King Edward III of England died on 05 January 1066 after a reign of 23 years. Leaving no heirs, Edward's passing ignited a three-way rivalry for the crown. The political intrigue culminated in the 14 October 1066 Battle of Hastings.
The history of this battle is amazingly recorded on the Bayeux Tapestry while the event is fully staged each year by English Heritage at the Battle Abbey. (You can view the event by going to YouTube and typing in 'Battle of Hastings - English Heritage'.)
Although one knows the outcome - the Normans win, Harold is killed, William becomes king - still this on-site, re-enacted battle makes one more acutely aware of the true costs extracted when we allow anger, jealousy or thirst for power to govern our lives. May God forgive what we politely term 'man's inhumanity to man' and deliver on his promise to remove our hearts of stone and give us, instead, a tender heart like his.
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