Norman Conquest Encyclopedia

Harold Godwinsson marked his position on Senlac Hill in the fight against the invading forces of William the Bastard with two standards. One was the Fighting Man, his personal flag, and the other was the Dragon Banner of Wessex. The Bayeux Tapestry shows the Dragon Banner in the scene in which Harold is killed. It flies as a wind-stocking, the breeze entering at the open mouth of the beast, in a style derived from late Roman cavalry standards. The fallen Dragon Banner can be seen to the left of the flying one, apparently anachronistically, but the tapestry is not a strip cartoon and should not be read as if it is.

See also: Bayeux Tapestry; Fighting Man Banner; Harold Godwinsson; Senlac Hill; William the Bastard

Related Reading:

• Hastings 1066 (Revised Edition) - The Fall of Saxon England
  (Campaign 13 )