General Notes

Note:
Henry I was born in the year 1068---a factor he himself reg
arded as highly significant, for he was the only son of th
e Conqueror born after the conquest of England, and to Henr
y this meant he was heir to the throne. He was not an attra
ctive proposition: he was dissolute to a degree, producin
g at least a score of bastards; but far worse he was pron
e to sadistic cruelty---on one occasion, for example, perso
nally punishing a rebellious burgher by throwing him from t
he walls of his town.
Note: 
At the death of William the Conqueror, Henry was left no la
nds, merely 5,000 pounds of silver. With these he bought la
nds from his elder brother Robert Curthose, Duke of Normand
y, only to see them taken back again a few years later by R
obert, in unholy alliance with his brother William Rufus.
Note:
Henry could do little to avenge such treatment, but in Engl
and he found numerous barons who were tired of the exaction
s and ambitions of their king. He formed alliances with som
e of these, notably with the important de Clare family. H
e and some of the de Clares were with William Rufus on hi
s last hunting expedition, and it is thought that the king'
s death was the result of Henry's plotting.
Note:
Certainly he moved fast to take advantage of it; leaving Ru
fus's body unattended in the woods, he swooped down on Winc
hester to take control of the treasury. Two days later he w
as in Westminster, being crowned by the Bishop of London. H
is speed is understandable when one realises that his elde
r brother, Robert [Curthose], was returning from the crusad
e, and claimed, with good reason, to be the true heir.
Note:
Henry showed great good sense in his first actions as King
. He arrested Ranulph Flambard, William's tax-gatherer, an
d recalled Anselm, the exiled Archbishop. Furthermore, he i
ssued a Charter of Liberties which promised speedy redres
s of grievances, and a return to the good government of th
e Conqueror. Putting aside for the moment his many mistress
es, he married the sister of the King of Scots, who was des
cended from the royal line of Wessex; and lest the Norman b
arons should think him too pro-English in this action, he c
hanged her name from Edith to Matilda. No one could claim t
hat he did not aim to please.
Note: In 1101 Robert Curthose invaded, but Henry met him a
t Alton, and persuaded him to go away again by promising hi
m an annuity of £2,000. He had no intention of keeping up t
he payments, but the problem was temporarily solved.
Note:
He now felt strong enough to move against dissident baron
s who might give trouble in the future. Chief amongst thes
e was the vicious Robert of Bellême, Earl of Shrewsbury, wh
om Henry had known for many years as a dangerous troublemak
er. He set up a number of charges against him in the king'
s court, making it plain that if he appeared for trial he w
ould be convicted and imprisoned. Thus Robert and his colle
agues were forced into rebellion at a time not of their ow
n choosing, were easily defeated and sent scuttling back t
o Normandy.
Note:
In Normandy Robert Curthose began to wreak his wrath on al
l connected with his brother, thus giving Henry an excellen
t chance to retaliate with charges of misgovernment and inv
ade. He made two expeditions in 1104-5, before the great ex
pedition of 1106 on which Robert was defeated at the hour-l
ong battle of Tinchebrai, on the anniversary of Hastings. N
o one had expected such an easy victory, but Henry took adv
antage of the state of shock resulting from the battle to a
nnex Normandy.
Robert was imprisoned (in some comfort, it be said); he liv
ed on for 28 more years, ending up in Cardiff castle whilin
g away the long hours learning Welsh. His son William Clit
o remained a free agent, to plague Henry for most of the re
st of his reign.
Note: 
In England the struggle with Anselm over the homage of bish
ops ran its course until the settlement of 11