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Birth:          1070 Selby, Yorkshire, England
Christening:    5 Aug 1100 Selby, Yorkshire, England
Death:          1 Dec 1135 Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France
Burial:         Reading Abbey, Reading, Berkshire, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_I_of_England
Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of 
England from 1100 to his death. Henry was the fourth son of William the Conqueror 
and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in 1087, Henry's 
elder brothers Robert Curthose and William Rufus inherited Normandy and England, 
respectively, but Henry was left landless. Henry purchased the County of Cotentin in 
western Normandy from Robert, but William and Robert deposed him in 1091. Henry 
gradually rebuilt his power base in the Cotentin and allied himself with William against 
Robert. Henry was present when William died in a hunting accident in 1100, and he 
seized the English throne, promising at his coronation to correct many of William's less 
popular policies. Henry married Matilda of Scotland but continued to have a large 
number of mistresses, by whom he had many illegitimate children.

Robert, who invaded in 1101, disputed Henry's control of England; this military 
campaign ended in a negotiated settlement that confirmed Henry as king. The peace 
was short-lived, and Henry invaded the Duchy of Normandy in 1105 and 1106, finally 
defeating Robert at the Battle of Tinchebray. Henry kept Robert imprisoned for the 
rest of his life. Henry's control of Normandy was challenged by Louis VI of France, 
Baldwin VII of Flanders and Fulk V of Anjou, who promoted the rival claims of Robert's 
son, William Clito, and supported a major rebellion in the Duchy between 1116 and 
1119. Following Henry's victory at the Battle of Brémule, a favourable peace 
settlement was agreed with Louis in 1120.

Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler, Henry skilfully 
manipulated the barons in England and Normandy. In England, he drew on the existing 
Anglo-Saxon system of justice, local government and taxation, but also strengthened it 
with additional institutions, including the royal exchequer and itinerant justices. 
Normandy was also governed through a growing system of justices and an exchequer. 
Many of the officials who ran Henry's system were "new men" of obscure backgrounds 
rather than from families of high status, who rose through the ranks as administrators. 
Henry encouraged ecclesiastical reform, but became embroiled in a serious dispute in 
1101 with Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury, which was resolved through a 
compromise solution in 1105. He supported the Cluniac order and played a major role 
in the selection of the senior clergy in England and Normandy.

Henry's only legitimate son and heir, William Adelin, drowned in the White Ship 
disaster of 1120, throwing the royal succession into doubt. Henry took a second wife, 
Adeliza, in the hope of having another son, but their marriage was childless. In 
response to this, Henry declared his daughter, Matilda, his heir and married her to 
Geoffrey of Anjou. The relationship between Henry and the couple became strained, 
and fighting broke out along the border with Anjou. Henry died on 1 December 1135 
after a week of illness. Despite his plans for Matilda, the King was succeeded by his 
nephew, Stephen of Blois, resulting in a period of civil war known as the Anarchy.
Childhood and appearance, 1068–86[edit]

Henry was probably born in England in 1068, in either the summer or the last weeks of 
the year, possibly in the town of Selby in Yorkshire.[1][nb 1] His father was William the 
Conqueror, who had originally been the Duke of Normandy and then, following the 
invasion of 1066, became the King of England, with lands stretching into Wales. The 
invasion had created an Anglo-Norman elite, many with estates spread across both 
sides of the English Channel.[2] These Anglo-Norman barons typically had close links 
to the kingdom of France, which was then a loose collection of counties and smaller 
polities, under only the minimal control of the king.[3] Henry's mother, Matilda of 
Flanders, was the granddaughter of Robert II of France, and she probably named 
Henry after her uncle, King Henry I of France.[4]

Henry was the youngest of William and Matilda's four sons. Physically he resembled 
his older brothers Robert Curthose, Richard and William Rufus, being, as historian 
David Carpenter describes, "short, stocky and barrel-chested," with black hair.[5] As 
a result of their age differences and Richard's early death, Henry would have probably 
seen relatively little of his older brothers.[6] He probably knew his sister, Adela, well, 
as the two were close in age.[7] There is little documentary evidence for his early 
years; historians Warren Hollister and Kathleen Thompson suggest he was brought up 
predominantly in England, while Judith Green argues he was initially brought up in the 
Duchy.[8][nb 2] He was probably educated by the Church, possibly by Bishop Osmund, 
the King's chancellor, at Salisbury Cathedral; it is uncertain if this indicated an intent 
by his parents for Henry to become a member of the clergy.[10][nb 3] It is also 
uncertain how far Henry's education extended, but he was probably able to read Latin 
and had some background in the liberal arts.[11] He was given military training by an 
instructor called Robert Achard, and Henry was knighted by his father on 24 May 
1086.[12]
Relations between Henry, Matilda, and Geoffrey became increasingly strained during 
the King's final years. Matilda and Geoffrey suspected that they lacked genuine 
support in England. In 1135 they urged Henry to hand over the royal castles in 
Normandy to Matilda whilst he was still alive, and insisted that the Norman nobility 
swear immediate allegiance to her, thereby giving the couple a more powerful position 
after Henry's death.[304] Henry angrily declined to do so, probably out of concern that 
Geoffrey would try to seize power in Normandy.[305] A fresh rebellion broke out 
amongst the barons in southern Normandy, led by William, the Count of Ponthieu, 
whereupon Geoffrey and Matilda intervened in support of the rebels.[306]

