General Notes

King of England 8/3/1100 - 12/1/1135, crowned: Westminster, 8/6/1100

HIST: BORN IN 1068, HENRY WAS THE FOURTH SON OF WILLIAM THE CONQUERER AND MATILDA. NICKNAMED BEAUCLERC (FINE SCHOLAR) FOR HIS ABOVE AVERAGE EDUCATION. HE MARRIED EDITH (EADGYTH), WHO TOOK THE NAME MATILDA, DAUGHTER OF MALCOLM III. HENRY HAD THE
LONGEST REIGN OF THE NORMAN KINGS OF ENGLAND, 35 YEARS.
HIST: THE FIRST YEARS OF HENRY'S REIGN WERE SPENT SUBDUING NORMANDY. HIS FATHER DIVIDED HIS KINGDOM AMONG HENRY'S OLDER BROTHERS, GIVING ENGLAND TO WILLIAM AND NORMANDY TO ROBERT. HENRY INHERITED NO LAND BUT DID RECEIVE 5000 POUNDS IN SILVER. HE PLAYED BOTH SIDES IN HIS BROTHERS QUARREL, LEADING BOTH TO MISTRUST HENRY, AND SIGNED A PACT BARRING HENRY FROM THE CROWN. HENRY'S HOPES ROSE WHEN ROBERT WENT WITH THE CRUSADES. HENRY WAS IN THE WOODS HUNTING ON AUGUST 2, 1100, WHEN WILLIAM
DIED. HENRY MOVED QUICKLY AND WAS CROWNED ON AUGUST 5, 1100. ROBERT WAS CAPTURED UPON HIS RETURN FROM THE HOLY LAND AND SPENT THE REMAINING 28 YEARS OF HIS LIFE AS HENRY'S PRISONER.
HIST: THE FINAL YEARS OF HENRY'S REIGN WERE CONCENTRATED ON WAR WITH FRANCE, AND CONCERNS OVER SUCCESSION AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS SON WILLIAM IN 1120, LEAVING HIS DAUGHTER MATILDA AS THE ONLY SURVIVING HEIR. SHE WAS RECALLED TO THE ENGLISH COURT AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND, EMPEROR HENRY V OF GERMANY, IN 1125. HE FORCED THE NOBLES TO ACCEPT HER AS QUEEN UPON HIS DEATH. SHE WAS THEN FORCED TO MARRY THE 16 YEAR OLD GEOFFREY OF ANJOU (FOUNDER OF THE PLANTAGENET DYNASTY) TO CONTINUE THE ANGEVIN ALLIANCE. THE MARRIAGE WAS UNPOPULAR AMONG THE NORMAN BARONS, AND HENRY WAS FORCED TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER OATH OF ALLEGIANCE FROM THEM.

Henry I was born in the year 1068---a factor he himself regarded as highly significant, for he was the only son of the Conqueror born after the conquest of England, and to Henry this meant he was heir to the throne. He was not an attractive proposition: he was dissolute to a degree, producing at least a score of bastards; but far worse he was prone to sadistic cruelty---on one occasion, for example, personally punishing a rebellious burgher by throwing him from the walls of his town.

At the death of William the Conqueror, Henry was left no lands, merely 5,000 pounds of silver. With these he bought lands from his elder brother Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, only to see them taken back again a few years later by Robert, in unholy alliance with his brother William Rufus.

Henry could do little to avenge such treatment, but in England he found numerous barons who were tired of the exactions and ambitions of their king. He formed alliances with some of these, notably with the important De Clare family. He and some of the De Clares were with William Rufus on his last hunting expedition, and it is thought that the king's death was the result of Henry's plotting.

Certainly he moved fast to take advantage of it; leaving Rufus's body unattended in the woods, he swooped down on Winchester to take control of the treasury. Two days later he was in Westminster, being crowned by the Bishop of London. His speed is understandable when one realises that his elder brother, Robert [Curthose], was returning from the crusade, and claimed, with good reason, to be the true heir.

