King Henry I Beauclerc of England

  General Notes:

King of England

Born: Sep 1068-1070, Selby, Yorkshire, England
Marriage: (1): Matilda of Scotland on 11 Nov 1100 in Westminster Abbey, London, England
Marriage: (2): Adela of Louvain on 29 Jan 1121 <../Sources.htm>
Marriage: (3): Unknown
Died: 1 Dec 1135, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France at age 67
General Notes:
'His learning ... though obtained by snatches, assisted him much in the science of Government.' William of Malmesbury (c.1095-1143)William's younger brother Henry (reigned 1100-35) succeeded to the throne. He was crowned three days after his brother's death, against the possibility that his eldest brother Robert might claim the English throne. After the decisive battle of Tinchebrai in 1106 in France, Henry completed his conquest of Normandy from Robert, who then (unusually even for that time) spent the last 28 years of his life as his brother's prisoner. An energetic, decisive and occasionally cruel ruler, Henry centralised the administration of England and Normandy in the royal court, using 'viceroys' in Normandy and a group of advisers in England to act on his behalf when he was absent across the Channel. Henry successfully sought to increase royal revenues, as shown by the official records of his exchequer (the Pipe Roll of 1130, the first exchequer account to survive). He established peaceful relations with Scotland, through his marriage to Mathilda of Scotland.Henry's name 'Beauclerc' denoted his good education (as the youngest son, his parents possibly expected that he would become a bishop); Henry was probably the first Norman king to be fluent in English. In 1120, his legitimate sons William and Richard drowned in the White Ship which sank in the English Channel. This posed a succession problem, as Henry never allowed any of his illegitimate children to expect succession to either England or Normandy. Henry had a legitimate daughter Matilda (widow of Emperor Henry V, subsequently married to the Count of Anjou). However, it was his nephew Stephen (reigned 1135-54), son of William the Conqueror's daughter Adela, who succeeded Henry after his death allegedly caused by eating too many lampreys (fish) in 1135, as the barons mostly opposed the idea of a female ruler.
Noted events in his life were:
• Acceded: 1100. King of England.
Henry married Matilda of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III, King of Scotland and Margaret of Scotland, on 11 Nov 1100 in Westminster Abbey, London, England. (Matilda of Scotland was born in 1079-1080 in Dunfermline and died on 1 May 1118 in Westminster Palace, London, England.)
Henry next married Adela of Louvain, daughter of Godefroi I de Louvain and Ida de Namur, on 29 Jan 1121.<../Sources.htm> (Adela of Louvain was born circa 1103, died circa 23 Apr 1151 in Affligem Abbey, Afflingham, Flandre, Belgium and was buried in Afflingham, Flandre, Belgium.)
Marriage Notes:
Second marriage of Henry I.

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 waged 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 til he died. He proved to be a hard but just ruler. One of his lovers, Nest, Princess of Deheubarth, was known as the most beautiful woman in Wales; she had many lovers. He aparently died from over eating Lampreys. During a Christmas court at Windsor Castle in 1126 that Henry I, who had no legitimate male heir, tried to force his barons to accept his daughter Matilda as his successor. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles reported that "...there he caused archbishops and bishops and abbots and earls all the thegns that were there to swear to give England and Normandy after his death into the hand of his daughter". Swear they did, but they were not happy about it. None of those present were interested in being among the first to owe allegiance to a woman. The stage was set for the 19-year-long bloody struggle for the throne that rent England apart after Henry's death. Ironically, the final resolution to that civil war, the peace treaty between King Stephen and Matilda's son Henry of Anjou, was ratified on Christmas Day at Westminster in 1153.

Henry married Matilda Edith Canmore, daughter of King Malcolm III Canmore and Saint Margaret of Scotland, on 11 Nov 1100 in Westminster Abbey, London, England. (Matilda Edith Canmore was born in 1079 in Dunfermine, Fife, Scotland and died on 1 May 1118 in Westminster Palace, London, England.)

Henry next married Sybilla Corbet.