1. The Thread of History.
- Author
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Prah-Perochon, Anne
- Subjects
- *
BATTLEFIELDS , *MIDDLE age , *PROPAGANDA , *ABBEYS - Abstract
The article discusses the Bayeux tapestry, one of the great masterpieces of Medieval art, which can be seen today in Bayeux, a small town on the coast of Normandy. The tapestry provides a vivid record of the interplay of personalities and events that culminated on the battlefield at Hastings on October 14, 1066. It is also a unique source of information on the social and economic life of the period. Although called a tapestry the piece is actually embroidered linen, 77 feet long by 20 inches wide. It is a blatant piece of political propaganda intended to white-wash William's takeover of England. The primary figure in the tapestry is, William of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror. It also documents one of the most important developments of the Middle Ages: the building boom of abbeys and churches all over England and Normandy.
- Published
- 2005