General Notes

Henry I, King of England

Henry I, (b. 1069), one of the greatest kings of England, ascended thethrone on 5 Aug. 1100 , and ruled until his death on 1 Dec. 1135. Thethird son of William I, he succeeded his oldest brother, William II, whodied under suspicious circumstances while hunting with Henry. Henry'soldier brother Robert I (c.1054-1134), duke of Normandy, invaded(1101)England but was defeated at Tinchebrai, France and was forced torecognize Henry as king. Subsequently, Henry seized (1106) Normandy aswell. Henry imprisoned Robert and he remained in prison until his deathin 1134

In his coronation charter (1100) Henry promised to remedy the allegedmisrule of William II; this document was the first English royal charterof liberties, the ancestor of Magna Carta (12 15). The king exploited hisresources as feudal suzerain; yet in his reign occurred the beginning ofthe transformation of feudalism by the commutation of personal tofinancial service. The creation of the office of justiciar and of theroyal exchequer also constituted the first appearance of specializationin English government. Royal justice was brought to the local level byitinerant judges, and control over the kingdom was strengthened.

He once issued a charter of liberties of great importance, conciliatinghis English subjects in order to gain their support in his struggle withthe Norman nobles, whose power he steadily opposed. This charter laterserved as the basis for the Magna Carta.

Although many barons objected to the severity of his rule, Henry gavepeace, security, and stability to his country. He quarreled with thechurch over the lay investiture of clergy, forcing the archbishop ofCanterbury, Saint Anselm, into exile for a time. This issue wassettled(1107), however, by a compromise that served as the pattern forlater resolution of the Investiture Controversy in Europe. During Henry'sreign England participated increasingly in Continent al intellectuallife. His was also the first post-Conquest reign noted for patronage oflearning and of secular officials.