General Notes

Name Prefix:<NPFX> I, King Of England
Name Suffix:<NSFX> King Henry I Of England
Ancestral File Number:<AFN> 8XJ0-6V
Henry I
William's younger brother Henry (reigned 1100-35) succeede
d to the throne. He was crowned three days after his brothe
r's death, against the possibility that his eldest brothe
r Robert might claim the English throne. After the decisiv
e battle of Tinchebrai in 1106 in France, Henry completed h
is conquest of Normandy from Robert, who then (unusually ev
en for that time) spent the last 28 years of his life as hi
s brother's prisoner. An energetic, decisive and occasional
ly cruel ruler, Henry centralised the administration of Eng
land and Normandy in the royal court, using 'viceroys' in N
ormandy and a group of advisers in England to act on his be
half when he was absent across the Channel. Henry successfu
lly sought to increase royal revenues, as shown by the offi
cial records of his exchequer (the Pipe Roll of 1130, the f
irst exchequer account to survive). He established peacefu
l relations with Scotland, through his marriage to Mathild
a of Scotland.
Henry's name 'Beauclerc' denoted his good education (as th
e youngest son, his parents possibly expected that he woul
d become a bishop); Henry was probably the first Norman kin
g to be fluent in English. In 1120, his legitimate sons Wil
liam and Richard drowned in the White Ship which sank in th
e English Channel. This posed a succession problem, as Henr
y never allowed any of his illegitimate children to expec
t succession to either England or Normandy. Henry had a leg
itimate daughter Matilda (widow of Emperor Henry V, subsequ
ently married to the Count of Anjou). However, it was his n
ephew Stephen (reigned 1135-54), son of William the Conquer
or's daughter Adela, who succeeded Henry after his death al
legedly caused by eating too many lampreys (fish) in 1135
, as the barons mostly opposed the idea of a female ruler.
Henry Beauclerk (the learned), the third surviving son of W
illiam I and Matilda of Flanders, was born in 1068. On hi
s father's death he received no land but was given instea
d £5,000 in silver. His elder brothers, Robert of Normand
y and William Rufus, often quarreled about land and titles
. Henry was constantly changing sides and both men eventual
ly developed a deep distrust him. In 1091 Robert and Rufu
s were temporarily reconciled and agreed to disinherit Henr
y.
When William Rufus was killed in an hunting accident on 2n
d August 1100, most people expected Robert of Normandy to b
ecome king. However, Henry decided to take quick action t
o gain the throne. He rushed to Winchester where the govern
ment's money was kept and after gaining control of the trea
sury, he declared himself king.
Robert of Normandy was furious when he heard what Henry ha
d done and the following year arrived with his army at Port
smouth. Robert could make little headway against Henry, an
d decided to withdraw.
In 1106 Henry I invaded Normandy and captured Robert at th
e battle of Tinchebrai. Robert was brought back to Englan
d and spent the rest of his life as a prisoner at Devizes
, Bristol and Cardiff.
Henry married Edith, the daughter of King Malcolm III of Sc
otland. After her death in 1118, he married Adelaide of Lou
vain. Henry's son, William was drowned in November, 1120. A
lthough he acknowledged being the father of over twenty chi
ldren, he decided that Matilda, his only legitimate child l
eft alive, should be his heir. Henry I died in December 113
5.