He was the man who commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry, but his name and extraordinary life story have almost been lost to history. Now, as experts prepare the priceless art work for public display, the spotlight is being shone on Odo, the larger than life 11th century nobleman who ordered the making of the 224 foot long embroidered cloth.
According to Prof Trevor Rowley, Odo of Conteville was half brother of William the Conqueror, and a compelling character who deserves more recognition – especially now that the Bayeux Tapestry is in Britain for the first time in almost 1,000 years.
He says: “We all know about William, but Odo’s is not a household name – although I think it should be. It’s likely he is the reason we have the Bayeux Tapestry. His story is incredible – it could be made into a movie. He was ambitious, rebellious and sometimes ruthless; a not so lovable rogue. But he led an astonishing and eventful life that’s worthy of a soap opera. He merits being brought out of the shadows.”
With that in mind, Prof Rowley, 84, a founder fellow of Kellogg College in Oxford, has written an in-depth book, The Man Behind the Bayeux Tapestry. It is, he says, a story which still resonates today. He explains: “Odo was second only to William in terms of wealth and power. He helped plan the invasion and took part in the Battle of Hastings and subsequent conquest of England. That moment in history was a step change for Britain.
“It established a link with France that continues today. King Charles can trace his ancestry back to William. The popular impression of Odo is that he typified the worst excesses of the Norman conquerors, but he was far from being a loutish philistine. He recognised the value of education and arts, but also understood how to place himself at the centre of the story – which is what we see with the tapestry.”
Odo was born around 1030 in Normandy. His mother was Herleva, mistress to the Duke of Normandy by whom she had William. Within a few years of his birth, she had married someone else and had two more boys, one being Odo. When his father died, William inherited the dukedom and his little brother’s rise to the top of Anglo-Norman society was underway.
While still a teenager, Odo was appointed Bishop of Bayeux – a role he retained until his death – and which saw him help his elder sibling retain crucial control of the western part of Normandy. Says Prof Rowley, a lecturer at Oxford: ”Initially, the brothers got on well. Odo was trusted – William made him bishop when he was still very young, which was unusual and shows he rated him.”
After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, which saw the defeat of the Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson, William was crowned King of England. As a reward for his loyalty, he made Odo Earl of Kent, a powerful appointment, which allowed him to act as regent when the king was in Normandy.
It also meant he could command vast estates of land and amass enormous wealth. By 1077, Odo had built a stunning new cathedral in Bayeux. Although there is no firm evidence, experts strongly believe it was he who commissioned a lavish tapestry to embellish the building’s interior and commemorate the story of the Norman Conquest.
Historians think the artwork, an embroidery made of dyed wool, stitched onto a bleached linen background fabric, was created by English women, whose needlework skills were admired across Europe. It features 627 figures and is almost certainly incomplete. Some scholars believe it would have finished with a depiction of William’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.
Nevertheless, its nine panels and 58 distinct scenes caused a sensation when unveiled and Odo was front and centre in it all. Explains Prof Rowley: “There’s nothing like it now and there was nothing like it then. I’ve seen it a number of times and it’s full of humour and tragedy.
“It’s so vivid and very detailed. It’s unique. And it would have been typical of Odo to highlight his role in the Conquest – possibly gilding the lily about his involvement in it all along the way. It’s telling that, after William and Harold, Odo is the figure most often depicted, appearing four or five times.
“At one stage he is shown gesticulating to William, as if to say ‘let’s build an invasion fleet’. Then he’s there looking as if he’s telling his brother what the battle strategy should be. He’s also represented as a Christ-like figure, blessing food before the fighting starts and appears on a horse – the largest one on the tapestry – apparently rallying the troops.
“He’s carrying a mace too which was a way the clergy could fight without technically shedding blood. Goodness knows what William might have thought when he saw it.”
By now, Odo had gained a reputation for defrauding the Church and others of lands and riches in order to build a vast fortune, although Prof Rawley says he probably behaved no worse than many of his peers. But he was ruthlessly ambitious. Determined to become Pope, he raised a private army in England, intending to sail to Italy and seize the papacy by force.
The move infuriated William, who had him arrested and locked up in France for four years, remarking: “I have imprisoned not a bishop but a tyrant.”
The King agreed to his release only as the monarch lay dying, warning others his brother would be “the cause of death and grievous harm to many.” And, says the professor, he wasn’t entirely wrong: “Odo just wouldn’t let things lie. He was somebody who took his chances when they came along.”
With a new king on the throne, William II, Odo began stoking rebellion, but his betrayal was discovered and he was banished from England for the rest of his life.
In 1095 and now a relatively old man, Odo joined the First Crusade to the Holy Land, perhaps to secure one last military success, but died of an illness two years later in Sicily. He is buried in Palermo Cathedral. Prof Rowley, whose love of the Norman period was ignited as a child when he was given a book on castles, says in subsequent years Odo’s character has been maligned.
He explains: “No Norman king or duke had seen as much as Odo, but he suffered from a bad press after his death. It might be true he wasn’t likeable, but he was compelling and by the standards of his time, he wasn’t a particularly wicked or cruel man. Perhaps his sin was that he was never content and always wanted still more.”
Now, as experts at the British Museum prepare to unveil the Bayeux Tapestry to the public in September, the historian says the Norman nobleman would be thrilled that his legacy, stitched so carefully into the cloth, has lasted for so long. He adds: ”If he was here, Odo would be looking at the crowds who will come to view the tapestry and think ‘what a great man I was!’
“He is definitely someone I would love to meet and spend time with. Not too much time, though – I get the feeling that, with him, you would never quite know which way things on a night out might go!”
*The Man Behind the Bayeux Tapestry: Odo, William the Conqueror’s Half-Brother by Trevor Rowley is published by The History Press, £25
