Bayeux Tapestry tituli
Encyclopedia
The Bayeux Tapestry tituli are captions embroidered on the Bayeux Tapestry
describing events leading up to the Norman conquest of England
concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England
, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings
. The tituli are in Latin
.
It is embroidered in wool
yarn
on a tabby-woven
linen
ground using outline or stem stitch
for its lettering.
The content of the hanging is primarily pictorial but tituli are included on many scenes of the action to point out names of people and places or to explain briefly the event being depicted. A dark blue wool, almost black, is used for most of the tapestry's lettering but towards the end other colours are used, sometimes for each word and other times for each letter. The end of the tapestry has been missing from time immemorial and the final titulus "Et fuga verterunt Angli" is said to be "entirely spurious", added shortly before 1814 at a time of anti-English sentiment. The first word on the tapestry "Edward" is also a restoration.
The text is in Latin but at times the style of spelling shows an English influence. Musset puts forward the following analysis. Personal names, mostly in English, are not Latinised and the same applies for names of places in England and for Beaurain "Belrem" in France. The phrase "at Hestenga ceasrta" shown clear signs of Old English: in Latin it would be "ad Hastingae castra". Some French names are either archaic ("Rednes") or anglicised ("Bagias"). Sometimes "Franci" is used to describe the Normans who at that time certainly did not regard themselves as French.Wiliam's uncle The Archbishop of Rouen spoke of wiping out the vainglorious French, "Francos debellare superbos" although they spoke the French language. However, royal circles in England did use "Franci" to describe their conquerors and the king's subjects were termed "Franci and Angli".
In 1724 a linen backing cloth was sewn on comparatively crudely and, around 1800, large ink numerals were written on the backing which broadly enumerate each scene and which are still commonly used for reference.
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry—nearly long, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings...
describing events leading up to the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
. The tituli are in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
Description
The Bayeux Tapestry was probably commissioned by William the Conqueror's half-brother, Bishop Odo, possibly at the same time as Bayeux Cathedral's construction in the 1070s, and completed by 1077 in time for display on the cathedral's dedication.It is embroidered in wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
yarn
Yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
on a tabby-woven
Plain weave
Plain weave is the most basic of three fundamental types of textile weaves . It is strong and hard-wearing, used for fashion and furnishing fabrics....
linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
ground using outline or stem stitch
Backstitch
Backstitch or back stitch and its variants stem stitch, outline stitch and split stitch are a class of embroidery and sewing stitches in which individual stitches are made backward to the general direction of sewing...
for its lettering.
The text is in Latin but at times the style of spelling shows an English influence. Musset puts forward the following analysis. Personal names, mostly in English, are not Latinised and the same applies for names of places in England and for Beaurain "Belrem" in France. The phrase "at Hestenga ceasrta" shown clear signs of Old English: in Latin it would be "ad Hastingae castra". Some French names are either archaic ("Rednes") or anglicised ("Bagias"). Sometimes "Franci" is used to describe the Normans who at that time certainly did not regard themselves as French.Wiliam's uncle The Archbishop of Rouen spoke of wiping out the vainglorious French, "Francos debellare superbos" although they spoke the French language. However, royal circles in England did use "Franci" to describe their conquerors and the king's subjects were termed "Franci and Angli".
In 1724 a linen backing cloth was sewn on comparatively crudely and, around 1800, large ink numerals were written on the backing which broadly enumerate each scene and which are still commonly used for reference.
Latin text with English translation
The English translation provided here is of a literal nature, to reflect the simplicity of the captions themselves. The numbering scheme uses the scene numbers on the tapestry's backing cloth. They are not on the tapestry itself. The images in the table cover the entire tapestry but a continuous panoramic view of the Tapestry may be consulted, such as that in the Bibliotheca Augustana| Scene | TextLetters in brackets are omitted on the tapestry either by way of abbreviation or where they are implied by a dicritic on the previous letter | Translation | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EDWARD(US)Word was missing in 18th century copies REX | King Edward | |