Henry showed great good sense in his first actions as King. He arrested Ranulph Flambard, William's tax-gatherer, and recalled Anselm, the exiled Archbishop. Furthermore, he issued a Charter of Liberties which promised speedy redress of grievances, and a return to the good government of the Conqueror. Putting aside for the moment his many mistresses, he married the sister of the King of Scots, who was descended from the royal line of Wessex; and lest the Norman barons should think him too pro-English in this action, he canged her name from Edith to Matilda. No one could claim that he did not aim to please.

In 1101 Robert Curthose invaded, but Henry met him at Alton, and persuaded him to go away again by promising him an annuity of £2,000. He had no intention of keeping up the payments, but the problem was temporarily solved.

He now felt strong enough to move against dissident barons who might give trouble in the future. Chief amongst these was the vicious Robert of Bellême, Earl of Shrewsbury, whom Henry had known for many years as a dangerous troublemaker. He set up a number of charges against him in the king's court, making it plain that if he appeared for trial he would be convicted and imprisoned. Thus Robert and his colleagues were forced into rebellion at a time not of their own choosing, were easily defeated and sent scuttling back to Normandy.

In Normandy Robert Curthose began to wreak his wrath on all connected with his brother, thus giving Henry an excellent chance to retaliate with charges of misgovernment and invade. He made two expeditions in 1104-5, before the great expedition of 1106 on which Robert was defeated at the hour-long battle of Tinchebrai, on the anniversary of Hastings. No one had expected such an easy victory, but Henry took advantage of the state of shock resulting from the battle to annex Normandy. Robert was imprisoned (in some comfort, it be said); he lived on for 28 more years, ending up in Cardiff castle whiling away the long hours learning Welsh. His son William Clito remained a free agent, to plague Henry for most of the rest of his reign.

In England the struggle with Anselm over the homage of bishops ran its course until the settlement of 1107. In matters of secular government life was more simple: Henry had found a brilliant administrator, Roger of Salisbury, to act as Justiciar for him. Roger had an inventive mind, a keen grasp of affairs, and the ability to single out young men of promise. He quickly built up a highly efficient team of administrators, and established new routines and forms of organisation within which they could work. To him we owe the Exchequer and its recording system of the Pipe Rolls, the circuits of royal justiciars spreading the king's peace, and the attempts at codification of law. Henry's good relationships with his barons, and with the burgeoning new towns owed much to skilful administration. Certainly he was able to gain a larger and more reliable revenue this way than by the crude extortion his brother had used.

In 1120 came the tragedy of the White Ship. The court was returning to England, and the finest ship in the land was filled with its young men, including Henry's son and heir William. Riotously drunk, they tried to go faster and faster, when suddenly the ship foundered. All hands except a butcher of Rouen were lost, and England was without an heir.

Henry's only legitimate child was Matilda, but she was married to the Emperor Henry V of Germany, and so could not succeed. But in 1125 her husband died, and Henry brought her home and forced the barons to swear fealty to her---though they did not like the prospect of a woman ruler. Henry then married her to Geoffrey of Anjou, the Normans' traditional enemy, and the barons were less happy---especially when the newly-weds had a terrible row, and Geoffrey ordered her out of his lands. In 1131 Henry, absolutely determined, forced the barons to swear fealty once more, and the fact that they did so is testimoney of his controlling power. Matilda and Geoffrey were reunited, and in 1133 she produced a son whom she named for his grandfather. If only Henry could live on until his grandson was old enough to rule, all would be well.

