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1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry Paperback – April 4, 2006

by Andrew Bridgeford (Author)

34 customer reviews

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For more than 900 years the Bayeux Tapestry has preserved one of history's greatest dramas: the Norman Conquest of England, culminating in the death of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Historians have held for centuries that the majestic tapestry trumpets the glory of William the Conqueror and the victorious Normans. But is this true? In 1066, a brilliant piece of historical detective work, Andrew Bridgeford reveals a very different story that reinterprets and recasts the most decisive year in English history.

Reading the tapestry as if it were a written text, Bridgeford discovers a wealth of new information subversively and ingeniously encoded in the threads, which appears to undermine the Norman point of view while presenting a secret tale undetected for centuries-an account of the final years of Anglo-Saxon England quite different from the Norman version.

Bridgeford brings alive the turbulent 11th century in western Europe, a world of ambitious warrior bishops, court dwarfs, ruthless knights, and powerful women. 1066 offers readers a rare surprise-a book that reconsiders a long-accepted masterpiece, and sheds new light on a pivotal chapter of English history.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry

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Product Details

Paperback: 354 pages
Publisher: Walker Books; Reprint edition (April 4, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802777422
ISBN-13: 978-0802777423
Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,348 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #913 in Books > History > Europe > Great Britain > England
- #1006 in Books > History > Europe > France
- #4251 in Books > Arts & Photography > History & Criticism > History

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Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars

5 star		56%
4 star		29%
3 star		12%
2 star		3%
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64 of 65 people found the following review helpful

Interpreting a Fabulous Work of Art

By Rob Hardy HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER on July 28, 2005

Format: Hardcover

For a single day's battle, it is hard to think of any that is greater in consequence than the Battle of Hastings in October 1066. If it had gone the other way, and it was a very near thing, we would, for instance, be using a different language now, the descent of royalty in England would have been decidedly altered, and English and European (and therefore world) history would be unrecognizable from where we are now. The classical depiction of the battle is on a long piece of linen, and the cloth's story is told in _1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry_ (Walker Books) by Andrew Bridgeford. Everyone who has looked at this extraordinary work of art has tried to see one scene after another, as if it were some epic graphic novel, to tell the story of the invasion. If you don't know much about the history that has been taught from the tapestry, Bridgeford makes this a fascinating introduction, examining each scene and coordinating it with the written histories of the time. He is not, however, a professional historian, but a lawyer, and he has a case to argue. The tapestry has been interpreted the wrong way, he explains, and he means to set the matter straight. There is a good deal of guesswork and supposition in his explanation, but it is generally well-argued, and will make little difference to those who come to the tapestry without having been drilled in the old interpretations. Bridgeford does bring the tapestry to life, with its depictions of valor and brutality, and anyone reading his work is going to want to get to France someday to see the real thing.

The tapestry is not a tapestry at all, really, but an embroidery; the pattern is not in the weave of the fabric, but stitched into the linen.Read more ›

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36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

A great piece of time-traveling

By Michael K. Smith TOP 1000 REVIEWER on May 26, 2005

Format: Hardcover

When I was living in Europe as an army brat in the late 1950s -- a period that cemented a deep interest in history, which became a career -- I had the opportunity to spend an entire day studying the 300-foot-long embroidered panels (miscalled a "tapestry") that is almost our only near-contemporary source documenting the Norman conquest of Anglo-Saxon England. I've been fascinated by it ever since, I read everything published about it, and about the Conquest, and this is one of the best studies I've ever seen. The author is an English attorney, not an academic historian, which means this is not a scholarly publication, but it's nevertheless a very well written, thoroughly judicious, extremely well-informed treatment of a well-trodden subject. He begins at the beginning, with the first scene depicted on the tapestry: King Edward on his throne, followed by Duke Harold (he was actually an earldorman, but this is a French work, after all) and the beginning of his visit to the Continent that would lead to the battle at Hastings. Bridgeford summarizes all the past interpretations of depicted events and weighs each in the light of later discoveries, notes the effect of 19th century repairs to the needlework which "rewrote" some of the tapestry's scenes, and discusses the accuracy (or not) of the later ballads and poems. He also makes an excellent case for the tapestry being in part a piece of pro-French (not pro-Norman) propaganda. Two extensive sets of color plates -- of the tapestry as a continuum and as a series of key scenes -- make the text very easy to follow. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the Conquest.

