 William "The Conqueror" of England Adoptive parent: N.N. Born Oct 14, 1024 at Falaise,Calvados,Calvados,France, baptized 1066 at Norman Conquest,As An Adult;, died Sep 10, 1087 at Hermentruvilleby,Rouen,Seine-Maritime,France, 62 years, buried at Abbaye DE St Etienne,Caen,Normandie Married 1053 at Castle Of,Angi,Normandy,France (29 or 30 years married) to:  Matilda (Maud) Countess Flanders [Queen Of Englan , [Queen Of Englan, daughter of Baudouin V "The Pious" Count of Flanders and Adele France Prncss , Prncss.Nickname: Queen Maud, born ± 1031 at Of,,Flanders,France, baptized at France - Dtr Of Baldwin Of Flanders, died Nov 2, 1083 at ,Caen,Calvados,France, approximately 52 years, buried Nov 2, 1083 at Chrchholytrinity,Caen,Calvados,France, 1st marriage to: William "The Conqueror" of England, 2nd married/ related to: Eudes UNKNOWN, 3rd married/ related to: N.N., 4th marriage to: N.N. Line 2255 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Matilda (Maud) Countess Of /FLANDERS/ Line 2256 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [QUEEN OF ENGLAND]/ Line 2255 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Matilda (Maud) Countess Of /FLANDERS/ Line 2256 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [QUEEN OF ENGLAND]/ Name Suffix: REFN: 164 K7179wt Name Suffix: REFN: 38010885 Countess of Flanders & 1 TITL [QUEEN OF ENGLAND] GEDCOM line 11717 not recognizable or too long: () 2 GIVN Maud (Matilda) GEDCOM line 11718 not recognizable or too long: () 2 SURN of Flanders married 1053, Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, NOrmandy Weis' "AR" An interesting story is told in Cokayne's "CP" (Gloucester). According to the Tewkesbury Abbey Chronicle, Brictric, son of Algar, otherwise known as Brictric Mawr, a great thegn of the time of Edward the Confessor, held, with Tewkesbury, various lordships in Worcester, Gloucester, Somerset, and other countries. Maud afterwards wife of William the Conqueror, in her youth wished to marry Brictric, who refused her. When she became Queen, she imprisoned him, and on his death shortly afterwards his manors, the (later) honour of Gloucester, were given to her. Name Suffix: REFN: 2521907171 Ancestral File Number: Concubine Children: 1. Richard Prince of EnglandBorn ± 1054 at ,,Normandy,France, died 1081 at ,New Forest,Hampshire,England, approximately 27 years Ancestral File Number: 2. Cecilia Of England Abbess of Holy Trinity , Abbess of Holy TrinityBorn ± 1055 at ,,Normandy,France, died Jul 30, 1126 at ,Caen,Calvados,France, approximately 71 years, buried at Abbey Of Holy Trinity,Caen,Normandy,France Ancestral File Number: 3. Margaret Princess of EnglandBorn 1059 at ,,Normandy,France, died before 1112, at most 53 years Ancestral File Number: 4. William II "Rufus" EnglandBorn 1059 at ,,Normandy,France, died Aug 1, 1100 at Killed,New Forest,Hampshire,England, 40 or 41 years, buried Aug 2, 1100 at Cathedrlstswiten,Winchester,Hampshire,England Ancestral File Number: 1 NAME William II "Rufus" King Of /ENGLAND/ reigned: 1087-1100 Killed in 1100 also known as the "Red King" see 74-79 He was "accidently" killed (shot by an arrow) perhaps by a member of the hunting party. William the younger brother was present, and he galloped off to Winchester and seized the Royal Treasury and had himself elected king. The oldest brother Robert invaded England (from Normandy) but was bought off by a promise of a pension and aid. Four years later 1106 there was again open warfare and a small army of English footsoldiers crossed to Normandy and defeated Robert at Tinchebrai. Line 2333 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME William II, "Rufus" King Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2333 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME William II, "Rufus" King Of /ENGLAND/ 5. Constance Princess of EnglandBorn 1061 at ,,Normandy,France, died Aug 13, 1090 at ,,,England, 28 or 29 years, buried at St Edmondsbury,,Suffolk,England Ancestral File Number: REFN: stastj10278 K7179wt 6. Agatha Matilda Princess EnglandBorn ± 1064 at ,,Normandy,France, died before 1080 at ,,Calvados,France, buried at ,BAYEUX,Calvados,France Ancestral File Number: ?? Line 4395: (New PAF RIN=377) 1 NAME Agatha Matilda Princess Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 5269: (New PAF RIN=17331) 1 NAMEAgatha Matilda Princess Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 2958: (New PAF RIN=18442) 1 NAME Agatha Matilda Princess Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2386 