107-478: Fitzhamon is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Robert Fitzhamon (died 1107), Norman noble Mabel FitzHamon of Gloucester ( c. 1100–1157), Anglo-Norman noblewoman Lewin Fitzhamon (1869–1961), British filmmaker [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Fitzhamon . If an internal link intending to refer to
214-690: A French ambassador, he was arrested and imprisoned. Rebellions broke out in France and Anjou between 1111 and 1113, and Henry crossed into Normandy to support his nephew, Count Theobald II, Count of Champagne , who had sided against Louis in the uprising. In a bid to isolate Louis diplomatically, Henry betrothed his young son, William Adelin, to Fulk's daughter Matilda , and married his illegitimate daughter Matilda to Duke Conan III of Brittany , creating alliances with Anjou and Brittany respectively. Louis backed down and in March 1113 met with Henry near Gisors to agree
321-500: A claim under the right of porphyrogeniture . Tempers flared, but Henry, supported by Henry de Beaumont and Robert of Meulan, held sway and persuaded the barons to follow him. He occupied Winchester Castle and seized the royal treasury. Henry was hastily crowned king in Westminster Abbey on 5 August by Maurice , the bishop of London , as Anselm , the archbishop of Canterbury , had been exiled by William Rufus, and Thomas ,
428-613: A dowry of £6,666 from England and Normandy. Raising this money proved challenging, and required the implementation of a special "aid", or tax, in England. Matilda was crowned German queen in 1110. Henry responded to the French and Angevin threat by expanding his own network of supporters beyond the Norman borders. Some Norman barons deemed unreliable were arrested or dispossessed, and Henry used their forfeited estates to bribe his potential allies in
535-661: A fleet, ready to move against Henry in England. Raising the stakes in the conflict, Henry seized Flambard's lands and, with the support of Anselm, Flambard was removed from his position as bishop. The King held court in April and June, where the nobility renewed their oaths of allegiance to him, but their support still appeared partial and shaky. With the invasion imminent, Henry mobilised his forces and fleet outside Pevensey , close to Robert's anticipated landing site, training some of them personally in how to counter cavalry charges. Despite English levies and knights owing military service to
642-420: A judgement that Anselm then affirmed, allowing the marriage to proceed. Matilda proved an effective queen for Henry, acting as a regent in England on occasion, addressing and presiding over councils, and extensively supporting the arts. The couple soon had two children, Matilda , born in 1102, and William Adelin , born in 1103; it is possible that they also had a second son, Richard, who died young. Following
749-553: 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 more institutions, including
856-490: 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
963-598: A negotiated surrender. He left for Brittany and crossed over into France. Henry's next steps are not well documented; one chronicler, Orderic Vitalis , suggests that he travelled in the French Vexin, along the Normandy border, for over a year with a small band of followers. By the end of the year, Robert and William Rufus had fallen out once again, and the Treaty of Rouen had been abandoned. In 1092, Henry and his followers seized
1070-511: A new bishop with his staff and ring: traditionally, this had been carried out by the King in a symbolic demonstration of royal power, but Pope Urban II had condemned this practice in 1099, arguing that only the papacy could carry out this task, and declaring that the clergy should not give homage to their local temporal rulers. Anselm returned to England from exile in 1100 having heard Urban's pronouncement, and informed Henry that he would be complying with
1177-550: A papal court, beyond royal control. Henry needed the support of the Papacy in his struggle with Louis of France, however, and therefore allowed Thurstan to attend the Council of Rheims in 1119, where Thurstan was then consecrated by the Pope with no mention of any duty towards Canterbury. Henry believed that this went against assurances Thurstan had previously made and exiled him from England until
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#17328553652101284-601: A peace settlement, giving Henry the disputed fortresses and confirming Henry's overlordship of Maine, Bellême and Brittany. Meanwhile, the situation in Wales was deteriorating. Henry had conducted a campaign in South Wales in 1108, pushing out royal power in the region and colonising the area around Pembroke with Flemings. By 1114, some of the resident Norman lords were under attack, while in Mid-Wales, Owain ap Cadwgan blinded one of
