My thoughts on 1066 events

Malfosse After many hours of thought, I came to the conclusion that the location of the Malfosse was unknowable. What everyone is faced with is a report from the Normans that while they were in hot pursuit of rapidly departing Saxons belonging to the Fyrd, they suffered an ambush where the ground disappeared from beneath their horse's feet and the riders were set upon by Saxon fighters. While the report might have been good enough for their commanders, it does not help us in the future to discover where the clash took place. The current thinking of English Heritage is, I'm led to believe, is that the battle took place in an area under the monastery and the area under the town with the Malfosse still in Oakwood Gill. John Grehan also puts the Malfosse incident in Oakwood Gill, explaining it was closer to his choice of battle site than English Heritage's. Unfortunately for him, Time Team put the battle site adjacent to English Heritage's official site because they...

Tying down the actual Battle site? It's been a long time since I posted anything new on this blog. Partly, this is due to my absolute fascination with the computer game "No Man's Sky" ( I'm more than half way through my third galaxy with over 100,000,000 units in hand) and partly me thinking there was nothing new to add to our understanding of the Battle. How wrong I was! Between my last post and this one I've been to Bayeux to look at the Tapestry first hand and to find out the received wisdom that was being promulgated. I wish I hadn't bothered. The Tapestry is hung in a very nice setting and one is given a commentary device which once started doesn't stop until you reach the end of the Tapestry - that gives you 20 mins to view the whole thing! One can go around again but if you listen to the commentary you have to move at the pace of the commentary and not at your own pace. The Bayeux Museum also represents a moment of revelation to me...

Godwin -  Act of Revenge? So can we believe the Norman cleric that wrote about Godwin choking on a piece of bread after making an oath to Edward regarding Godwin's part in Alfred's death ? According to historians this is just propaganda in order to get Edward recognised as a saint. Here's what the Abingdon version of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle has to say. "... 1053: In this year the King was at Winchester at Easter, with him Earl Godwin and Earl Harold, his son and Tostig. When on the second day of Easter he sat at table with the King, he suddenly sank down against the footstool, speechless and helpless: he was carried into the Kings chamber and it was thought it would pass off, but it was not to be: yet he lingered on like this, unable to speak and helpless until the Thursday; and he gave up his life. ..." The Thursday in question was 15 April 1053 The book "The Life and times of St Edward, King and confessor" ( pages 64 and 65) has it t...

Emma of Normandy This woman seems to have lived though much of the late early medieval history of England. Born in 985 to the then Duke of Normandy and his second wife, Gunnora. She was married to Æthelred the Unready in 1002. Her first born, Alfred, according to the chronicler of  Life and Times of King Edward, was passed over by the Witan in favour of his unborn brother Edward. This suggests to me that the time between Alfred's birth and the marriage ceremony was less than 9 months rather than "the Witan being moved by the Holy Spirit". So at age 17 she was already pregnant, probably why her Father so easily agreed to her becoming Æthelred's second wife.  Year of Our Lord 1005 Ecgberht, one of the five sons of Æthelred, dies. But Emma gives birth? Year of Our Lord 1008 Eadgar, another of the five sons of Æthelred dies. But Emma gives birth again? Year of our Lord 1014 This is supposed to be the year that Æthelstan, the oldest of Æthelred's male o...

Experimental Entry I've had 256 views and no comments! So I don't know if you people out there in internetspace agree or disagree with my theory of where the "Battle of Hastings" was fought. This entry I hope will change this.  In coming to my decision as where the battle took place I laid down a few criteria in the hope that it would lead to the actual site and not one solely based on the site of Battle Abbey. What I would like you, yes you, to do is send me one criterion ( in English if possible) you think is relevant. If  you like, this is a thought shower and you're providing the rain or at least a droplet! To start the ball rolling then ..... 1. The battle took place on what is still a "green"field site. This means that the site has not been developed with houses or roads. Otherwise some or a lot of stuff from the 11th century would have come to life and folk would know where the bloody battle took place and I wouldn't be do...

*** This post will be subject to addition and amendment *** Bayeux Tapestry I think this tapestry has been over thought by historians  throughout the ages. I've been thinking about its purpose and have come to the conclusion that it is a record of the glorious conquest made by the Duke of Normandy in the name of the people of Normandy. And wasn't he a clever boy! It was never intended to be an accurate historical record of the battle - the old adage that History is written by the victors is so true here. I'm going to be using the excellent "The Bayeux Tapestry" book by David M. Wilson to comment on the scenes depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry and using the plate numbers as references. 1. Plate 1 Saxon Harold has an audience with King Edward King Edward is bearded but Harold and his retainer are moustachioed. Throughout the Tapestry the majority, if not all Saxons are so adorned 2. Plate 5 First depiction of Saxons with a Norman shield Despite the ...

King Edward : Gay or just very innocent? I've been studying the book " The Life of St. Edward, King and Confessor" R.F Jerome Porter is credited as author but I think it's an old translation [1710] of Matthew Paris's book of the 1230's or 1240's.  I've only got as far as page 18 and what I've read so far makes me wonder if this celebrated King was in fact gay. On page 4 we are told   " He was always observed to refrain those vices which youth are commonly addicted to. He was of a chaste mind, sparing of speech, plain in his actions and pure in his affections". And from page 4 to 5 we have "...  and to create strict Leagues     [page 5] of friendship with such monks as were most worthy of esteem for their singular piety and holiness of life." What is more telling however is the first anecdote told after he becomes king . The King is alone in his bed and money is deposited in the "treasury" ( the chest at th...