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Agatha Matilda Princess Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2386 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Agatha Matilda Princess Of /ENGLAND/ 7. Anna Princess of EnglandBorn ± 1066 at ,,Normandy,France Ancestral File Number: 8. Henry I "Beauclerc" King Of EnglandBorn Sep 1068 at ,Selby,Yorkshire,England, baptized Aug 5, 1100 at ,Selby,Yorkshire,England, died Dec 1, 1135 at ,St. Denis,Seine-St. Denis,France, 67 years, buried Jan 4, 1136 at Reading Abbey,Reading,Berkshire,England Name Suffix: REFN: 19005442 1 NAME Henry I "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 6093: (New PAF RIN=11904) 1 NAME Henry I, "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2410 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Henry I "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 6093: (New PAF RIN=11904) 1 NAME Henry I, "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2410 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Henry I "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 6093: (New PAF RIN=11904) 1 NAME Henry I, "Beauclerc" King Of /ENGLAND/ [2013555.ftw] 1 NAME Henry I King of /England/ 1 NAME /Henry/ I 1 BIRT 2 DATE 1068 1 DEAT 2 DATE 1135 BIOGRAPHY: Henry was in reality a usurper. He impris oned his older brother, Robert in Cardiff Castle in Wales, and it is said he ha d Robert's eyes put out. Henry reigned thirty-five years, not only over England , but over one third of France. In 1120 the White Ship went down on a hidden ro ck in the English Channel with the Crown Prince on board and it is said Henry I is never known to have smiled again. He had only one child left, Maude-Matilda , then a widow of the German Emperor Henry V. For political reasons she was nex t married to Geoffrey of Anjou, a boy of sixteen, ten years her junior. After t he death of Henry I there was civil war between Matilda and her nephew Stephen, who got the throne for nineteen years. At one point in this contest Matilda ha d to escape from the Robert Doyley tower of Oxford Castle by sliding down a rop e with gloved hands, the rope held by her favorite knight, Alain. She, with a f ew others dressed in white to avoid detection, crossed in the snowy night over the frozen Thames. The condition of the English people was deplorable during th e reign of Henry I, owing to the blood-curdling cruelty of the Barons. Henry es tablished a vigorous police system to check this, and tried to stop counterfeit ing the money by mutilations. He oppressed his people by taxation. BIOGRAPH Y: Henry I was born in the year 1068---a factor he himself regarded as highly s ignificant, 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 attr active 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, fo r example, personally punishing a rebellious burgher by throwing him from the w alls of his town. BIOGRAPHY: At the death of William the Conqueror, Henry wa s 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 ba ck again a few years later by Robert, in unholy alliance with his brother Willi am Rufus. BIOGRAPHY: 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 import ant De Clare family. He 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 resu lt of Henry's plotting. BIOGRAPHY: Certainly he moved fast to take advantage of it; leaving Rufus's body unattended in the woods, he swooped down on Winche ster to take control of the treasury. Two days later he was in Westminster, bei ng crowned by the Bishop of London. His speed is understandable when one realis es that his elder brother, Robert [Curthose], was returning from the crusade, a nd claimed, with good reason, to be the true heir. BIOGRAPHY: Henry showed g reat good sense in his first actions as King. He arrested Ranulph Flambard, Wil liam's tax-gatherer, and recalled Anselm, the exiled Archbishop. Furthermore, h e issued a Charter of Liberties which promised speedy redress of grievances, an d a return to the good government of the Conqueror. Putting aside for the momen t his many mistresses, he married the sister of the King of Scots, who was desc ended from the royal line of Wessex; and lest the Norman barons should think hi m 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. BIOGRAPHY: In 1101 Robert Cur those invaded, but Henry met him at Alton, and persuaded him to go away again b y promising him an annuity of 2,000. He had no intention of keeping up the pay ments, but the problem was temporarily solved. BIOGRAPHY: