1. Edward the unsaintly neurotic
2. Harold: a coin from his short reign
3. Earl Godwin’s seal – symbol of dynastic power
4. The Anglo-Saxon ‘equalizer’ was used only by the housecarls
5. The Varangian Guard – often it decided the fate of Emperors
6. Yaroslav: the Wise to the Russians, but the Miserly to the Norsemen
7. A lugubrious Svein Estrithson stares out from one of his ‘pennings’
8. St Olaf – the half-brother whose legend Harald Hardrada co-opted
9. A Viking picture stone – the Northern version of Trajan’s column
10. The Gokstad ship – a fine example of the longships that terrified Europe
11. Viking armour – the missing element at Stamford Bridge
12. Seal of William the Conqueror – even here the warhorse is all-important
13. Norman knights – it was said they could knock down the walls of Jericho
14. Norman propaganda at its apogee; Harold’s alleged oath to William
15. For the invasion the Normans built ships – a new experience for them
16. The Norman fleet at sea – they feared the Channel more than they feared the English
17. By laying waste Hastings and its environs William forced Harold to an early battle
18. The irresistible force and the immovable object: Norman cavalry collide with Saxon shield wall
19. The Saxons lure the Norman horse into a trap
20. Death of Gyrth and Leofwine. If Harold had been wise, his brothers would not have been at the battle.
21. Death of Harold. Is he stricken with an arrow in the eye?