Dublin, Sep 5 (The Conversation) Britain seems to be caught up in a wave of enthusiasm for the Norman conquest. In July, the Prime Minister and the French President announced that the Bayeux Tapestry—the grand 11th-century embroidery illustrating the 1066 conquest of England—will be loaned to the British Museum in 2026-27.
This news makes the release of the new BBC drama series, King & Conqueror, depicting the events leading to the Norman conquest, timely. Each episode features credits with the drama’s title overlaid on imagery from the Bayeux Tapestry. But how does the drama stack up against this historic textile portrayal of the conquest?
An in-depth discussion on how King & Conqueror matches or departs from the tapestry’s narrative has been the subject of historical analysis. As an art historian researching the Bayeux Tapestry, I find myself lamenting the BBC drama’s portrayal of the 11th century, depicting a relative darkness and lack of color in an era that was likely more opulently adorned, as the tapestry suggests.
However, it's satisfying to note that the most compelling narrative tools in this drama mirror those in the tapestry. Both the tapestry and the drama serve as dramatized retellings of history, marked by non-linear storytelling.
The tapestry, for instance, exhibits the funeral of Edward the Confessor before showcasing his deathbed scene. Similarly, in episode five of King & Conqueror, Harold and Edith's kidnapping unfolds before a flashback explains their mission to Normandy, the misstep into Brittany, and their subsequent capture by bandits.
Both the BBC drama and the tapestry employ visceral depictions of battle's brutality to maintain suspense, despite the well-known outcome of the Battle of Hastings.
Violence permeates King & Conqueror. Replacing the tapestry’s marginal patterns of birds and beasts with mutilated bodies powerfully signals the violent disturbances of medieval combat.
The tapestry captures the scale of William's violence beyond battlefields. In the drama’s final episode, William orders the pillaging and burning of villages, proclaiming to move forward "like the wrath of God." However, the accompanying fear is not as vividly depicted in the series as it is in the tapestry, where an anonymous woman and child flee their burning home.
This enhances the tapestry’s portrayal of war's impact on ordinary women, contrasting with the drama’s focus on prominent characters. Notably, the BBC's suggestive trailer—teasing clips of Harold and William with text like, "Want to be served by a king? Or let him conquer you?"—can bewilder those familiar with the tapestry's depiction of women's fates.
Channel crossings serve as a potent theme in both the tapestry and the drama. Boats frequently appear in King & Conqueror, crescendoing in the finale as the Norman fleet’s raised sails echo the white cliffs of Dover.
The tapestry likewise frequently depicts boat crossings, vividly illustrating the fleet's construction and the overwhelming number of vessels crossing the Channel.
Where history, drama, and contemporary politics intersect is noteworthy. A day after announcing the Bayeux Tapestry's loan, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron announced a bilateral policy addressing increased Channel crossings by migrants from France.
While King & Conqueror concludes with William's coronation, the tapestry seems incomplete, ending abruptly post-Battle of Hastings. Recent speeches by the French and British leaders frame their policy as an extension of the tapestry’s narrative, with Macron emphasizing constructing a "new common history" and referencing friendship and progress.
The irony of promoting Anglo-French cooperation through an object depicting England's 1066 invasion is palpable. An unspoken paradox lies in referencing an object evocatively illustrating Channel crossings while pursuing policies aimed at discouraging such journeys.
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