But in 1135, against doctor's orders, he ate a hearty meal of lampreys, got acute indigestion, which turned into fever, and died. He was buried at his abbey in Reading---some said in a silver coffin, for which there was an unsuccessful search at the Dissolution. [Source: Who's Who in the Middle Ages, John Fines, Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1995]

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Note: Henry I (of England) (1068-1135), third Norman king of England(1100-35), and Duke of Normandy, fourth son of William theConqueror. Henry was born in Selby. Because his father, who diedin 1087, left him no land, Henry made several unsuccessfulattempts to gain territories on the Continent. On the death ofhis brother William II in 1100, Henry took advantage of theabsence of another brotherùRobert (circa 1054-1134), who had aprior claim to the throneùto seize the royal treasury and havehimself crowned king at Westminster. Henry subsequently securedhis position with the nobles and with the church by issuing acharter of liberties that acknowledged the feudal rights of thenobles and the rights of the church. In 1101 Robert, who wasduke of Normandy, invaded England, but Henry persuaded him towithdraw by promising him a pension and military aid on theContinent. In 1102 Henry put down a revolt of nobles, whosubsequently took refuge in Normandy, where they were aided byRobert. By defeating Robert at Tinchebray, France, in 1106,Henry won Normandy. During the rest of his reign, however, heconstantly had to put down uprisings that threatened his rule inNormandy. The conflict between Henry and Anselm, archbishop ofCanterbury, over the question of lay investiture (theappointment of church officials by the king), was settled in1107 by a compromise that left the king with substantial controlin the matter. Other notes:The third Norman king of England,also duke of Normandy. Because his father, who died in 1087,left him no land, Henry made several unsuccessful attempts togain territories on the Continent. On the death of his brotherWilliam II in 1100, Henry took advantage of the absence ofanother brother Robert, who had a prior claim to the throne toseize the royal treasury and have himself crowned king atWestminster. Henry subsequently secured his position with thenobles and with the church by issuing a charter of libertiesthat acknowledged the feudal rights of the nobles and the rightsof the church. In 1101 Robert, who was duke of Normandy, invadedEngland, but Henry persuaded him to withdraw by promising him apension and military aid on the Continent. In 1102 Henry putdown a revolt of nobles, who subsequently took refuge inNormandy, where they were aided by Robert. By defeating Robertat Tinchebray, France, in 1106, Henry won Normandy. During therest of his reign, however, he constantly had to put downuprisings that threatened his rule in Normandy. The conflictbetween Henry and Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, over thequestion of lay investiture (the appointment of church officialsby the king), was settled in 1107 by a compromise that left theking with substantial control in the matter. Because he had nosurviving male heir, Henry was forced to designate his daughterMatilda as his heiress. After his death Henry's nephew, Stephenof Blois, usurped the throne, plunging the country into aprotracted civil war that ended only with the accession ofMatilda's son, Henry II, in 1154. He also had a child who diedyoung. He was called "the Lion of Justice". Merged GeneralNote: The third Norman king of England, also duke of Normandy.Because his father, who died in 1087, left him no land, Henrymade several unsuccessful attempts to gain territories on theContinent. On the death of his brother William II in 1100, Henrytook advantage of the absence of another brother Robert, who hada prior claim to the throne to seize the royal treasury and havehimself crowned king at Westminster. Henry subsequently securedhis position with the nobles and with the church by issuing acharter of liberties that acknowledged the feudal rights of thenobles and the rights of the church. In 1101 Robert, who wasduke of Normandy, invaded England, but Henry persuaded him towithdraw by promising him a pension and military aid on theContinent. In 1102 Henry put down a revolt of nobles, whosubsequently took refuge in Normandy, where they were aided byRobert. By defeating Robert at Tinchebray, France, in 1106,Henry won Normandy. During the rest of his reign, however, heconstantly had to put down uprisings that threatened his rule inNormandy. The conflict between Henry and Anselm, archbishop ofCanterbury, over the question of lay investiture (theappointment of church officials by the king), was settled in1107 by a compromise that left the king with substantial controlin the matter. Because he had no surviving male heir, Henry wasforced to designate his daughter Matilda as his heiress. Afterhis death Henry's nephew, Stephen of Blois, usurped the throne,plunging the country into a protracted civil war that ended onlywith the accession of Matilda's son, Henry II, in 1154. He alsohad a child who died young. He was called "the Lion ofJustice".