Paula’s Page

A Mother’s Lament

Lady Gytha lost almost all of her sons in the year of 1066. This 12th night she sits at table, their places empty, as her heart. Three months earlier she saw the last of them butchered on the field of Battle, Leowin, Gyrth, and her beloved son Harold. Prior to that she had lost her third son, Tostig, who had been killed in a clash against his brother. The pain of losing a son who fought against his brother had not even passed when Harold was forced to march south after the bloodshed at Stamford Bridge in which her Tostig had lost his life.

She had tried to hold on to Harold, stop him from riding out to face William, for he needed rest, was ill, and would not listen. Even his brother had offered to lead the men out in his place, but Harold was agitated and disturbed by the news that his people were being burned, they had even strung up his loyal reeve in Crowhhurst from his own manor house.

But Harold had pushed her away and when she tried to cling to him, he kicked her away. His own mother! He would never have done that. He was a good son.

At first the Bastard of Normandy had refused to give her son’s body over to her, even though she offered his weight in gold. He had left him on the cliffs of Hastings under a pile of rocks, to mock him. Eventually he had given in and agreed to let her take him back to Waltham, where his tomb was waiting, the church that he had lovingly had crafted to give thanks for his life when he had almost died of the paralysis sickness.

It had taken long for her to accept he was really gone, and even now, as she sits at table, she watches the doors, expecting them all to come through, and greet her as they always had done.

But she would not rest. She still had her grandsons who had fled to Ireland. They would avenge their father and their uncles.

Soon, she would go to Exeter and await their coming. Nay, William, it was not over. You will not sit comfortably on my son’s throne.

Not as long as I live.

#anglosaxonhistory #12thnight #Englishhistory #Harold #Tostig #Godwinsons #BattleofHastings

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Was It An Arrow?

We are delighted to welcome the first post on Paula’s Page. That’s Paula Lofting, author of historical fiction, particularly of the 11th century, and a re-enactor herself.

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On the death of Harold by the four-Norman-man hit squad and the examining of the earliest sources.

The Carmen 1067 is the earliest source that gives detail of the battle.   It clearly mentions a four man hit squad led by William who struck the first blow with his lance in Harold’s neck area.   Followed then (the order might be wrong) by disembowelment, beheading and gelding.   

Jumieges, who follows the Carmen in c1070, fudged it by having Harold killed early in the programme pierced by many wounds.

Then Poitiers, like Jumieges desperately trying to justify William’s invasion and writing in 1070s, embellishes and uses a lot of fictionalized propaganda to justify the invasion;  basically glosses over the death of Harold, perhaps so that useful idiots will focus on William’s glory rather than Harold’s violent death.   

Not once was an arrow mentioned.   In fact I think it’s not until Wace that the arrows are mentioned.

(By Paula Lofting)