1391-410: A punishment for his having refused her romantic advances in his youth. They had been destined as the inheritance of Rufus's younger brother Henry (the future King Henry I ); nevertheless Fitzhamon remained on good terms with Henry. The chronology of Robert's conquest of Glamorgan is uncertain, but it probably took place in the decades after he received the feudal barony of Gloucester. One explanation
1498-435: A reputation for punishing those barons who stood against him, and he maintained an effective network of informers and spies who reported to him on events. Henry was a harsh, firm ruler, but not excessively so by the standards of the day. Over time, he increased the degree of his control over the barons, removing his enemies and bolstering his friends until the "reconstructed baronage", as historian Warren Hollister describes it,
1605-399: A result of their age differences and Richard's early death, Henry would have probably seen relatively little of his older brothers. He probably knew his sister Adela well, as the two were close in age. 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
1712-463: A scapegoat for the King's death. Henry rode to Winchester, where an argument ensued as to who now had the best claim to the throne. William of Breteuil championed the rights of Robert, who was still abroad, returning from the Crusade, and to whom Henry and the barons had given homage in previous years. Henry argued that, unlike Robert, he had been born to a reigning king and queen, thereby giving him
1819-474: A series of alliances against Robert with barons in Normandy and neighbouring Ponthieu. Robert allied himself with Philip I of France . In late 1090 William Rufus encouraged Conan Pilatus, a powerful burgher in Rouen, to rebel against Robert; Conan was supported by most of Rouen and made appeals to the neighbouring ducal garrisons to switch allegiance as well. Robert issued an appeal for help to his barons, and Henry
1926-547: A specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fitzhamon&oldid=1110971845 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All set index articles Robert Fitzhamon Robert Fitzhamon (died March 1107), or Robert FitzHamon (literally, "Robert, son of Hamon"), Seigneur de Creully in
2033-475: A wider range of candidates into the senior positions of the Church, often with more reformist views, and the impact of this generation would be felt in the years after Henry's death. Like other rulers of the period, Henry donated to the Church and patronised several religious communities, but contemporary chroniclers did not consider him an unusually pious king. His personal beliefs and piety may have developed during
2140-453: A wider range of these bishops as advisors – particularly Roger of Salisbury – breaking with the earlier tradition of relying primarily on the Archbishop of Canterbury. The result was a cohesive body of administrators through which Henry could exercise careful influence, holding general councils to discuss key matters of policy. This stability shifted slightly after 1125, when he began to inject
2247-492: A year for life; if either brother died without a male heir, the other would inherit his lands; the barons whose lands had been seized by either the King or the Duke for supporting his rival would have them returned, and Flambard would be reinstated as bishop; the two brothers would campaign together to defend their territories in Normandy. Robert remained in England for a few months more with Henry before returning to Normandy. Despite
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#17328553652102354-594: Is the legend of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan , which dates from the 16th century, in which the Welsh Prince Iestyn ap Gwrgan (Jestin), prince or Lord of Glamorgan, supposedly called in the assistance of Robert Fitzhamon. Fitzhamon and his Norman knights and defeated the prince of South Wales Rhys ap Tewdwr in battle in 1090. As reward Robert took possession of Glamorgan, and "the French came into Dyfed and Ceredigion, which they have still retained, and fortified
2461-422: The Battle of Tinchebray took place, probably on 28 September. The battle lasted around an hour, and began with a charge by Duke Robert's cavalry; the infantry and dismounted knights of both sides then joined the battle. Henry's reserves, led by Elias I, Count of Maine , and Alan IV, Duke of Brittany , attacked the enemy's flanks, routing first Bellême's troops and then the bulk of the ducal forces. Duke Robert
2568-706: The Calvados region and Torigny in the Manche region of Normandy , was the first Norman feudal baron of Gloucester and the Norman conqueror of Glamorgan , southern Wales . He became Lord of Glamorgan in 1075. As a kinsman of the Conqueror and one of the few Anglo-Norman barons to remain loyal to the kings William Rufus and Henry I of England , he was a prominent figure in England and Normandy. Robert FitzHamon, probably born in
