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Bayeux Tapestry tituli facts for kids

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Bayeux Tapestry in the museum
The Bayeux Tapestry in its museum in Bayeux, France.

The Bayeux Tapestry captions are special Medieval Latin words and sentences sewn onto the famous Bayeux Tapestry. These captions, called tituli (say "TIT-you-lee"), help explain the pictures on the tapestry. They tell the story of important events leading up to the Norman conquest of England. This includes the story of William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, who later became King of England. The story ends with the big Battle of Hastings.

What are the Bayeux Tapestry Captions?

Bayeux tapestry stitches detail.
A close-up of the embroidered lettering on the tapestry.

The Bayeux Tapestry was likely ordered by Bishop Odo, who was William the Conqueror's half-brother. It was probably made around the 1070s, possibly at the same time the Bayeux Cathedral was being built. It was finished by 1077, just in time for the cathedral's opening!

The tapestry is made from wool yarn sewn onto linen cloth. Most of the words are sewn with dark blue wool, almost black. But towards the end of the tapestry, different colors are used for words or even individual letters.

The tapestry mostly shows pictures, but the tituli (captions) are very important. They point out the names of people and places. They also briefly explain what is happening in each scene. The text is in Latin, which was the common language for important documents back then. It's usually very clear and simple, directly describing the pictures.

Sometimes, words are shortened with a special mark called a tilde (a wavy line) over them. This means some letters are missing. The words are often separated by two dots, like colons. More important breaks in the story are sometimes marked with three dots. Many names of people, especially English ones, are not changed into Latin. The same goes for place names in England and some in France.

Key Moments from the Captions

The captions tell the story scene by scene. Here are some of the most important parts:

  • Harold's Journey: The tapestry begins by showing King Edward. Then, it shows Harold, an English leader, riding to church and sailing across the sea.
  • Harold and William: Harold lands in the area of Count Wido. Wido captures Harold and takes him to Beaurain. Messengers from Duke William then arrive. William eventually leads Harold to his palace.
  • The Oath: A very important scene shows William giving weapons to Harold. Then, Harold makes a serious promise, or "oath," to Duke William in Bayeux.
  • King Edward's Death: Harold returns to England and goes to King Edward. The tapestry shows King Edward on his deathbed, speaking to his loyal followers, and then he dies.
  • Harold Becomes King: After King Edward's death, Harold is given the king's crown. He is shown sitting as the new King of the English, with Archbishop Stigand nearby.
  • The Star: People are shown looking up at a mysterious star. This might be Halley's Comet, which appeared in 1066 and was seen as a sign of change.
  • William Prepares: An English ship arrives in Duke William's land. William then orders many ships to be built. The tapestry shows men dragging ships to the sea and carrying weapons and supplies onto them.
  • The Invasion: Duke William crosses the sea in a large ship and lands at Pevensey. His horses leave the ships, and his knights quickly go to Hastings to find food.
  • Before the Battle: William is told about Harold's army. A house is shown burning. William's knights leave Hastings to fight King Harold. William asks one of his men, Vital, if he has seen Harold's army. Another messenger tells King Harold about Duke William's army.
  • The Battle of Hastings: Duke William speaks to his knights, telling them to prepare bravely for the battle against the English army. During the fight, Harold's brothers, Leofwine and Gyrth, are killed. Both English and French soldiers fall in battle. Bishop Odo is shown encouraging the soldiers.
  • Harold's Death: The tapestry shows the moment King Harold is killed.
  • The English Retreat: The final caption says that the English soldiers have turned and run away.

The end of the tapestry is missing, so we don't know exactly what the very last scene showed.

