Curio Cabinet

Make way for the conqueror! William the Conqueror landed on Pevensey, Sussex, on this day in 1066, marking the beginning of the Norman conquest of England. As the Duke of Normandy, William was a ruthless but influential figure. As the conqueror and king of England, his reign had long-lasting impacts on the culture and politics of his country, but also the entire English language.
 
William was born sometime in 1028 in Falaise, Normandy, to Robert I of Normandy and his concubine Herleva. Although William inherited the duchy (the territory and title of a duke) from his father upon the latter’s death, he struggled to maintain authority because he was only seven years old and an illegitimate son. Fortunately for William, his father had arranged for Herleva to be married to a loyal viscount, giving the child duke an important ally. Nevertheless, the duchy of Normandy was in shambles, with disloyal vassals questioning the duke’s legitimacy and staging rebellions against “William the Bastard.” As a young man, William dedicated most of his efforts to restoring his duchy, spending more time on the battlefield than administrating. These difficulties eventually turned to his advantage, as they helped him develop a talent for fighting and a formidable military force under his command. William was known as a very devout Christian, and in addition to building monasteries, he passed legislation to increase the power of the church while keeping it under his authority. Among other things, he banned simony, or the practice of selling church offices, as well as clerical marriage. He introduced these reforms to England after his conquest, which began in 1066.
 
The Norman conquest of England was a war of succession, with William fighting for a throne that had once been promised to him. William claimed that the Anglo-Saxon king, King Edward, had sworn on the relics of a saint that he would support William for the throne. The claim was further ensured by the fact that the two were blood-related. Unfortunately for William, he wasn’t the only person vying for the throne. Despite swearing an oath in 1064 to defend William’s right to succession, Harold Godwinson, the Earl of Wessex, took the throne for himself upon Edward’s death in 1066. Supposedly, Edward had stated on his deathbed, “Into Harold’s hands I commit my Kingdom,” though modern historians doubt the veracity of the claim. Regardless, Harold had the support of English nobles who felt that, as Edward’s brother-in-law and an Anglo-Saxon, he was better suited for the throne of England. With their support, Harold was crowned on the same day as Edward’s funeral.
 
Then there was the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada, who believed that he had a claim through his deceased nephew, Magnus. Magnus had once been promised the throne of England while it was under Danish rule, and Harald claimed he had inherited it from his nephew. In pursuit of the throne, Harald died in the Battle of Stamford Bridge in the September of 1066 against Harold’s forces. Harold, in turn, would die at the Battle of Hastings just a few weeks later while fighting against William. By then, William had the full support of Norman aristocrats and had around 7,000 knights and soldiers at his command. In addition, Harold had been excommunicated by the pope for violating Edward’s sacred oath. With the other claimants finally out of the way, William’s coronation took place on Christmas Day.
 
Aside from being a bloody affair full of political intrigue, the Norman conquest of England had major, lasting effects that can be felt to this day by every English speaker. After William took the throne, all the English nobles were ousted from their positions and Old English was replaced with Norman French as the language of commerce, the courts, and the ruling class. Although the common people didn’t speak French themselves, many of the words used by the upper classes found their way into common vernacular. Words like “military,” “navy,” “schedule,” and countless other words originally come from French, which is why spelling and pronunciation tend to be weakly correlated in English. Of course, English also has Germanic roots mixed with Greek and other Romance languages like Latin, Spanish, and Italian…so the Normans aren’t completely to blame for our linguistic woes.

 
[Image description: A section of the Bayeux Tapestry from the 12th century depicing William the Conqueror with his half brothers.] Credit & copyright: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.

It’s not exactly the heist of the century…at least, not this century. Maybe it’s a curse from the pharaoh, or maybe it was just their own fault, but four suspects have been apprehended after they allegedly stole an ancient Egyptian bracelet and melted it down for gold.
 
The original owner of the jewelry in question was Amenemope, who ruled during Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period around 3,000 years ago. Lasting from 1069 to 525 B.C.E., the Third Intermediate Period began shortly after the death of Ramesses XI of the New Kingdom. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom were in decline due to the increasing influence of the High Priests of Amun, who deemed that a pharaoh was no longer necessary as an intermediate of the gods. Perhaps due to the lessened power of the pharaohs during this time, little is known about Amenemope’s reign. Today, the long-dead king is remembered thanks to his funerary mask, which was discovered at the royal necropolis of Tanis in 1940. Made of solid gold, bronze, and bearing the king’s visage, the mask was found alongside a cache of other undisturbed royal tombs.
 
One of the many treasures found in the tombs was a gold bracelet with a spherical lapis lazuli bead, which held religious significance. In the ancient Egyptian religion, gold was considered the very flesh of the gods themselves, while the lapis lazuli was their hair. Therefore, covering a funerary mask in gold was more than a show of wealth, and the bracelet would have been an auspicious relic to be buried with. Unfortunately, the meaning of the bracelet and its true value might have been lost on the thieves. According to the police, the bracelet was sold for less than $4,000, and the buyer melted it down to make gold jewelry. 3,000 years of history smelted for trinkets…it’s enough to make a pharaoh (and archeologists) weep.

 
[Image description: A black-and-white illustration depicting a scene from ancient Egypt in which royalty watches dancers and musicians perform.] Credit & copyright: Pastime in Ancient Egypt, Engraver Charles William Sharpe, after Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1876. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Donato Esposito, 2015. Public Domain.

Prepare to be a-maized by a maze. It’s officially fall, which means that hayrides, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes are popping up across the country, and some are especially impressive. For the fourth year in a row, the Treworgy Family Orchards in Levant, Maine, has been given the distinction of having the country’s best corn maze, according to USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Amazingly, the seemingly age-old, seasonal tradition of carving mazes into cornfields has only been around since the 1990s.
 
Treworgy Family Orchards is one of countless farms around the U.S. that opens its fields to the public each autumn. Farms like theirs generate additional revenue by offering apple picking, pumpkin patches, and a chance to traverse a corn maze. The very first corn maze opened to the public in 1993. The story goes that Broadway creative director Don Frantz was flying over some corn fields when he looked out the window and got the idea to create a maze within the stalks of corn. With the help of his friend, Adrian Fisher, a British designer, the first corn maze was created in Annville, Pennsylvania, on a three-acre field by pulling stalks of corn by hand. Like many corn mazes today, the very first one ever featured a whimsical design in the shape of a dinosaur dubbed “Cornelius the Cobasaurus.” The maze itself was named the “The Amazing Maize Maze,” and it was a hit with the public. After the “The Amazing Maize Maze” debuted, it inspired other farmers to try their hands at creating corn mazes of their own. Today, the corn maze is a beloved fall tradition and there are around 500 of them made every year to thrill—and confuse—guests. As for how they’re made, some farmers use GPS to create their designs, while others rely on paper maps and a good sense of direction. Of course, a good sense of direction will also help you have fun in a corn maze…but at least if you get lost, you’ll be surrounded by food.

 
[Image description: A row in a cornfield, with leaves crisscrossing overhead, giving a tunnel-like effect.] Credit & copyright: Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing), Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.