2675-564: The Earldom of Bath ) was Stowe within the parish of Kilkhampton. Below the left-hand figure is inscribed: "Rob. FitzHamon Earl of Corboyle", with attributed arms under showing: Azure, a lion rampant guardant or impaling Azure, a lion rampant or a bordure of the last . The windows were erected in 1860 by the heirs of the Grenville family. Henry I of England Henry I ( c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc ,
2782-544: The Rebellion of 1088 . After the revolt was defeated he was granted as a reward by King William Rufus the feudal barony of Gloucester consisting of over two hundred manors in Gloucestershire and other counties. Some of these had belonged to the late Queen Matilda , consort of William the Conqueror and mother of William Rufus, and had been seized by her from the great Saxon thane Brictric son of Algar , apparently as
2889-497: The Tower of London and charged with corruption. The late king had left many Church positions unfilled, and Henry set about nominating candidates to these, in an effort to build further support for his new government. The appointments needed to be consecrated, and Henry wrote to Anselm, apologising for having been crowned while the archbishop was still in France and asking him to return at once. On 11 November 1100 Henry married Matilda ,
2996-410: The archbishop of York , was in the north of England at Ripon . In accordance with English tradition and in a bid to legitimise his rule, Henry issued a coronation charter laying out various commitments. The new king presented himself as having restored order to a trouble-torn country. He announced that he would abandon William Rufus's policies towards the Church, which had been seen as oppressive by
3103-472: The county of Maine , but refused to recognise Henry as his feudal lord and instead allied himself with Louis. Robert II of Flanders also briefly joined the alliance, before his death in 1111. In 1108, Henry betrothed his six-year-old daughter, Matilda, to Henry V , the future Holy Roman Emperor . For King Henry, this was a prestigious match; for Henry V, it was an opportunity to restore his financial situation and fund an expedition to Italy, as he received
3210-451: The 1040s or 1050s, was the son of Hamo Dapifer the Sheriff of Kent and grandson of Hamon Dentatus ("The Betoothed or Toothy", i.e., probably buck-toothed). His grandfather held the lordships of Torigny, Creully, Mézy, and Evrecy in Normandy, but following his death at the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047, the family might have lost these lordships. He is said to have been a relative of William
3317-506: The Church arriving in considerable numbers, many of his barons did not appear. Anselm intervened with some of the doubters, emphasising the religious importance of their loyalty to Henry. Robert unexpectedly landed further up the coast at Portsmouth on 20 July with a modest force of a few hundred men, but these were quickly joined by many of the barons in England. Instead of marching into nearby Winchester and seizing Henry's treasury, Robert paused, giving Henry time to march west and intercept
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3424-450: The Church. He was a keen supporter of the Cluniac order , probably for intellectual reasons. He donated money to the abbey at Cluny itself, and after 1120 gave generously to Reading Abbey , a Cluniac establishment. Construction on Reading began in 1121, and Henry endowed it with rich lands and extensive privileges, making it a symbol of his dynastic lines. He also focused effort on promoting
3531-523: The Conqueror had reformed the English Church with the support of his Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc , who became a close colleague and advisor to the King. Under William Rufus this arrangement had collapsed, the King and Archbishop Anselm had become estranged and Anselm had gone into exile. Henry also believed in Church reform, but on taking power in England he became embroiled in the investiture controversy . The argument concerned who should invest
3638-456: The Conqueror, but the nature of the relationship is unknown. Few details of Robert's career prior to 1087 are available. Robert probably did not fight at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, although some of his relatives are listed therein. He first comes to prominence in surviving records as a supporter of King William Rufus (1087–1100) during