He now felt strong enough to move against dissident barons who migh[silveriemoon[8]124.FTW] [silveriemoon[7]120.FTW] [silveriemoon[3]117.FTW] [silveriemoon[4]114.FTW] [silveriemoon[2]106.FTW] [jweber8.FTW] [792232[3]4.FTW] [jweber7.FTW] [jweber6.FTW] [jweber5.FTW] 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 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][jweber4.FTW] 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 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][jweber3.FTW] [jweber2.FTW] 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 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][dblocher[1].FTW] [dblocher3.FTW] From Encylcopedia Britannica Onlines, article entitled Henry I "Also, HENRY BEAUCLERC (GOOD SCHOLAR), French HENRI BEAUCLERC youngest and ablest of William I the Conqueror's sons, who as king of England (1100-35) strengthened the crown's executive powers and, like his father, also ruled Normandy (from1106)." "Henry I was a skillful, intelligent monarch who achieved peace in England, relative stability in Normandy, and notable administrative advances on both sides of the Channel. Under Henry, the Anglo-Norman state his father had created was reunited. Royal justices began making systematic tours of the English shires, but, although his administrative policies were highly efficient, they were not infrequently regarded as oppressive. His reign marked a significant advance from the informal, personal monarchy of former times toward the bureaucratized state that lay in the future. It also marked a shift from the wide-ranging imperialism of earlier Norman leaders to consolidation and internal development. In the generations before Henry's accession, Norman dukes, magnates, and adventurers had conquered southern Italy, Sicily, Antioch, and England. Henry won his major battles but preferred diplomacy or bribery to the risks of the battlefield. Subduing Normandy in 1106, he contented himself with keeping domestic peace, defending his Anglo-Norman state against rebellion and invasion, and making alliances with neighbouring princes." King Henry I By: Ryan Engler The death of King Henry I in 1135 put Henry II on the path to the throne of England. Henry II lavish youth kept him sheltered from society only allowing him to have a couple friends. One of his life long friends soon became a burden because of differences in opinions about religion. Henry's intelligence and persistency from birth led him to be crowned King of England. The appointment of Thomas Becket to Archbishop by Henry II started the trend of conflict between the two over the separation of church and state. Henry II, the first of the Plantagents was the son of Geoffrey Plantagent and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. In 1152 Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the ex-wife of Louis VII of France. With this marriage, Henry gained considerable amounts of land in France. In 1153 Henry returned to England after his stay in France and forced Stephens to name him the heir of the throne. Henry immediately appointed his long-term friend Thomas Becket, English Chancellor, to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket accepted the job of Archbishop in 1162 but he did it with some reluctance. Becket's unkind heart soon became a thorn in Henry's side.(Hay 107) By 1163, Becket had already defied Henry in one of his decisions. He challenged his former friend in his vehement to dismantle the ecclesiastical courts. Becket became an ardent defender of the interests of the church. Becket's hard-nosed attitude towards defending the Church of England showed just how important the church was to England. "The affairs between Henry and Becket became a highly colored by their personal relationships."("Henry II") Their life long friendship was the only thing that kept the two on the same side. Another strong disagreement came between the two on the status of "criminous clerics." These were members of the clergy who had committed civil crimes. The crimes ranged from theft to assault and even murder. This became a total embarrassment to the church. Henry sought to have the members tried in the royal court, as would others who committed such crimes. Becket insisted that they only be tried in the clerical courts. The disagreement became a heated battle between the two. Becket stood firm on his belief that the matter should not be brought to a higher court. The situation would only bring even more embarrassment to the Church of England if the members were crucified in the public courts.