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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

Very nearly a stitch by stitch analysis of the Bayeux Tapestry

By Bruce Trinque VINE VOICE on July 4, 2005

Format: Hardcover

As Bridgeford carefully explains, of course, the Bayeux Tapestry is really not a tapestry, but instead an embroidery, created something more than 900 years ago to tell the story of, and the story behind, the Battle of Hastings, in which Willaim the Bastard became William the Conqueror of England. Although the Tapestry is certainly famous, its origins and even the meanings of certain of its embroidered scenes are mysterious. In this book Bridgeford provides persuasive, if not necessarily final, answers to many of the old questions, including who was the patron who had the Tapestry created (Bridgeford believes it was Count Eustache of Boulogne, as a sort of peace offering to Bishop Odo, William's half-brother, who might have been just a little unhappy after Eustache had attacked the bishop's castle at Dover), who was Aelfgyva and what was she doing with that cleric (Aelfgyva was a rather popular name at the time, but Bridgeford argues that the Tapestry's Aelfgyva was the mother of Norway's Harold Harefoot, a rival contender for the English throne, and it was a reference to an old scandal, made to undermine the legitimacy of Harold's claim), and who the dwarf Turold was (Bridgeford speculates that the horse-holding Turold may have been the artist-designer of the Tapestry and the author of the famous Chanson de Roland). This is a book worth reading about one of the great art treasures of Europe and about one of the critical turning points of European history.

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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

Committed and fascinating history writing

By M. Dog on November 16, 2005

Format: Hardcover

I found this to be a very interesting and worthwhile book. To briefly summarize, the author examines the famous Bayeux Tapestry, traditionally thought to be a work celebrating the Norman conquest of England in 1066, and comes up with a very interesting theory concerning its origins and meanings. I won't spoil the work for you by revealing what the author's theories are, but he does make (for the most part) an interesting case for them.

Although the author does describe the history of the tapestry itself, which is fascinating (an odd bit of ironic trivia: the Bayeux Tapestry nearly was destroyed on more than one occasion and suffered its greatest threat from the French themselves, during their revolution. The occupying Germans, during WWII, seemed to treat it with the most respect), the bulk of the book is taken up with scene by scene retelling of the Norman Invasion, using the art of the tapestry as a text. I found this section very enjoyable. It was rather like a favorite uncle going through a photo album and embellishing the pictures with fantastic stories. It was fascinating to see how much the author was able to read into the artwork of the tapestry, filling the woolen characters with action and personality. Bridgeford really was able to make the times, and the tapestry, come alive with action and life.

Are his theories true? I have no idea, and as the author himself admits, there will never be a way to know for sure about any of it. I can tell you this, though; he makes his case with vigor and it will really make you think about a time and people nearly a thousand years passed.

That's what good history writing is supposed to do.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

An Exciting Mystery from 1066

This is an amazing, well-written chronicle of the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066 and also the story of an enormous ancient tapestry that illuminates that story. Read more

Published 3 months ago by S. L. Bartlett

Great pictures of the Tapestry.

While you may or may not find yourself convinced by the author's arguments, you will get to go through the tapestry's every scene. That alone is worth the price. Read more

Published 16 months ago by Lynn A. Krug

An Enjoyable Read

When I see words like "Hidden History" in a book's title, I'm instantly skeptical. Too often, books of this sort are nothing more than a vehicle for promoting an alternative... Read more

Published on October 24, 2013 by Michael Parker

Interesting, lavishly illustrated but a bit speculative

Many of us are familiar with the Bayeux Tapestry, that great medieval work of art depicting the Norman conquest of England and the most famous date in English history, namely 1066. Read more

Published on September 10, 2013 by Alan A. Elsner

No Title

For more than 900 years the Bayeux Tapestry, which I have seen - one of the world's greatest historical documents and artistic achievements - has preserved the story of one of... Read more

Published on March 26, 2013 by C. L Wilson

Loved this book!

Really enjoyed Andrew Bridgeford's style of writing and the interpretations and conclusions that he reaches. Read more

Published on February 21, 2013 by Marsha

An excellent follow-up of the 1986 book by D.J. Bernstein !

A really well presented analysis of the Bayeux tapestry, and a very convincing explanation of the message truly conveyed by the Tapestry, quite different from the usually trumpeted... Read more

Published on February 19, 2013 by H. Reyes

Academically very good but I felt a bit let down

I'm sure that a great part of my disappoinment was that I had read a historical novel about the "tapestry" before I ordered this book. Read more

Published on December 27, 2012 by D. L. Lederman

Fascinating History

This book is a welcome addition to learning more about the Bayeux Tapestry as it details life in 1066. Read more

Published on July 19, 2012 by Jan B.

book

a great book a good source of back history for some possible family place of origin or the start of family name

Published on March 29, 2012 by gerald stanford

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