3745-656: The Cotentin and allied himself with William Rufus against Robert. Present in England with his brother William when William died in a hunting accident, Henry seized the English throne, promising at his coronation to correct many of William's less popular policies. He married Matilda of Scotland and they had two surviving children, Empress Matilda and William Adelin ; he also had many illegitimate children by his numerous mistresses. Robert, who invaded from Normandy in 1101, disputed Henry's control of England; this military campaign ended in
3852-506: The Duchy and England, to find that William Rufus had crossed the Channel and been crowned king. The two brothers disagreed fundamentally over the inheritance, and Robert soon began to plan an invasion of England to seize the kingdom, helped by a rebellion by some of the leading nobles against William Rufus. Henry remained in Normandy and took up a role within Robert's court, possibly either because he
3959-430: The Duchy. Robert's invasion force failed to leave Normandy, leaving William Rufus secure in England. Henry quickly established himself as count, building up a network of followers from western Normandy and eastern Brittany, whom the historian John Le Patourel has characterised as "Henry's gang". His early supporters included Roger of Mandeville, Richard of Redvers, Richard d'Avranches and Robert Fitzhamon , along with
4066-416: The Duke and accused him of siding with his enemies, before returning to England. Normandy continued to disintegrate into chaos. In 1105, Henry sent his friend Robert Fitzhamon and a force of knights into the Duchy, apparently to provoke a confrontation with Duke Robert. Fitzhamon was captured, and Henry used this as an excuse to invade, promising to restore peace and order. Henry had the support of most of
4173-441: The Duke of Normandy. William Rufus began to support Henry with money, encouraging his campaign against Robert, and Henry used some of this to construct a substantial castle at Domfront. William Rufus crossed into Normandy to take the war to Robert in 1094, and when progress stalled, called upon Henry for assistance. Henry responded, but travelled to London instead of joining the main campaign further east in Normandy, possibly at
4280-548: The French throne in 1108 and began to reassert central royal power. Louis demanded Henry give homage to him and that two disputed castles along the Normandy border be placed into the control of neutral castellans. Henry refused, and Louis responded by mobilising an army. After some arguments, the two kings negotiated a truce and retreated without fighting, leaving the underlying issues unresolved. Fulk V assumed power in Anjou in 1109 and began to rebuild Angevin authority. He inherited
4387-597: The King and Archbishop came to a negotiated solution the following year. Even after the investiture dispute, Henry continued to play a major role in the selection of new English and Norman bishops and archbishops. He appointed many of his officials to bishoprics and, as historian Martin Brett suggests, "some of his officers could look forward to a mitre with all but absolute confidence". Henry's chancellors, and those of his queens, became bishops of Durham, Hereford, London, Lincoln, Winchester and Salisbury. Henry increasingly drew on
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4494-533: The King instead began peace discussions with Robert. The negotiations were inconclusive and the fighting dragged on until Christmas, when Henry returned to England. Henry invaded again in July 1106, hoping to provoke a decisive battle. After some initial tactical successes, he turned south-west towards the castle of Tinchebray . He besieged the castle and Duke Robert, supported by Robert of Bellême, advanced from Falaise to relieve it. After attempts at negotiation failed,
4601-560: The King temporary custody of his part of the Duchy in exchange. The King appeared confident of regaining the remainder of Normandy from Robert, and Henry appeared ever closer to William Rufus. They campaigned together in the Norman Vexin between 1097 and 1098. On the afternoon of 2 August 1100, King William Rufus went hunting in the New Forest , accompanied by a team of huntsmen and Norman nobility, including Henry. An arrow, possibly shot by
4708-400: The King's sheriffs in the shires. Itinerant justices began to emerge under Henry, travelling around the country managing eyre courts , and many more laws were formally recorded. Henry gathered increasing revenue from the expansion of royal justice, both from fines and from fees. The first Pipe Roll that is known to have survived dates from 1130, recording royal expenditures. Henry reformed
4815-524: The Norman border were particularly important to maintaining the stability of the Duchy. Henry ruled through the barons and lords in England and Normandy, whom he manipulated skilfully for political effect. Political friendships, termed amicitia in Latin, were important during the 12th century, and Henry maintained a wide range of these, mediating between his friends in factions across his realm when necessary, and rewarding those who were loyal to him. He also had