(Bowden 78) The situation became such a heated battle between the two that in 1164 Becket sought refuge in France. During Becket's exile, Henry began to straighten up the country and straighten up the courts system. Henry also marched in and conquered Brittany without much opposition. During this time great reforms were made to the English law system. Henry used his intelligence and energy to make lasting changes in England. Several important legal reforms were made to the English Common Law. Henry continued to freely change and control the church without any opposition. Through the auspices of Pope Cutittus III, King and Archbishop were reconciled in 1170 and Becket was allowed to return to England. No sooner than he returned the two found themselves bickering over their different ideas. Neither of the two would yield their principals to each other. While Henry was away in Normandy word of Becket's actions were relayed to Henry. This outraged Henry that Becket could take advantage of him not being in the country. While on a walk with his noble knights Henry allegedly said, "will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"(Henry II) Becket, again proved to be a burden to Henry. In response to Henry's remarks about Becket, four knights sought to find Becket back in Canterbury. The knights had taken Henry's words literally and traveled to Canterbury with the intentions of killing Becket, doing Henry a favor. Becket was openly slain by the four knights when he was kneeling at an evening prayer. Everyone's attention focused on Henry who was criticized for the murder. Henry was saddened and mourned when he learned of Becket's death. Henry claimed to be heartbroken and felt he needed forgiveness.(England during crusades) The knights pointed the ordering of the killing towards Henry as they tried to divert the attention. Henry's words were taken literally by the knights and they acted upon their own judgement. Although evidence also pointed towards Henry, he was absolved of the crime by Pope Alexander III in 1172. Not long after Henry took a pilgrimage to the tomb of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. He did this to show his forgiveness to everyone and to clear his own inner conflicts. After Henry's struggles to clear his guilt over Becket's death he began to fall apart. Henry's sons began to fight over who would be heir to the throne. Henry favored John to heir the throne although John and Richard both rebelled to gain the respect they felt they deserved. In the later years, it proved to be Phillip II of France who proved to be the cunning opponent. Henry's last years were spent trying to hold on to what he had proudly built up. At Henrys death he was forced to name Richard the heir to the throne, and Richard was probably the least liked son.(Hay 175) The conflict over the separation of Church and State between Henry and Becket kept Henry's power over England in balance. Henry's ability to deal with the situation showed his intelligence and power. At Becket's death over the separation of Church and State proved that the monarch was the ultimate ruler over the land. King Henry II was burdened to his death over a guilt driven consci This page is just a start. Not all information has bee varified. 1100-1135 King Henry I of England, surnamed Beauclerc. He was buried in the Abbey of Reading, which he had founded. He was given an excellent education, including the English law and language. As a younger son he was not expected to inherit the crown. Of his elder brothers, William received England and Robert became Duke of Normandy. When William died, in 1100, Robert was on a Crusade and Henry seized the crown. He issued a charter by which he promised to restore the "laws of Edward," exchange customary fees for the unlimited demands of his father and brother on the barons, stop the plundering of the church, and force the barons to do justice to their tenants. By marrying a descendant of the Anglo-Saxon Kings he completed his policy of allying himself with the native English. In both England and Normandy he was more popular with the non-feudal classes than with the barons. English levies helped him repel an invasion of Robert and his victory at Tinchebrai was regarded as an English victory in revenge for Hastings. Several times he was successful in putting down rebellions and conspiracies in Normandy. The chief institution created during his reign was that of