Images for kids

  • BayeuxTapestryScene01

    Scene 1: King Edward

  • BayeuxTapestryScene02-03

    Scenes 2-3: Harold and his knights ride to Bosham Church

  • BayeuxTapestryScene04

    Scene 4: Harold sails by sea

  • BayeuxTapestryScene05

    Scene 5: Harold arrives in Count Wido's land

  • BayeuxTapestryScene06

    Scene 6: Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene07

    Scene 7: Wido seizes Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene08

    Scene 8: Wido leads Harold to Beaurain

  • BayeuxTapestryScene09

    Scene 9: Harold and Wido talk

  • BayeuxTapestryScene10a

    Scene 10a: Duke William's messengers come to Wido

  • BayeuxTapestryScene10b

    Scene 10b: Turold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene11

    Scene 11: The messengers of William

  • BayeuxTapestryScene12

    Scene 12: A messenger comes to Duke William

  • BayeuxTapestryScene13

    Scene 13: Wido leads Harold to William, Duke of the Normans

  • BayeuxTapestryScene14

    Scene 14: Duke William comes with Harold to his palace

  • BayeuxTapestryScene15

    Scene 15: A cleric and Ælfgyva

  • BayeuxTapestryScene16

    Scene 16: Duke William and his army came to Mont Saint-Michel

  • BayeuxTapestryScene17

    Scene 17: They crossed the river Couesnon; Harold dragged them from the sand

  • BayeuxTapestryScene18a

    Scene 18a: They came to Dol and Conan turned in flight

  • BayeuxTapestryScene18b

    Scene 18b: Rennes

  • BayeuxTapestryScene19

    Scene 19: Duke William's knights fight against the men of Dinan

  • BayeuxTapestryScene20

    Scene 20: Conan passed out the keys

  • BayeuxTapestryScene21

    Scene 21: William gave arms to Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene22

    Scene 22: William came to Bayeux

  • BayeuxTapestryScene23

    Scene 23: Harold made an oath to Duke William

  • BayeuxTapestryScene24

    Scene 24: Earl Harold returned to English land

  • BayeuxTapestryScene25

    Scene 25: He came to King Edward

  • BayeuxTapestryScene26

    Scene 26: King Edward's body is carried to Westminster Abbey

  • BayeuxTapestryScene27-28

    Scenes 27-28: King Edward speaks to his followers and dies

  • BayeuxTapestryScene29

    Scene 29: They gave the king's crown to Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene30-31

    Scenes 30-31: Harold sits as King of the English; Archbishop Stigand

  • BayeuxTapestryScene32

    Scene 32: People marvel at the star

  • BayeuxTapestryScene33

    Scene 33: Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene34

    Scene 34: An English ship came to Duke William's land

  • BayeuxTapestryScene35

    Scene 35: Duke William ordered ships to be built

  • BayeuxTapestryScene36

    Scene 36: They drag the ships to the sea

  • BayeuxTapestryScene37

    Scene 37: Men carry arms to the ships and drag a cart with wine and arms

  • BayeuxTapestryScene38

    Scene 38: Duke William crossed the sea and came to Pevensey

  • BayeuxTapestryScene39

    Scene 39: The horses leave the ships

  • BayeuxTapestryScene40

    Scene 40: The knights hurried to Hastings to seize food

  • BayeuxTapestryScene41

    Scene 41: Wadard

  • BayeuxTapestryScene42

    Scene 42: The meat is being cooked and servants served it

  • BayeuxTapestryScene43a

    Scene 43a: They have a meal

  • BayeuxTapestryScene43b

    Scene 43b: The bishop blesses the food and drink

  • BayeuxTapestryScene44

    Scene 44: Bishop Odo, William, Robert

  • BayeuxTapestryScene45

    Scene 45: He ordered a motte to be dug at Hastings camp

  • BayeuxTapestryScene46

    Scene 46: William was told about Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene47

    Scene 47: A house is burned

  • BayeuxTapestryScene48

    Scene 48: The knights left Hastings and came to battle against King Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene49

    Scene 49: Duke William asks Vital if he has seen Harold's army

  • BayeuxTapestryScene50

    Scene 50: This messenger tells King Harold about Duke William's army

  • BayeuxTapestryScene51a

    Scene 51a: Duke William speaks to his knights to prepare for battle

  • BayeuxTapestryScene51b

    Scene 51b: Duke William speaks to his knights to prepare for battle

  • BayeuxTapestryScene52a

    Scene 52a: Leofwine and Gyrth, brothers of King Harold, fell

  • BayeuxTapestryScene52b

    Scene 52b: Leofwine and Gyrth, brothers of King Harold, fell

  • BayeuxTapestryScene53

    Scene 53: English and French fell at the same time in battle

  • BayeuxTapestryScene54

    Scene 54: Bishop Odo, holding a club, gives strength to the boys

  • BayeuxTapestryScene55

    Scene 55: Here is Duke William

  • BayeuxTapestryScene56a

    Scene 56a: Eustace

  • BayeuxTapestryScene56

    Scene 56: The French are fighting and have killed those who were with Harold

  • BayeuxTapestryScene57

    Scene 57: King Harold was slain

  • BayeuxTapestryScene58

    Scene 58: The English have turned in flight

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