King Henry I

1068 – 1135 · Generation IX · King of England (r. 1100–1135) · House of Normandy

Henry I Beauclerc (1068–1135). King of England (r. 1100–1135). Married Matilda of Scotland in 1100. His marriage to Matilda of Scotland rejoined Norman rule to the bloodline of Alfred. The Conqueror’s fourth son, he was left landless when Normandy and England passed to his elder brothers; he bought the Cotentin from Robert Curthose, was deposed from it, and patiently rebuilt his base — then seized the English crown when William Rufus died in a hunting accident, promising at his coronation to correct unpopular policies. He defeated Robert at Tinchebray in 1106, took Normandy, and kept his brother imprisoned for life. A harsh but effective ruler, he strengthened government with the royal exchequer and itinerant justices, run by able “new men” of obscure background. The drowning of his heir William in the White Ship disaster of 1120 unmade his plans; he declared his daughter Matilda heir, but on his death after a week’s illness the crown went instead to his nephew Stephen, and the civil war called the Anarchy followed.

One of 7 people of House of Normandy (until 1154) in this archive. The conqueror’s house — William I took the English crown in 1066 and his sons held it after him.

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Parents

• King William I The Conqueror (1028 – 1087)
• Matilda of Flanders (1031 – 1083)

Siblings

• King William II Rufus (1056 – 1100)
• Adela of Normandy (1067 – 1137)

Partners

• Married Matilda of Scotland (1080 – 1118) in 1100 — 2 children together

Children

• Matilda the Empress (1102 – 1167)
• William Adelin (1103 – 1120)

Life

• 1068 — Born
• 1100 — Married Matilda of Scotland
• 1100 — Henry I succeeds his brother, William II.
• 1100 — Henry issues a Charter of Liberties, pledging good governance.
• 1100 — Henry marries Edith known as Matilda, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland.
• 1101 — Robert of Normandy invades England in an attempt to wrest the English throne from his brother, Henry. After failing, he signs the Treaty of Alton, which confirms Henry as King of England and Robert as Duke of Normandy.
• 1106 — War breaks out between Henry and Robert. Henry defeats Robert at the Battle of Tinchebrai, imprisons him in Cardiff Castle, and takes control of Normandy.
• 1118 — Death of Henry's wife Matilda.
• 1120 — Henry's son and heir, William, is drowned at sea when returning from Normandy in _The White Ship_ which strikes a rock and sinks. Henry’s daughter, Matilda, becomes heir.
• 1121 — Henry marries Adelicia of Louvain
• 1126 — Henry persuades the barons to accept Matilda as his lawful successor to the throne.
• 1128 — Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child, marries Geoffrey, Count of Anjou.
• 1135 — Died
• 1135 — Henry I dies in Rouen, France, as a result of food poisoning