Dr David Musgrove

"He's being given arms and armaments by Duke William, and this is really important because the subtext of the first half of the tapestry is essentially to present Harold as a heroic figure."

"This scene is basically where Harold goes from hero in the first part to zero in the second part."

"At least that's my take on it. He looks as if he's kind of a bit anguished about having to make this oath."

"That is basically saying, 'Something's gone wrong here, Harold having himself crowned is going to lead to a bad result.' And that is what happens."

"This is the most famous scene in the tapestry."

"It's undeniable that Harold is dead - the text says it - but the manner of his death is somewhat debated."