General Notes

* Title: King of England
* Note:
Henry I (of England) (1068-1135), third Norman king of England
(1100-1135), fourth son of William the Conqueror. Henry was born in
Selby. Because his father, who died in 1087, left him no land, Henry made
several unsuccessful attempts to gain territories on the Continent. On
the death of his brother William II in 1100, Henry took advantage of the
absence of another brother-Robert, who had a prior claim to the throne-to
seize the royal treasury and have himself crowned king at Westminster.
Henry subsequently secured his position with the nobles and with the
church by issuing a charter of liberties that acknowledged the feudal
rights of the nobles and the rights of the church. In 1101 Robert, who
was duke of Normandy, invaded England, but Henry persuaded him to
withdraw by promising him a pension and military aid on the Continent. In
1102 Henry put down a revolt of nobles, who subsequently took refuge in
Normandy, where they were aided by Robert. By defeating Robert at
Tinchebray, France, in 1106, Henry won Normandy. During the rest of his
reign, however, he constantly had to put down uprisings that threatened
his rule in Normandy. The conflict between Henry and Anselm, archbishop
of Canterbury, over the question of lay investiture (the appointment of
church officials by the king), was settled in 1107 by a compromise that
left the king with substantial control in the matter.
Because he had no surviving male heir, Henry was forced to designate his
daughter Matilda as his heiress. After his death on December 1, 1135, at
Lyons-la-Fret, Normandy, however, Henry's nephew, Stephen of Blois,
usurped the throne, plunging the country into a protracted civil war that
ended only with the accession of Matilda's son, Henry II, in 1154.
"Henry I (of England)," Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia.1993-1995
Microsoft Corporation. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation
Henry I Beauclerc King Of England * was born in Sep 1068 in Selby, North
Yorkshire, England.(19)He died on 1 Dec 1135 in Angers, Normandy,
France.(19) He was a 8th Duke of Normandy. He was buried in Reading
Abbey, Berkshire, England. (19) Henry I
"Henry Beauclerk"
100-1135
As the fourth son of William the Conqueror it was something of a surprise
when Henry became King of England. The deaths of two of his three elder
brothers, however suspicious, coupled with the banishment of a third were
to see him succeed to this office.
Henry was known as Beauclerk due to his ability to read fluently. This
ability had not been witnessed in a King of England since Alfred the
Great. His other sobriquet of 'Lion of Justice' derives from his
formation of basic laws to govern England. These laws were harshly
enforced.
Henry is said to have been very alike to his brother, William Rufus in
that he was avaricious, lustful and cruel. He was a calculating man and
his marriage to Matilda, the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland
virtually allayed any fears of an invasion from north of the border.
The major threat to Henry was his surviving brother, Robert, who had been
handed the Dukedom of Normandy by their father. Robert and Henry had been
in alliance to gain the throne of England, it is said for Robert. This
threat was countered once and for all following the Battle of Tinchobrai
in 1106. After this battle Robert was imprisoned in Cardiff Castle for
the rest of his days.
Henry was married twice. His first wife, the previously mentioned
Matilda, gave him three children; William, who died in the wreck of the
White Ship in 1120; Matilda or Maud who married Geoffrey Count of Anjou
and another son whodied in infancy.
As Henry had no direct heir to the throne he bequeathed the crown to his
favourite nephew, Stephen.
Henry died in Normandy in November 1135, after eating a surfeit of
lampreys.
(source: Henry I [http://www.camelotintl.com/heritage/heni.html])
Henry I (born 106