Meanwhile in Normandy…

October 13, 2017October 21, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

Not everyone in Normandy was thrilled about Williams great idea to invade England. The Duke wanted a great number of ships to carry thousands of men across the channel, all in just a few months. Not to mention, transporting men and ships and horses on a sea journey was extremely risky, they could lose everything in one great storm. But, nothing was going to stop William and his stubborn personality was ingrained in him since he was a child.

William of Normandy had actually been born a bastard (his father the Duke and his mother a commoner in the ducal household) and Continue reading “Meanwhile in Normandy…” →

The Mysterious Oath of 1064

October 10, 2017October 12, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

What was William of Normandy’s reasoning to invade England? And did he really need one?

Technically, William’s claim was the strongest being a cousin of Edward the Confessor (at least stronger than both Hardrada and Harold). In William’s youth, he apparently met Edward the Confessor while Edward was in exile (due to the Viking takeover of England), they became friends, and Edward allegedly told William that he would name him his successor when the time came. It seems young William took that to heart, which is understandable. Once he became such a successful Duke and proved to everyone he was not just a bastard; he would want to expand his territory. Continue reading “The Mysterious Oath of 1064” →

art history · english history · history

The Significance of the Bayeux Tapestry

October 9, 2017October 11, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

One of the most important sources of the events of 1066 is actually a piece of artwork. A beautiful embroidered tapestry, 70 meters long and 50 cm tall, depicts over fifty scenes of history. It is most commonly known as the Bayeux Tapestry and begins with the alleged oath of Harold to William and ends with the death of Harold in battle. Continue reading “The Significance of the Bayeux Tapestry” →

english history · history

The Epic Week of 1066!

October 8, 2017October 10, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

Since the Battle of Hastings falls on October 14th this week I was interested in doing a week study of 1066; one of the most important years in English History. In this year the Anglo-Saxon era ends and the England we recognize begins. Often times many studies of English history do not even start until the rule of the Normans. The Norman Conquest in 1066 was the last time (even to the present day!) that England was conquered by a foreign power. To me, that is incredible. William the Conqueror certainly earned his name due to the others who followed in history failed to achieve this even with modern weaponry and advancements.

Due to the Norman conquest, the development of England went into a completely different direction. Continue reading “The Epic Week of 1066!” →

english history · history

Stamford Bridge: The Last Victory of Harold II

September 26, 2017October 13, 2017 historynavigator3 Comments

A year in history that I find the most interesting is 1066. It is a year that changed English history and influenced the rest of European history. Also, I am a big Harold Godwinson (Harold II) fan and I think he deserves a lot more credit that what he is remembered for in history (i.e. getting killed by an arrow to the eye and losing to William). He was a good king and military leader who got put into impossible situations. Granted, he may have had some over confidence in his decision making and just plain bad luck. The whole world knew it was going to be a bad year after seeing the great comet fly through the sky (tho today we know this as Halley’s comet) providing a bad omen.

In my opinion, with just a few situations changed, the history of 1066 (and the course of English history) could have been very different.

Continue reading “Stamford Bridge: The Last Victory of Harold II” →