the exchequer. Source: Royal Gen. In 1106 he captured Robert and held him until he died. Thus he was also Duke of Normandy from 1106 to 1135. Henry proved to be a hard but just ruler. He apparently died from overeating lampreys! He was crowned 6 Aug 1100, at Westminster by Maurice, Bishop of London. He was the last male heir of the Norman line. He was called "Beauclerc" (or " Good Scholar"). He died at age 67, of ptomaine poisoning from a meal of lampreys. !Pedigrees of some Emperor Charlemagne's Descendants - Langston-Buck The Plantagenet Chronicles, ed. by Dr. Elizabeth Hallam, p. 60. !The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy by Cannon and Griffith. BIRTH: Also given as 1070. ****************** Royal Lineage Henry I, called Beauclerc, seems to have made a much better king than his elder brother William. During his reign (1100-1135) the royal administration was expanded and the rule of law solidified. The Court of the Exchequer was formed to handle financial matters. It took its name from the checkered cloth or table on which the accounts were handled. One of the ways Henry raised money was by selling charters to towns. Charters were a special grant that enabled towns to build walls, raise local taxes and elect their own local administrators. During Henry's reign a new wave of monastic settlements began, beginning in 1128 when the Cistercians arrived from France. Many of the great monasteries, now ruined, are from this time period. One of the easiest ways of identifying buildings from this early Norman period is by the shape of their window, door, and arch openings, which are smoothly rounded. The language of the court, schools, the law, and the aristocracy was Norman French. It was not until the loss of Normandy in 1204 that the Normans began to learn English and a melding of the two languages began. ************** Jim Weber 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 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 testimony 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] 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 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 BellIme, 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] 1100-1135 King Henry I of England, surnamed Beauclerc. He was buried in the Abbey of Reading, which he had founded. He was given an excellent education, including the English law and language. As a younger son he was not expected to inherit the crown. Of his elder brothers, William received England and Robert became Duke of Normandy. When William died, in 1100, Robert was on a Crusade and Henry seized the crown. He issued a charter by which he promised to restore the "laws of Edward," exchange customary fees for the unlimited demands of his father and brother on the barons, stop the plundering of the church, and force the barons to do justice to their tenants. By marrying a descendant of the Anglo-Saxon Kings he completed his policy of allying himself with the native English. In both England and Normandy he was more popular with the non-feudal classes than with the barons. English levies helped him repel an invasion of Robert and his victory at Tinchebrai was regarded as an English victory in revenge for Hastings. Several times he was successful in putting down rebellions and conspiracies in Normandy. The chief institution created during his reign was that of the exchequer. Source: Royal Gen. In 1106 he captured Robert and held him until he died. Thus he was also Duke of Normandy from 1106 to 1135. Henry proved to be a hard but just ruler. He apparently died from overeating lampreys! He was crowned 6 Aug 1100, at Westminster by Maurice, Bishop of London. He was the last male heir of the Norman line. He was called "Beauclerc" (or " Good Scholar"). He died at age 67, of ptomaine poisoning from a meal of lampreys. !Pedigrees of some Emperor Charlemagne's Descendants - Langston-Buck The Plantagenet Chronicles, ed. by Dr. Elizabeth Hallam, p. 60. !The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy by Cannon and Griffith. BIRTH: Also given as 1070. ****************** Royal Lineage Henry I, called Beauclerc, seems to have made a much better king than his elder brother William. During his reign (1100-1135) the royal administration was expanded and the rule of law solidified. The Court of the Exchequer was formed to handle financial matters. It took its name from the checkered cloth or table on which the accounts were handled. One of the ways Henry raised money was by