WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.331
♪♪♪

00:00:13.678 --> 00:00:17.043
This is the Bayeux Tapestry.

00:00:17.043 --> 00:00:22.022
It was commissioned to celebrate 
William's conquest of England.

00:00:22.022 --> 00:00:25.718
And it begins with the 
events that led up to it.

00:00:25.718 --> 00:00:29.152
The death of Edward the Confessor,
King of England.

00:00:29.152 --> 00:00:33.531
And the succession of a new king, Harold.

00:00:37.941 --> 00:00:43.218
It's magical to be taken back a 
1,000 years in this dark chamber

00:00:43.218 --> 00:00:47.637
to see history spelt out for you.

00:00:48.207 --> 00:00:52.149
70 meters long right down to the end,
right round to the back.

00:00:52.149 --> 00:00:54.903
And the story very vividly told.

00:00:54.903 --> 00:00:57.788
But at the same time, 
along the freezes,

00:00:57.788 --> 00:01:00.768
top and bottom, 
wonderfully vivid pictures.

00:01:00.768 --> 00:01:02.895
Some of them of Aesop's Fables,

00:01:02.895 --> 00:01:04.066
some of little stories,

00:01:04.066 --> 00:01:05.937
some little nobody knows what they are.

00:01:05.937 --> 00:01:09.198
Little details of farming life here.

00:01:09.198 --> 00:01:14.363
Plowing, sowing, 
and a man killing birds with a sling.

00:01:14.363 --> 00:01:17.898
It's not strictly speaking a tapestry,

00:01:17.898 --> 00:01:23.993
it's actually needle work, 
sown with wool onto linen.

00:01:28.153 --> 00:01:32.913
I suppose the story that we know 
best begins with the death of

00:01:32.913 --> 00:01:37.504
Edward the Confessor and his 
burial in Westminster Abbey.

00:01:37.504 --> 00:01:42.462
Westminster Abbey here with 
the hand of God, blessing it.

00:01:42.462 --> 00:01:46.999
And here, Harold receiving the crown,

00:01:46.999 --> 00:01:51.712
with his orb and his scepter,
people looking on.

00:01:51.712 --> 00:01:56.181
And then spies come across and
explain to William and Normandy

00:01:56.181 --> 00:01:59.907
what's happened in England that 
Harold has seized the crown.

00:01:59.907 --> 00:02:03.153
And here he orders ships 
to be built for an invasion.

00:02:03.153 --> 00:02:07.199
So the first thing to cut down the trees,
and start building the ships.

00:02:10.779 --> 00:02:15.706
Putting aboard suits of chainmail,
needing two men to carry them.

00:02:16.976 --> 00:02:25.801
And spears, arrows, and the last stages to
get the horses on board these long ships.

00:02:25.801 --> 00:02:26.921
Very tricky.

00:02:26.921 --> 00:02:29.161
And they didn't look particularly happy.

00:02:29.161 --> 00:02:31.938
The boats set sail.

00:02:31.938 --> 00:02:34.373
They cross over to Pevensey.

00:02:35.483 --> 00:02:40.458
Land safely at Pevensey, go ashore.
And then the real task begins.

00:02:40.458 --> 00:02:43.199
But first, the army has to be fed.

00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.588
There's a terrine there being boiled;


00:02:45.588 --> 00:02:48.638
there's sort of chicken kabobs,
they look like.

00:02:48.638 --> 00:02:52.105
And here, William feasting with his men.

00:02:52.105 --> 00:02:54.762
And then they're preparing for war.

00:02:54.762 --> 00:02:58.554
They build a castle of wood at Hastings.

00:02:58.554 --> 00:03:02.766
William's followers set light to 
some of the Anglo-Saxon houses.

00:03:02.766 --> 00:03:06.612
A woman leading her child 
away from her burning house.

00:03:06.612 --> 00:03:09.354
And then battle commences.

00:03:09.354 --> 00:03:14.282
Quite slowly to start with, with the 
Calvary charging against Harold's forces.

00:03:17.682 --> 00:03:19.442
Heads chopped off.

00:03:19.442 --> 00:03:21.328
Hands chopped off.

00:03:21.328 --> 00:03:24.313
And the battle rages all day long.

00:03:33.363 --> 00:03:38.343
In the confusion of the battle, 
as swords and axes clang against shields,

00:03:38.343 --> 00:03:43.537
a dangerous rumor sweeps 
William's army that he has been killed.

00:03:43.537 --> 00:03:44.784
So what does he do?

00:03:44.784 --> 00:03:48.504
He turns around in his saddle,
lifts his helmet off,

00:03:48.504 --> 00:03:51.705
and shows himself to his troops.

00:03:52.477 --> 00:03:54.281
And the battle goes on.

00:04:03.458 --> 00:04:09.496
And then we come to the famous design
of Harold with the arrow in his eye.

00:04:09.496 --> 00:04:12.473
Nobody quite knows whether 
that is what happened.

00:04:12.473 --> 00:04:14.883
And here, slaughtered.

00:04:19.930 --> 00:04:21.301
I've seen this many times.

00:04:21.301 --> 00:04:24.502
Every time I see it, 
I have to say it just brings the

00:04:24.502 --> 00:04:28.645
whole story of William's 
invasion of England alive.

00:04:28.645 --> 00:04:31.455
You really feel here because 
this was done by people living

00:04:31.455 --> 00:04:33.391
only a few years after the event.

00:04:33.391 --> 00:04:37.771
You really feel the power and
the passion that went into it.

00:04:39.041 --> 00:04:43.092
It's a completely magical work of art.

00:04:43.092 --> 00:04:44.834
♪♪♪