| 2–3 | UBI HAROLD DUX ANGLORUM ET SUI MILITES EQUITANT AD BOSHAM ECCLESIA(M) | Where Harold, duke of the English, and his knights ride to Bosham Bosham Bosham is a small coastal village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England, about ) west of Chichester on an inlet of Chichester Harbour.... Church |
|
| 4 | HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT | Here Harold sailed by sea | |
| 5 | ET VELIS VENTO PLENIS VENIT IN TERRA WIDONIS COMITIS | and with sails filled with wind came to the land of Count Guy Wido is Guido or Guy, count of Ponthieu Ponthieu Ponthieu was one of six feudal counties that eventually merged together to become part of the Province of Picardy, in northern France. Its chief town is Abbeville.- History :... |
|
| 6 | HAROLD | Harold | Higher resolution detail |
| 7 | HIC APREHENDIT WIDO HAROLDU(M) | Here Wido seizes Harold | |
| 8 | ET DUXIT EUM AD BELREM ET IBI EUM TENUIT | and led him to Beaurain Beaurainville Beaurainville is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Beaurainville is a small town situated some 6 miles southeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer, on the D130 road and on the banks of the river Canche.-History:In 1064, two years before the Battle... and held him there |
|
| 9 | UBI HAROLD ETET is abbreviated to a character like a right-angled 7 WIDO PARABOLANT | Where Harold and Wido confer | |
| 10 | UBI NUNTII WILLELMI DUCIS VENERUNT AD WIDONE(M) | Where the messengers of Duke William came to Wido | |
| TUROLD | Turold | ||
| 11 | NUNTII WILLELMI | The messengers of William | |
| 12 | HIC VENIT NUNTIUS AD WILGELMUM DUCEM | Here the messenger comes to Duke William | |
| 13 | HIC WIDO ADDUXIT HAROLDUM AD WILGELMUM NORMANNORUM DUCEM | Here Wido led Harold to William Duke of the Normans | |
| 14 | HIC DUX WILGELM CUM HAROLDO VENIT AD PALATIU(M) SUU(M) | Here Duke William comes with Harold to his palace | |
| 15 | UBI UNUS CLERICUS ET AELFGYVA | Where a cleric and Ælfgyva...A verb is missing, which makes this image the greatest mystery in the Tapestry. A notorious sexual assault on this English lady seems to have occurred, which was worthy of record. The attitude of the cleric is similar to that of the semi-obscene nude man in the lower margin. (Douglas, 1959, p.234) | Higher resolution detail |
| 16 | HIC WILLEM(US) DUX ET EXERCITUS EIUS VENERUNT AD MONTE(M) MICHAELIS | Here Duke William and his army came to the Mount of Michael Mont Saint-Michel Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches... |
|
| 17 | ET HIC TRANSIERUNT FLUMEN COSNONIS | and here they crossed the Couesnon River | Higher resolution detail |
| HIC HAROLD DUX TRAHEBAT EOS DE ARENA | Here Duke Harold dragged them from the sand | ||
| 18 | ET VENERUNT AD DOL ET CONAN FUGA VERTIT | and they came to Dol Dol-de-Bretagne Dol-de-Bretagne , cited in most historical records under its Breton name of Dol, is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine département in Brittany in north-western France.-History:... and Conan Conan II, Duke of Brittany Conan II of Rennes was Duke of Brittany, from 1040 to his death. Conan was the eldest child and heir of Alan III, Duke of Brittany by his wife Berthe de Blois, and member of the House of Rennes... turned in flight |
Higher resolution detail |
| REDNES | Rennes Rennes Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:... |
||
| 19 | HIC MILITES WILLELMI DUCIS PUGNANT CONTRA DINANTES | Here the knights of Duke William fight against the men of Dinan Dinan Dinan is a walled Breton town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in northwestern France.-Geography:Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance... |
|
| 20 | ET CUNAN CLAVES PORREXIT | and Conan passed out the keys | |
| 21 | HIC WILLELM(US) DEDIT ARMA HAROLDO | Here William gave arms to Harold | |
| 22 | HICThe word has actually been embroidered hIE WILLELM(US) VENIT BAGIAS | Here William came to Bayeux Bayeux Bayeux is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy in northwestern France.Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England.-Administration:Bayeux is a sub-prefecture of Calvados... |
|
| 23 | UBI HAROLD SACRAMENTUM FECIT WILLELMO DUCI | Where Harold made an oath to Duke William | |
| 24 | HIC HAROLD DUX REVERSUS EST AD ANGLICAM TERRAM | Here Duke Harold returned to English land | |
| 25 | ET VENIT AD EDWARDU(M) REGE(M) | and he came to King Edward | |
| 26 | HIC PORTATUR CORPUS EADWARDI REGIS AD ECCLESIAM S(AN)C(T)I PETRI AP(OSTO)LI | Here the body of King Edward is carried to the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle Westminster Abbey The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,... Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,... |
|
| 27 | HIC EADWARDUS REX IN LECTO ALLOQUIT FIDELES | Here King Edward in bed spoke to his faithful followers | Higher resolution detail |
| 28 | ET HIC DEFUNCTUS EST | and here he died | |
| 29 | HIC DEDERUNT HAROLDO CORONA REGIS | Here they gave the king's crown to Harold | |