4922-526: The Norman border. Henry attempted to win over other members of the Norman nobility and gave other English estates and lucrative offers to key Norman lords. Duke Robert continued to fight Robert of Bellême, but the Duke's position worsened, until by 1104, he had to ally himself formally with Bellême to survive. Arguing that the Duke had broken the terms of their treaty, the King crossed over the Channel to Domfront, where he met with senior barons from across Normandy, eager to ally themselves with him. He confronted
5029-412: The Norman tradition, distinguishing between Normandy, which he had inherited, and England, which he had acquired through war. William's second son, Richard, had died in a hunting accident, leaving Henry and his two brothers to inherit William's estate. Robert, the eldest, despite being in armed rebellion against his father at the time of his death, received Normandy. England was given to William Rufus, who
5136-439: The Normandy town of Domfront . Domfront had previously been controlled by Robert of Bellême , but the inhabitants disliked his rule and invited Henry to take over the town, which he did in a bloodless coup. Over the next two years, Henry re-established his network of supporters across western Normandy, forming what Judith Green terms a "court in waiting". By 1094, he was allocating lands and castles to his followers as if he were
5243-456: The Pope's wishes. Henry was in a difficult position. On one hand, the symbolism and homage was important to him; on the other hand, he needed Anselm's support in his struggle with his brother Duke Robert. Anselm stuck firmly to the letter of the papal decree, despite Henry's attempts to persuade him to give way in return for a vague assurance of a future royal compromise. Matters escalated, with Anselm going back into exile and Henry confiscating
5350-428: The baron Walter Tirel, hit and killed William Rufus. Many conspiracy theories have been put forward suggesting that the King was killed deliberately; most modern historians reject these, as hunting was a risky activity and such accidents were common. Chaos broke out, and Tirel fled the scene for France, either because he had shot the fatal arrow, or because he had been incorrectly accused and feared that he would be made
5457-524: The birth of these children, Matilda preferred to remain based in Westminster while Henry travelled across England and Normandy, either for religious reasons or because she enjoyed being involved in the machinery of royal governance. Henry had a considerable sexual appetite and enjoyed a substantial number of sexual partners, resulting in many illegitimate children, at least nine sons and 13 daughters, many of whom he appears to have recognised and supported. It
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#17328553652105564-527: The castles, and seized upon all the land of the Britons." Iestyn did not profit long by his involvement with the Normans. He was soon defeated and his lands taken in 1091. Whether there is any truth in the legend or not Robert Fitzhamon seems to have seized control of the lowlands of Glamorgan and Gwynllwg sometime from around 1089 to 1094. His key strongholds were Cardiff Castle , which already may have been built, on
5671-401: The churchman Roger of Salisbury . Robert attempted to go back on his deal with Henry and re-appropriate the county, but Henry's grip was already sufficiently firm to prevent this. Robert's rule of the duchy was chaotic, and parts of Henry's lands became almost independent of central control from Rouen. During this period, neither William nor Robert seems to have trusted Henry. Waiting until
5778-454: The clergy; he promised to prevent royal abuses of the barons' property rights, and assured a return to the gentler customs of Edward the Confessor ; he asserted that he would "establish a firm peace" across England and ordered "that this peace shall henceforth be kept". As well as his existing circle of supporters, many of whom were richly rewarded with new lands, Henry quickly co-opted many of
5885-402: The coinage in 1107, 1108 and in 1125, inflicting harsh corporal punishments to English coiners who had been found guilty of debasing the currency. In Normandy, he restored law and order after 1106, operating through a body of Norman justices and an exchequer system similar to that in England. Norman institutions grew in scale and scope under Henry, although less quickly than in England. Many of