Henry campaigned throughout the autumn, strengthening the southern frontier, and 
then travelled to Lyons-la-Forêt in November to enjoy some hunting, still apparently 
healthy.[307] There Henry fell ill – according to the chronicler Henry of Huntingdon, he 
ate a number of lampreys against his physician's advice – and his condition worsened 
over the course of a week.[308] Once the condition appeared terminal, Henry gave 
confession and summoned Archbishop Hugh of Amiens, who was joined by Robert of 
Gloucester and other members of the court.[309] In accordance with custom, 
preparations were made to settle Henry's outstanding debts and to revoke outstanding 
sentences of forfeiture.[310] The King died on 1 December 1135, and his corpse was 
taken to Rouen accompanied by the barons, where it was embalmed; his entrails were 
buried locally at Port-du-Salut Abbey, and the preserved body was taken on to 
England, where it was interred at Reading Abbey.[311]

Despite Henry's efforts, the succession was disputed. When news began to spread of 
the King's death, Geoffrey and Matilda were in Anjou supporting the rebels in their 
campaign against the royal army, which included a number of Matilda's supporters 
such as Robert of Gloucester.[15] Many of these barons had taken an oath to stay in 
Normandy until the late king was properly buried, which prevented them from returning 
to England.[312] The Norman nobility discussed declaring Theobald of Blois king.[313] 
Theobald's younger brother, Stephen of Blois, quickly crossed from Boulogne to 
England, however, accompanied by his military household.[314] With the help of his 
brother, Henry of Blois, he seized power in England and was crowned king on 22 
December.[315] The Empress Matilda did not give up her claim to England and 
Normandy, leading to the prolonged civil war known as the Anarchy between 1135 
and 1153.[316]

Parents
____ William I "the Conqueror" (14 Oct 1024 - 9 Sep 1087)
OF FLANDERS Maud (Matilda) (1028 - 2 Nov 1083)

Siblings
____ Robert II ("Curthose") (ABT 1054 - 2 Oct 1134)
OF NORMANDY Gundrada (ABT 1060 - 27 May 1085)
OF NORMANDY Adele (Alice) (ABT 1062 - 8 Mar 1137)
____ Henry I "Beauclerc" (1070 - 1 Dec 1135)

Marriage To ----- ----- (concubine) ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by ----- ----- (concubine) 
DE CAEN Robert "The King's Son" (1090 - 31 Oct 1147)

Marriage To ----- ----- (concubine) ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by ----- ----- (concubine) 
____ Maud (ABT 1091 - )

Marriage To ----- ----- (concubine) ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by ----- ----- (concubine) 
DE TRACY William (AFT 1090 - ABT 1136)

Marriage To OF SCOTLAND Matilda "Atheling" (ABT 1079 - 1 May 1118)
    m. 11 Nov 1100 

Notes
his first

Parents
____ Malcolm III "Ceanmor" (ABT 1033 - 13 Nov 1093)
OF SCOTLAND Margaret "Atheling" "Saint" (ABT 1048 - 16 Nov 1093)

Children by OF SCOTLAND Matilda "Atheling" ABT 1079 - 1 May 1118
____ Elizabeth (ABT 1101 - )
____ Matilda (Maud) (ABT Feb 1102 - 10 Sep 1167)

Marriage To DE CORBET Sibyl (ABT 1092 - AFT 1157)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE CORBET Robert (ABT 1070 - AFT 1135)

Children by DE CORBET Sibyl ABT 1092 - AFT 1157
DE DUNSTANVILLE Reginald (ABT 1110 - 1 Jul 1175)
FITZ HERBERT Rohese (ABT 1114 - )

Marriage To ----- ----- (concubine) ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by ----- ----- (concubine) 
FITZ HENRY Constance (ABT 1117 - )

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