selling charters to towns. Charters were a special grant that enabled towns to build walls, raise local taxes and elect their own local administrators. During Henry's reign a new wave of monastic settlements began, beginning in 1128 when the Cistercians arrived from France. Many of the great monasteries, now ruined, are from this time period. One of the easiest ways of identifying buildings from this early Norman period is by the shape of their window, door, and arch openings, which are smoothly rounded. The language of the court, schools, the law, and the aristocracy was Norman French. It was not until the loss of Normandy in 1204 that the Normans began to learn English and a melding of the two languages began. ************** Jim Weber 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 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 testimony 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] [2013555.ftw] 1 NAME Henry I King of /England/ 1 NAME /Henry/ I 1 BIRT 2 DATE 1068 1 DEAT 2 DATE 1135 BIOGRAPHY: Henry was in reality a usurper. He impris oned his older brother, Robert in Cardiff Castle in Wales, and it is said he ha d Robert's eyes put out. Henry reigned thirty-five years, not only over England , but over one third of France. In 1120 the White Ship went down on a hidden ro ck in the English Channel with the Crown Prince on board and it is said Henry I is never known to have smiled again. He had only one child left, Maude-Matilda , then a widow of the German Emperor Henry V. For political reasons she was nex t married to Geoffrey of Anjou, a boy of sixteen, ten years her junior. After t he death of Henry I there was civil war between Matilda and her nephew Stephen, who got the throne for nineteen years. At one point in this contest Matilda ha d to escape from the Robert Doyley tower of Oxford Castle by sliding down a rop e with gloved hands, the rope held by her favorite knight, Alain. She, with a f ew others dressed in white to avoid detection, crossed in the snowy night over the frozen Thames. The condition of the English people was deplorable during th e reign of Henry I, owing to the blood-curdling cruelty of the Barons. Henry es tablished a vigorous police system to check this, and tried to stop counterfeit ing the money by mutilations. He oppressed his people by taxation. BIOGRAPH Y: Henry I was born in the year 1068---a factor he himself regarded as highly s ignificant, 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 attr active 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, fo r example, personally punishing a rebellious burgher by throwing him from the w alls of his town. BIOGRAPHY: At the death of William the Conqueror, Henry wa s 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 ba ck again a few years later by Robert, in unholy alliance with his brother Willi am Rufus. BIOGRAPHY: 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 import ant De Clare family. He 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 resu lt of Henry's plotting. BIOGRAPHY: Certainly he moved fast to take advantage of it; leaving Rufus's body unattended in the woods, he swooped down on Winche ster to take control of the treasury. Two days later he was in Westminster, bei ng crowned by the Bishop of London. His speed is understandable when one realis es that his elder brother, Robert [Curthose], was returning from the crusade, a nd claimed, with good reason, to be the true heir. BIOGRAPHY: Henry showed g reat good sense in his first actions as King. He arrested Ranulph Flambard, Wil liam's tax-gatherer, and recalled Anselm, the exiled Archbishop. Furthermore, h e issued a Charter of Liberties which promised speedy redress of grievances, an d a return to the good government of the Conqueror. Putting aside for the momen t his many mistresses, he married the sister of the King of Scots, who was desc ended from the royal line of Wessex; and lest the Norman barons should think hi m 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. BIOGRAPHY: In 1101 Robert Cur those invaded, but Henry met him at Alton, and persuaded him to go away again b y promising him an annuity of 2,000. He had no intention of keeping up the pay ments, but the problem was temporarily solved. BIOGRAPHY: He now felt strong enough to move against dissident barons who migh[silveriemoon[8]124.FTW] [silveriemoon[7]120.FTW] [silveriemoon[3]117.FTW] [silveriemoon[4]114.FTW] [silveriemoon[2]106.FTW] [jweber8.FTW] [792232[3]4.FTW] [jweber7.FTW] [jweber6.FTW] [jweber5.FTW] 