5992-534: The conversion of communities of clerks into Augustinian canons, the foundation of leper hospitals , expanding the provision of nunneries, and the charismatic orders of the Savigniacs and Tironensians . He was an avid collector of relics, sending an embassy to Constantinople in 1118 to collect Byzantine items, some of which were donated to Reading Abbey. Normandy faced an increased threat from France, Anjou and Flanders after 1108. Louis VI of France succeeded to
6099-435: The count of the Cotentin. In early 1091, William Rufus invaded Normandy with a sufficiently large army to bring Robert to the negotiating table. The two brothers signed a treaty at Rouen, granting William Rufus a range of lands and castles in Normandy. In return, William Rufus promised to support Robert's attempts to regain control of the neighbouring county of Maine, once under Norman control, and help in regaining control over
6206-524: The count of western Normandy, in exchange for £3,000. Henry's lands were a new countship created by a delegation of the ducal authority in the Cotentin , but it extended across the Avranchin , with control over the bishoprics of both. This also gave Henry influence over two major Norman leaders, Hugh d'Avranches and Richard de Redvers , and the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel , whose lands spread out further across
6313-462: The county of the Cotentin. Henry was held there over the winter, but in the spring of 1089 the senior elements of the Normandy nobility prevailed upon Robert to release him. Although no longer formally the Count of Cotentin, Henry continued to control the west of Normandy. The struggle between his brothers continued. William Rufus continued to put down resistance to his rule in England, but began to build
6420-543: 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 . 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 . His father
6527-439: The course of his life; Henry had always taken an interest in religion, but in his later years he may have become much more concerned about spiritual affairs. If so, the major shifts in his thinking would appear to have occurred after 1120, when his son William Adelin died, and 1129, when his daughter's marriage teetered on the verge of collapse. As a proponent of religious reform, Henry gave extensively to reformist groups within
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#17328553652106634-453: The court from pillaging neighbouring villages, as had been the norm under William Rufus. Henry was responsible for a substantial expansion of the royal justice system. In England, Henry drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice, local government and taxes , but strengthened it with more central governmental institutions. Roger of Salisbury began to develop the royal exchequer after 1110, using it to collect and audit revenues from
6741-504: The daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland , in Westminster Abbey . Henry was now around 31 years old, but late marriages for noblemen were not unusual in the 11th century. The pair had probably first met earlier the previous decade, possibly being introduced through Bishop Osmund of Salisbury. Historian Warren Hollister argues that Henry and Matilda were emotionally close, but their union was also certainly politically motivated. Matilda had originally been named Edith, an Anglo-Saxon name, and
6848-439: The duchy, including Henry's lands. They nominated each other as heirs to England and Normandy, excluding Henry from any succession while either one of them lived. War now broke out between Henry and his brothers. Henry mobilised a mercenary army in the west of Normandy, but as William Rufus and Robert's forces advanced, his network of baronial support melted away. Henry focused his remaining forces at Mont Saint-Michel, where he
6955-399: The eldest son would inherit a title, was growing in popularity. In other parts of Europe, including Normandy and England, the tradition was for lands to be divided, with the eldest son taking patrimonial lands – usually considered to be the most valuable – and younger sons given smaller, or more recently acquired, partitions or estates. In dividing his lands, William appears to have followed
7062-610: The evidence to support this theory is limited. By early 1101, Henry's new regime was established and functioning, but many of the Anglo-Norman elite still supported his brother Robert, or would be prepared to switch sides if Robert appeared likely to gain power in England. In February, Flambard escaped from the Tower of London and crossed the Channel to Normandy, where he injected fresh direction and energy to Robert's attempts to mobilise an invasion force. By July, Robert had formed an army and
