If there’s one thing we all remember from school, it’s how King Harold II got an arrow in the eye during the Battle of Hastings (1066). But could this 1,000-year-old story be fake news?!
If there’s one thing we all remember from school, it’s how King Harold II got an arrow in the eye during the Battle of Hastings (1066). But could this 1,000-year-old story be fake news?!
Made in the 11th century, the Bayeux Tapestry is the clearest evidence we have of the arrow thing. However, the arrow shown in the tapestry was only added during 19th century repairs. Apparently, they unpicked a spear shaft, adjusted the angle and re-embroidered it to fit the legend.
In any case, the battle was a major turning point in British history. The victory of William the Conqueror changed the course of British culture, as French became the legal language of England for the next 300 years.