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PaRT vI

HIC : VNVM : SOCIVS : BAGIAS

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(Latin Translation)

HIC MILITES WILLEMI DUCIS PUGNANT CONTRA DINANTES ET CUNAN CLAVES PORREXIT.
Here Duke William's soldiers fight against the inhabitants in Dinan, and Conan handed over the keys.

HIC WILLELM DEDIT ARMA HAROLDO.
Here William gave Harold weapons.

HIC WILLELM VENI BAGIAS.
Here William came to Bayeux.

UBI HAROLD SACRAMENTUM FECIT WILLELMO DUCI. 
Here Harold gave his oath to Duke William.

 

(Honor and Oath)


The Norman army pursues duke Conan to Dinan, where the attack is harder than ever. Pressed on everywhere by the Normans, Conan has no other choice than to surrender. We see him handing back the keys of the city to William, triumphant. The Normans are victorious, their bravery is certainly without equal!

But Harold is not in rest: he particularly well behaved during the battle, fighting as a lion, as if this cause was his. To mark his gratitude between Harold, William arms him knight. It is a big honor, there certainly, but it is also a redoubtable political act: by agreeing to be armed knight, he then becomes vassal of William, with all that it contains in term of allegiance.

Harold is certainly not a dupe, but how could he refuse? He is taken in the "political" trap which tightens him to William.

Our two protagonists then go to Bayeux. According to the tradition, Harold swears allegiance on invaluable relics to his new suzerain. This act is William's new political "blow": if Harold raises himself one day against Guillaume, he will be more faithless in front of the Church and thus in front of the God, an abominable crime in that time..

Apparently, Harold was manipulated in this "affair" of oath on relics. It would indeed seem that these were hidden under tapestries, what we had "forgotten" to clarify to Harold!


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