28mm William the Conqueror Command group

Status: SOLD £64.00 

 This command group of 5 mounted  28mm figures from Gripping Beast includes William lifting his helmet in true Bayeux tapestry style.William has been simple to represent, however his standard or standards has been a little more difficult to pin down.

Wace states that Turstin of Bec carried the papal banner, Oderic Vitalis also names Turstin as the Norman standard bearer, The Bayeux Tapestry seems to suggest Eustace of Bolougne carried the banner, I guess we will never know for sure?

I am going with Turstin of Bec as the Papal Banner carrier.

Below Turstin of Bec has the red and white lozengy shield will be carrying the Papal Banner.In the photos of the tapestry the Papal banner appears to be red/yellow and white,a lot of  re-enactment photos show it as green/yellow and white, this maybe taken from other parts of the tapestry,where a similar banner is shown near William. Others believe the papal banner was more like the St Georges cross or the flag of Milan which was also given by the Pope at a similar time?

I have also included a personal standard for William the Bastard, I have used the ancient coat of arms for the Duchy of Normandy for this.

Sir Walter Giffard is on the end with the three tapestry style lions on his shield which is the coat of arms attributed to this known companion of William at Hastings.
The first use of Heraldic shield designs is often said to start in the reign of Henry I, it is possible that this coat of  arms for Sir Walter Giffard was attributed to him by one of his descendants at a later stage. However the Bayeux tapestry is overflowing with dozens of heraldic style lions in the borders and possibly one Lion on a shield (this has been identified as a monkey by some scholars ?!), I think it is certainly at least possible that some shields did carry designs like this in the later part of the 11th century. I have copied some of the characteristics of the lions in the Bayeux Tapestry to give them an authentic 11th Century style.

Here a photo of the command group along with a unit of 12 dismounted Knights under the Banner of the Barons of Bec, Turstin's Family which also probably fought at Hastings. These foot figures were also for sold on ebay.co.uk for a bargain price of £94.00.
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