Odo of Bayeux: Bishop, Earl and Powerbroker

The episode follows Odo of Bayeux – William the Conqueror’s half‑brother who held ecclesiastical office in England while also governing the earldom of Kent as a military man. We look at how he used land grants, the Bayeux Tapestry and an attempted papal bid to strengthen his position, before his capture by the king, crusading ambitions and eventual death on return from the Levant. The story shows how church titles could be leveraged for secular power in early Norman England. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices