Bayeux Tapestry

From Conservapedia

The Bayeux Tapestry refers to a monumental woven tapestry creation, typically attributed to the wife of William the Conqueror, which depicts the events leading up to and surrounding the conquest of England by the Normans, from the heirs of the Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor.

Created within a half-century of the Battle of Hastings (1066), which clinched this victory, the tapestry survived in the French city of Bayeux for some time before becoming, alternately, a propaganda piece for French First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte (who claimed to be heir to the Norman legacy, and hoped to conquer England himself), and an object of interest to Nazi war criminal and paranormal enthusiast Heinrich Himmler. Through the wars, the tapestry survived and remains in exhibition in Bayeux, in its own museum.

Traditionally, the story told by the tapestry is that Harold Godwinson, wealthy patrician, was commanded near the end of Edward the Confessor's life to convey title to the successorship of the British Crown to William (not yet "The Conqueror"), then in Normandy. This he did, but upon Edward's death, Harold allegedly betrayed William and claimed the Crown himself. The monumental Battle of Hastings, however, resolved the dispute in William's favor. This tale of betrayal obviously buttresses Norman claims to legitimacy, but modern historians have questioned whether the tapestry actually recites the orthodox version of events, or contains hints of dissent and notes of Anglo-Saxon support.