General Notes

bk&q pp 9, 10, 12, 18, 22, 30, 338-9, 354-5, 368-9, 402-4, 498, 502, 505,5
08, 794, 796, 801-2
Henry I of England (O3)
p 9 The Oldest Monarchs to Be Married (#7 at 52 years 4 months, to Adeliz
a, about 16 years old, 1121):  Another quick marriage to produce an heir w
hen Henry's son by his first marriage predeceased him.  Henry was n
ot to be blessed, however.  Adeliza, nevertheless, was a loyal wife and st
epmother.
p 10 Greatest Age Diference Between Monarch and Consort (#4. about 36 year
s, 4 months):   Adeliza's date of birth is uncertain.
p. 12 Monarchs With the Most Children (#1, 29 [25 illegitimate]):  Henry o
nly had four legitimate children, all from his first marriage, and the leg
itimacy of one of those is questioned.  The first born died an infant a
nd two others were drowned.  Henry's favourite mistress (of whom he h
ad at least eight) seems to have been Sybilla Corbet who gave him six chil
dren.  There is apparently some dispute about the paternity of four of t
he illegitimate children by unknown mothers (see chart 37 on page 511).
p 18 The Longest Periods of Imprisonment--Robert of Normandy (Henry's olde
st brother), 27 years 4 months 14 days.  Robert was the eldest son of Will
iam I on whose death he succeeded as Robert III, duke of Normandy.  As t
he eldest son he had great claim to England on the death of his brother, W
illiam II, but his younger brother Henry claimed the throne while Robert w
as away on Crusade.  He was an ineffectual ruler and Henry invaded Norman
dy in 1106, taking Robert captive at Tinchebrai on 28 September.  He was k
ept prisoner, mostly at Cardiff Castle, for the rest of his life, dyi
ng at the age of eighty-two on 10 February 1134.
p 30 (Coronations) Henry I, 6 August 1100, Maurice, bishop of London, West
minster Abbey--Henry's coronation happened with such unseemly haste aft
er the sudden death of William II--three days--that it had all the hallmar
ks of being planned.  It was a quick and simple ceremony after which Hen
ry issued his proclamation that he would revoke the practices of his broth
er and reinstate those of his father.
p 508 Also Duke of Normandy (from 1106)(in addition to King of England) a
nd Lord of Domfront (from 1092).  Henry was the fourth and youngest s
on of William the Conqueror, and possibly the most ambitious.  Althou
gh he was less quarrelsome than his elder brothers Robert, who inherited t
he duchy of Normandy, and William, who became William II of England, he cl
early had his eyes on ruling either England or Normandy or both as ear
ly as 1091.  In that year, while Robert and William were fighting each oth
er, Henry took control of several castles and made a bid for power.  Reali
sing that he had left his back unguarded William soon quelled his upsta
rt brother, and did not take his eyes off him after that, keeping him alwa
ys close at hand.  William and Robert agreed that if either of them died c
hildless, then the survivor would succeed.  This effectively disinherit
ed Henry who had long grudged the fact that he had not been able to inher
it his mother's estates in England that she had bequeathed him upon her de
ath in 1083.  Instead his father believed that, as the youngest son, Hen
ry would be destined for the church.  As a result he had a good educatio
n, hence his nickname Beauclerc, meaning "fine scholar", since he was t
he first Norman king (and there had not been that many Saxon ones) who cou
ld read and write.
Henry was not satisfied with his lot and it has been conjectured th
at it was he who masterminded the death of William II, making it look li
ke he was killed as the result of a hunting accident.  If this is true th
en its timing was critical.  In 1096 Robert of Normandy had joined the Cru
sade to the Holy Land and had pledged the duchy to William.  By the summ
er of 1100 news reached England that Robert was returning, along with a n
ew bride.  Immediately upon the death of William a has