1066: Omens, Halley's Comet & the Fall of Kings | Episode 4

In the fourth episode of our special 1066 series, host Amy Matthews takes a step back from the battlefield to look up at the skies. Did a cosmic sign destabilise an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, or was it medieval political spin? Dr Will Wyeth (English Heritage Curator of History) and Dr Jo Edge (historian and writer) join Amy to examine how celestial phenomena were deployed to reshape history. They explore interpretations attributed to the Bayeux Tapestry’s famous "long-haired star" - Halley’s Comet – and the ominous “ghost ships” that pre-empted William of Normandy’s invasion. Also, how numerology shaped medieval worldviews and why comets became linked to fratricide and the fall of monarchs. Find out more about Jo's work here joanneedge.co.uk

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