General Notes

Reigned 1100-1135. Duke of Normandy 1106-1135.
His reign is notable for important legal and administrative reforms, and
for the final resolution of the investiture controversy. Abroad, he wag
several campaigns in order to consolidate and expand his continental
possessions.  Was so hated by his brothers that they vowed to disinherit
him. In 1106 he captured Robert and held him untilhe died. He proved to
be a hard but just ruler. He apparently died from overeating Lampreys!
Henry I, Beauclerc
(1100-1135 AD)
Born: 1068
Died: 1135
Contemporaries: Louis VI ("Louis the Fat", King of France, 1108-1137),
Rogerof Salisbury, Anselm (Archbishop of Canterbury), Pope Pascal II
Henry I, the most resilient of the Norman kings (his reign lasted
thirty-five years), was nicknamed "Beauclerc" (fine scholar) for his
above average education.  Duringhis reign, the differences between
English and Norman society began to slowly evaporate. Reforms in the
royal treasury system became the foundation upon which later kings
built.  The stability Henry afforded the throne was offset by proble
succession: his only surviving son, William, was lost in the wreck of t
White Ship in November 1120.
Henry was the first child of William Ito be born on English soil, but as
the fourth son he had little hope of inheriting a crown. Whereas, Rober
the first born, inherited Normandy, and William II, the second son,
inherited England, Henry was left without title, only a huge fortune in
English sterling. While William Rufus and Robert quarreled in the years
to come, Henry flitted from side to side, hedging his bets. Eventual
became thoroughly distrusted by both men. In 1091, when William and
Robert temporarily reconciled, they entered into a pact whereas if either
died without male heir the other would inherit, thereby eliminating Hen
from the succession. When Robert left on a crusade to Jerusalem, Henry
was quite hopeful that Robert would not return alive, but by 1100 word
came that Robert was on his way back to Normandy, victorious and wealth
having married a rich woman on the way home. So, perhaps it was more th
coincidence that on August 2, 1100, Henry was hunting in the New Forest
at the same time William was struck with an arrow and killed. In any
event, Henry seemed prepared for his brothers death, for he rode
directly from the New Forest to the Treasury and declared himself King. 
His quick movement in securing the crown on August 5 led many to believe
he was responsible for his brother's death.  In his coronation charter,
Henry denounced William's oppressive policies and promising good
government in an effort to appease his barons.   He was crowned in
Westminster three days later. The first few weeks of Henrys reign were
shrewd ones. Expecting an invasion from Robert upon his return from
Jerusalem, Henry used his inherited silver to buy support in both Engla
and Normandy. He also invited Anselm back to the post of Archbishop of
Canterbury in an attempt to gamer the support of the church in both
England and Rome. Henry even arranged for a marriage to Edith (also kno
as Matilda), the sister of Edgar,King of Scotland, in order to eliminate
invasion from the North. Henry also got the support of France and
Flanders (neither of which wanted to see Normandy and England united in
a powerful kingdom).
When Robert landed in Portsmouth in July of 1101 he was without any
advantage, and an immediate treaty was arranged. Robert would receive an
annual pension, and Henry would keep England. Treaty or no, Henry still
did not trust the Norman barons, whose fathers had been granted English
estates under the reign of the Conqueror. He set out systematically to
relieve them of their English and Welsh lands. The conflict between
Robert and Henry came to a head at the Battle of Tinchebrai. Robert was
captured and spent the rest of his life




[Direct Linage1.FTW]

"Lion De Justice"
Ruled 1100-1135
Note:
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 changed 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 Ð2,000. 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]
[JamesLinage.FTW]

[1748129.ged]

Custom Field:<_FA#> "Lion De Justice"
Custom Field:<_FA#> Ruled 1100-1135[JamesLinage.GED]

[1748129.ged]

Custom Field:<_FA#> "Lion De Justice"
Custom Field:<_FA#> Ruled 1100-1135