Bayeux Tapestry Experience-The Battle of Hastings
Dear Brother,
I write this letter to inform you that I am still very much alive. The introduction of this letter may be awkward but I have been forced to take such drastic measures as proactive action to assure you and everyone back at home that I am alive and well in case inaccurate information of my death is sent from the battlefield. My comrade in battle Timothy had to endure the awkwardness of meeting his uncle and father who had come to collect his body given they had received a report of his death in battle. While I sympathize with his predicament, I cannot help but worry about the families of the deceased who continue on with their lives unaware of the fact that their kin died in the vicious battle.
That aside, I hope that everybody at home is alive and well. It has been two months since we last saw each other and I miss everyone dearly. I miss the hearty meals that mother prepares as well as the jokes Joseph never seems to run out of. Back here in the battlefield I can say that so far all has been well save for yesterday’s battle. I am sure you can bear me witness when I say that I came to this war a coward who was had hardly seen any battle other than the mock fights we had using the wooden swords back at the barracks. The few battles that we have fought have gradually initiated a process of replacing that fear with a strong will to survive by any means necessary. The cold nights and the soldier’s diet definitely hastened the process.
When King Edward the Confessor passed on earlier in the year nobody would have predicted that it would place our Kingdom under so much threat. Under the newly crowned King Harold’s orders we were commanded to go and defend the island from Norman invaders. This was initially a scary prospect given the fact that we had received news of William’s building of a massive naval force. A few days to his landing, we saw a comet and this struck fear and negativity in the hearts of many of us on the battlefield. As you know the passing of the comet has never brought good tidings to our people. Despite this we soldiered on, waiting for them a distance from the beach as our training only allowed us to engage in battles on land. By this time we were at the Hastings ground. The tranquility of the landscape was in stark contrast to the fire burning in our hearts as we were about to defend our land from invaders whose leader William claimed that he was the rightful heir to the throne due to a promise Edward made to him.
By evening the sea breeze was bringing towards our direction the smell of burning grass and it confirmed our fears. William’s men were torching houses that were in the villages close to the beach. This seemed to foreshadow the events of the following day. The increased frequency of to and fro trips by the emissaries signaled the nearing of the battle. That night before retiring to rest the commander of the fyrd told us to ensure we have our swords and battle axes. The following morning at around nine o’clock the battle commenced. Those who were mounted on horses rode ahead of us and as soon as they dismounted we could hear a mixture of clashing swords, the cries of horses and men, thuds of people falling. By this time we were charging toward the melee swords in hand.
Our confidence was part inspired by the fact that we had some of the best archers in the land covering us from behind. By the time we reached the epicenter of the action the ground was littered with bodies from both sides. Initially we appeared to have the upper hand and this made us push on. The Normans who seemed to be retreating suddenly turned on us swiftly turning the tables. Upon realizing that this tactic was working for them, William’s men adopted this trick. The confusion across the battlefield made it impossible for those of us who survived the counter-attack to convey the message to our comrades. I managed to survive by lying still among a group of bodies and though this was a cowardly act it saved my life as there was no hope of fighting back. Later that day it was clear that we had lost the battle.
When the Normans returned to their base celebrating the victory, I rose from the ground and took to my heels back to our base where I found other equally disillusioned soldiers. The smell of blood filled the air around us since our base was closer to the battlefield. Now our force is greatly decimated by the attack and we just sit here awaiting the next orders. On the brighter side however, rations seem to be more given that there are significantly less mouths to feed. It is not much of a consolation but it is all we can hold on to for now. Now more than ever it is clear that William is extremely determined and capable of taking the throne from Harold.
References
Körner, S. (1964).The Battle of Hastings, England, and Europe, 1035-1066 (Vol. 14). CWK Gleerup.ces
Wilson, D. M. (1985). The Bayeux Tapestry (p. 190). London: Thames and Hudson.
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