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 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, grandson was old enough to rule, all would be well. Name Prefix: !"The Oxford History of Britain" by Kenneth Morgan, 1984, pp.113-149. "Royal Ancestors" by Michel Call, 1989, Chart 00063;), a daughter whomarried William Goet III, Lord of Montminerael; Maud, became Abbess ofMontvilliers and is sometimes confused with Isabel; a daughter, perhaps identical toanother natural daughter listed in system or above, whom Henr 9. Robert III Prince England [Duke Of Normand , [Duke Of NormandBorn 1051/1056 at ,,Normandy,France, died Feb 10, 1134 at ,Cardiff,Glamorganshire,Wales, approximately 83 years, buried at St Peters Church,,Gloucester,England Line 2272 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Robert III Prince Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2273 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [DUKE OF NORMANDY] Line 2272 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAMERobert III Prince Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2273 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [DUKE OF NORMANDY] Name Suffix: Ancestral File Number: 1 NAME Robert III Prince Of /ENGLAND/ 1 TITL [DUKE OF NORMANDY] Although he was the eldest he was lazy and his father William chose his second son William ashis successor. The nobels who elected the king went along. He went off to the crusades and when he returned his brother William was dead (1100) and there were hostilities between he and his brother Henry. He was defeated at Tinchebrai in 1106 and spent the last 27 years of his life as his brothers prisoner. 10. Gundred Princess Of England [Countess Of Sur , [Countess Of SurBorn ± 1063 at ,Normandy,Normandy,France, died May 27, 1085 at Castle Acre,Norfolk,Norfolk,England, approximately 22 years, buried at Priory Of Lewes,Sussex,Sussex,England ?? Line 3709: (New PAF RIN=11611) 1 TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] Line 1546 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] ?? Line 3709: (New PAF RIN=11611) 1 TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] Line 1546 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] ?? Line 3709: (New PAF RIN=11611) 1 TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] Name Suffix: REFN: 38010889 Princess of England & 1 TITL [COUNTESS OF SURREY] The vast majority of the information presented is obtained from online sources. While I believe it to be accurate, caution must be taken to always be careful of its validity. Please do contact me if you find errors or have questions. 11. Robert II "Curthose" Duke of NormandyBorn ± 1054 at Normandy,France, died Oct 2, 1134 at Cardiff Castle,Glamorganshire,Wales, approximately 80 years, buried at Died an old man as prisoner of Henry I 12. Adela (Alice) Princess England [Countess Of Blois , [Countess Of BloisNickname: Alice, born ± 1062 at Normandy,France, died Mar 8, 1137/1138 at 8 Mar 1134-35 Marsilly,Charente Maritime,France, approximately 75 years, buried at ,Caen,Calvados,France Line 2368 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Adela (Alice) Princess Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2369 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [COUNTESS OF BLOIS]/ Line 2376 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: DEAT PLAC , Marsilly, Charente-Maritime, France Line 2368 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: NAME Adela (Alice) Princess Of /ENGLAND/ Line 2369 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: TITL [COUNTESS OF BLOIS]/ Line 2376 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long: DEAT PLAC , Marsilly, Charente-Maritime, France Name Suffix: REFN: 1260953597 1 NAME Adela Alice Princess Of /ENGLAND/ Ancestral File Number: ?? Line 4375: (New PAF RIN=375) 1 NAME Adelidis "Alice" Princess Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 5206: (New PAF RIN=17326) 1 NAME Adelidis "Alice" Princess Of /ENGLAND/ ?? Line 2894: (New PAF RIN=18437) 1 NAME Adelidis "Alice" Princess Of /ENGLAND/ K7179wt K7179wt | |||
| 2nd marriage/ relation William "The Conqueror" of England Adoptive parent: N.N. Married/ Related to: NnChild: 1. William "the Elder" Peverell (De Nottingham) , (De Nottingham)Born ± 1040 at Normandy,France, died Apr 17, 1113 at England, approximately 73 years !Ordinance information from 1994 IGI. | |||
Adopted child: William "the Elder" Peverell (De Nottingham) , (De Nottingham) | |||