Thinking in English 408. The Bayeux Tapestry (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Oct 5, 2026
Explore the Bayeux Tapestry and the dramatic events of 1066: rival claims to England’s throne, Viking roots, two invasions, and the Battle of Hastings. Discover how the embroidered scenes were made, what they reveal about medieval life, and why their Norman perspective makes them fascinating but incomplete historical evidence. Learn useful English vocabulary along the way.
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England Before The Norman Conquest
- England developed from Roman Britain into rival Anglo-Saxon kingdoms before gradually moving toward one kingdom.
- Viking raids became conquest, creating the Dane Law and even a North Sea empire under Canute.
Why Three Men Claimed England’s Throne
- Edward the Confessor’s childlessness left the succession uncertain and produced three serious claimants.
- Harold Godwinson held the crown, while William and Harald Hardrada based competing claims on promises, oaths, and earlier agreements.
Harold’s Exhausting March North
- Harold Godwinson marched hundreds of kilometres in four days to confront Harald Hardrada’s invasion.
- England won decisively at Stamford Bridge, but the victory left its soldiers exhausted and badly weakened.