. That is not to say that it should be a celebratory date; that depends on how you view the Norman Conquest.The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, describing William the Conqueror’s brutal rule, chose these words,“Ac he wæs sw heard heora hete aforBut he was so hard, he set their hate at naught.Wela wæ! thæt ænig man sceolde modigan swaAlas and alack! That any man should be so proudHim self ofermetlican & ofer ealle men settan!So raise himself up, and account himself above all men.I love that Old English word ‘Wela wae’! Literally meaning ‘Woe-Lo-Woe” it carries a sense of both repudiation and lament. We should bring it back.Britain’s diverse populations were no strangers to invasion and occupation - Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings, et alia - but the Norman yoke bore down with an extra weight. In the end such hybrid vigour has undoubtedly enriched the cultures and the peoples of the British Isles but it is worth remembering that military invasion and conquest always exact a terrible toll. Wela wae! 1066 may be a famous date but it is not without its share of infamy.Of course to history nerds like us (I assume that’s why you’re here) images from the Bayeux Tapestry loom large in our imaginations today. The tapestry is a magnificent and beautiful work of art, it narrates a compelling story; it is also a fascinating detective puzzle.I love the image below, showing the invasion ships crammed with both men and horses. It is powerful.Check out my series of essays (more to come) on SUBSTACK - ‘Unpicking the Bayeux Tapestry’. loadesofhistory.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsI’m looking forward to the Tapestry's display at The British Museum for the 960th anniversary next year. Are you? I'm also hoping that right now, it is undergoing careful and intricate conservation work, with the tantalizing prospect that new information will be revealed. Modern scientific methods may be able to detect alterations over the years. ... See MoreSee Less
A reminder to those in the UK that I will be appearing on More4 this evening in ‘Ancient Autopsies’ with Prof Suzannah Lipscomb. I crop up, briefly, larking about in chariots about half way through to discuss possible causes of injury to the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. ... See MoreSee Less