7169-399: The existing administration into his new royal household. William Giffard , William Rufus's chancellor, was made the bishop of Winchester , and the prominent sheriffs Urse d'Abetot , Haimo Dapifer and Robert Fitzhamon continued to play a senior role in government. By contrast, the unpopular Ranulf Flambard , the bishop of Durham and a key member of the previous regime, was imprisoned in
7276-489: The guardian of the troubled Duchy. Henry inherited the kingdom of England from William Rufus, giving him a claim of suzerainty over Wales and Scotland , and acquired the Duchy of Normandy , a complex entity with troubled borders. The borders between England and Scotland were still uncertain during Henry's reign, with Anglo-Norman influence pushing northwards through Cumbria , but his relationship with King David I of Scotland
7383-465: The influence of Robert's wife, Sybil de Montgomery (or de Montgomerie) . Legend has it that Robert had ominous dreams in the days before Rufus' fatal hunting expedition, which postponed but did not prevent the outing. He was one of the first to gather in tears around Rufus' corpse, and he used his cloak to cover the late king's body on its journey to be buried in Winchester . How much of these stories are
7490-465: The invasion force. The two armies met at Alton, Hampshire , where peace negotiations began, possibly initiated by either Henry or Robert, and probably supported by Flambard. The brothers then agreed to the Treaty of Alton , under which Robert released Henry from his oath of homage and recognised him as king; Henry renounced his claims on western Normandy, except for Domfront, and agreed to pay Robert £2,000
7597-429: The invention of later days is unknown. In any case Fitzhamon proved as loyal to Henry I as he had been to his predecessor, remaining on Henry's side in the several open conflicts with Henry's brother Robert Curthose . He was one of the three barons who negotiated the 1101 truce between Henry I and Robert Curthose. In 1105 he went to Normandy and was captured while fighting near his ancestral estates near Bayeux . This
7704-427: The king. Henry's mother, Matilda of Flanders , was the granddaughter of King Robert II of France , and she probably named Henry after her uncle Henry I of France . 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. As
7811-406: The master-marshal was responsible for travel and accommodation. The familia regis included Henry's mounted household troops, up to several hundred strong, who came from a wider range of social backgrounds, and could be deployed across England and Normandy as required. Initially Henry continued his father's practice of regular crown-wearing ceremonies at his curia , but they became less frequent as
7918-478: The neighbouring counts around Normandy's borders, and King Philip of France was persuaded to remain neutral. Henry occupied western Normandy, and advanced east on Bayeux, where Fitzhamon was held. The city refused to surrender, and Henry besieged it, burning it to the ground. Terrified of meeting the same fate, the town of Caen switched sides and surrendered, allowing Henry to advance on Falaise, Calvados , which he took with some casualties. His campaign stalled, and
8025-399: The neighbouring territories, in particular Maine. Around 1110, Henry attempted to arrest the young William Clito, but William's mentors moved him to the safety of Flanders before he could be taken. At about this time, Henry probably began to style himself as the duke of Normandy. Robert of Bellême turned against Henry once again, and when he appeared at Henry's court in 1112 in a new role as
8132-404: The officials that ran Henry's system were termed "new men", relatively low-born individuals who rose through the ranks as administrators, managing justice or the royal revenues. Henry's ability to govern was intimately bound up with the Church, which formed the key to the administration of both England and Normandy, and this relationship changed considerably over the course of his reign. William
8239-518: The pair worked closely together, combining to deal with Duke Robert's invasion of 1101, for example, and holding major reforming councils in 1102 and 1108. A long-running dispute between the Archbishops of Canterbury and York flared up under Anselm's successor, Ralph d'Escures . Canterbury, traditionally the senior of the two establishments, had long argued that the Archbishop of York should formally promise to obey their Archbishop, but York argued that
8346-531: The political hostages he was holding, and in North Wales Gruffudd ap Cynan threatened the power of the Earl of Chester. Henry sent three armies into Wales that year, with Gilbert Fitz Richard leading a force from the south, Alexander, King of Scotland, pressing from the north and Henry himself advancing into Mid-Wales. Owain and Gruffudd sued for peace, and Henry accepted a political compromise. He reinforced