| 30 | HIC RESIDET HAROLD REX ANGLORUM | Here sits Harold King of the English | Higher resolution detail |
| 31 | STIGANT ARCHIEP(ISCOPU)S | Archbishop Stigand Stigand Stigand was an English churchman in pre-Norman Conquest England. Although his birthdate is unknown, by 1020, he was serving as a royal chaplain and advisor. He was named Bishop of Elmham in 1043, and then later Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of Canterbury... |
|
| 32 | ISTI MIRANT(UR) STELLA(M) | These people marvel at the star Halley's comet | Higher resolution detail |
| 33 | HAROLD | Harold | |
| 34 | HIC NAVIS ANGLICA VENIT IN TERRAM WILLELMI DUCIS | Here an English ship came to the land of Duke William | |
| 35 | HIC WILLELM(US) DUX JUSSIT NAVES (A)EDIFICARE | Here Duke William ordered ships to be built | |
| 36 | HIC TRAHUNT NAVES AD MARE | Here they drag the ships to the sea | |
| 37 | ISTI PORTANT ARMAS AD NAVES ET HIC TRAHUNT CARRUM CUM VINO ET ARMIS | These men carry arms to the ships and here they drag a cart (laden) with wine and arms | |
| 38 | HIC WILLELM(US) DUX IN MAGNO NAVIGIO MARE TRANSIVIT ET VENIT AD PEVENESAE | Here Duke William in a great ship crossed the sea and came to Pevensey Pevensey Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on... |
|
| 39 | HIC EXEUNT CABALLI DE NAVIBUS | Here the horses leave the ships | |
| 40 | ET HIC MILITES FESTINAVERUNT HESTINGA UT CIBUM RAPERENTUR | and here the knights have hurried to Hastings Hastings Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900.... to seize food |
Higher resolution detail |
| 41 | HIC EST WADARD | Here is Wadard | |
| 42 | HIC COQUITUR CARO ET HIC MINISTRAVERUNT MINISTRI | Here the meat is being cooked and here the servants have served (it) | |
| 43 | HIC FECERUN(T) PRANDIUM | Here they made breakfast | |
| HIC EPISCOPUS CIBU(M) ET POTU(M) BENEDICIT | And here the bishop blesses the food and drink | Higher resolution detail |
|
| 44 | ODO EP(ISCOPU)S WILLEM(US) ROTBERT | Bishop Odo, William, Robert Robert, Count of Mortain Robert, Count of Mortain, 1st Earl of Cornwall was a Norman nobleman and the half-brother of William I of England. Robert was the son of Herluin de Conteville and Herleva of Falaise and was full brother to Odo of Bayeux. The exact year of Robert's birth is unknown Robert, Count of Mortain, 1st... |
|
| 45 | ISTE JUSSIT UT FODERETUR CASTELLUM AT HESTENGA | He ordered that a motte Motte Motte may be:*Motte-and-bailey, a type of construction used in castles*Isaac Motte, an 18th century American statesman*La Motte , various places with this name-See also:* Mote * Mott... should be dug at Hastings |
Higher resolution detail |
| CEASTRA | the camp | ||
| 46 | HIC NUNTIATUM EST WILLELM(O) DE HAROLD(O) | Here it was announced to William concerning (the approach of?) Harold | |
| 47 | HIC DOMUS INCENDITUR | Here a house is burned | |
| 48 | HIC MILITES EXIERUNT DE HESTENGA ET VENERUNT AD PR(O)ELIUM CONTRA HAROLDUM REGE(M) | Here the knights left Hastings and came to the battle against King Harold | Higher resolution detail |
| 49 | HIC WILLELM(US) DUX INTERROGAT VITAL(EM) SI VIDISSET HAROLDI EXERCITU(M) | Here Duke William asks Vitalis if he has seen Harold's army | |
| 50 | ISTE NUNTIAT HAROLDUM REGE(M) DE EXERCITU WILLELMI DUCIS | This man tells King Harold about Duke William's army | |
| 51 | HIC WILLELM(US) DUX ALLOQUITUR SUIS MILITIBUS UT PREPAREN(T) SE VIRILITER ET SAPIENTER AD PR(O)ELIUM CONTRA ANGLORUM EXERCITU(M) | Here Duke William speaks to his knights to prepare themselves manfully and wisely for the battle against the army of the English | |
| 52 | HIC CECIDERUNT LEWINE ET GYRD FRATRES HAROLDI REGIS | Here fell dead Leofwine Leofwine Godwinson Leofwine Godwinson was a younger brother of Harold II of England, the fifth son of Earl Godwin.When the Godwin family was exiled from England in 1051 he went with Harold to Ireland... and Gyrth Gyrth Godwinson Gyrth Godwinson was the fourth son of Earl Godwin, and thus a younger brother of Harold II of England. He went with his eldest brother Swegen into exile to Flanders in 1051, but unlike Swegen he was able to return with the rest of the clan the following year... , brothers of King Harold |
|
| 53 | HIC CECIDERUNT SIMUL ANGLI ET FRANCI IN PR(O)ELIO | Here English and French fell at the same time in battle | Higher resolution detail |
| 54 | HIC ODO EP(ISCOPU)S BACULU(M) TENENS CONFORTAT PUEROS | Here Bishop Odo, holding a club, gives strength to the boys | |
| 55 | HIC EST WILLEL(MUS) DUX | Here is Duke William | |
| 56 | E(USTA)TIUS | Eustace | Higher resolution detail |
| HIC FRANCI PUGNANT ET CECIDERUNT QUI ERANT CUM HAROLDO | Here the French are fighting and have killed those who were with Harold | ||
| 57 | HIC HAROLD REX INTERFECTUS EST | Here King Harold is slain | Higher resolution detail |
| 58 | ET FUGA VERTERUNT ANGLICaption was missing in 18th century copies | and the English have turned in flight | Higher resolution detail |
Sources
- Douglas, D.C., English Historical Documents 1042-1189, London, 1959, Bayeux Tapestry, pp.232-278