8453-568: The rebellion against William Rufus was safely over, Henry returned to England in July 1088. He met with the King but was unable to persuade him to grant him their mother's estates, and travelled back to Normandy in the autumn. While he had been away, however, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux , who regarded Henry as a potential competitor, had convinced Robert that Henry was conspiring against the duke with William Rufus. On landing, Odo seized Henry and imprisoned him in Neuilly-la-Forêt , and Robert took back
8560-495: The request of the King, who in any event abandoned the campaign and returned to England. Over the next few years, Henry appears to have strengthened his power base in western Normandy, visiting England occasionally to attend at William Rufus's court. In 1095 Pope Urban II called the First Crusade , encouraging knights from across Europe to join. Robert joined the Crusade, borrowing money from William Rufus to do so, and granting
8667-426: The revenues of his estates. Anselm threatened excommunication, and in July 1105 the two men finally negotiated a solution. A distinction was drawn between the secular and ecclesiastical powers of the prelates, under which Henry gave up his right to invest his clergy, but retained the custom of requiring them to come and do homage for the temporalities , the landed properties they held in England. Despite this argument,
8774-439: 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
8881-460: The site of an old Roman fort , new castles at Newport , and at Kenfig . His descendants would inherit these castles and lands. Robert FitzHamon refounded Tewkesbury Abbey in 1092. The abbey's dimensions are almost the same as Westminster Abbey . The first abbot was Giraldus, Abbot of Cranborne (d. 1110), who died before the abbey was consecrated in October 1121. The abbey was apparently built under
8988-403: The south-west to attack Bridgnorth . His power base in England broken, Robert accepted Henry's offer of banishment and left the country for Normandy. Henry's network of allies in Normandy became stronger during 1103. He arranged the marriages of his illegitimate daughters, Juliane and Matilda , to Eustace of Breteuil and Rotrou III, Count of Perche , respectively, the latter union securing
9095-483: The top of Rouen Castle and then, despite Conan's offers to pay a huge ransom, threw him off the top of the castle to his death. Contemporaries considered Henry to have acted appropriately in making an example of Conan, and Henry became famous for his exploits in the battle. In the aftermath, Robert forced Henry to leave Rouen, probably because Henry's role in the fighting had been more prominent than his own, and possibly because Henry had asked to be formally reinstated as
9202-645: The treaty, Henry set about inflicting severe penalties on the barons who had stood against him during the invasion. William de Warenne , the Earl of Surrey , was accused of fresh crimes, which were not covered by the Alton amnesty, and was banished from England. In 1102 Henry then turned against Robert of Bellême and his brothers, the most powerful of the barons, accusing him of 45 different offences. Robert escaped and took up arms against Henry. Henry besieged Robert's castles at Arundel , Tickhill and Shrewsbury , pushing down into
9309-541: The two Granville windows by Clayton and Bell erected in 1860 by descendants of the latter within the Granville Chapel of the Church of St James the Great, Kilkhampton , Cornwall . The Granvilles claimed in the 17th century to have been the heirs male of Robert FitzHamon to a non-existent Earldom of Corboil, a connection without historical foundation. The seat of the Grenville family ("Granville" after 1661 when elevated to
9416-421: The two episcopates were independent within the English Church and that no such promise was necessary. Henry supported the primacy of Canterbury, to ensure that England remained under a single ecclesiastical administration, but the Pope preferred the case of York. The matter was complicated by Henry's personal friendship with Thurstan , the Archbishop of York, and the King's desire that the case should not end up in
9523-421: The vows to formally become a nun, which formed an obstacle to the marriage progressing. She did not wish to be a nun and appealed to Anselm for permission to marry Henry, and the Archbishop established a council at Lambeth Palace to judge the issue. Despite some dissenting voices, the council concluded that although Matilda had lived in a convent, she had not actually become a nun and was therefore free to marry,
9630-430: The years passed. Henry's court was grand and ostentatious, financing the construction of large new buildings and castles with a range of precious gifts on display, including his private menagerie of exotic animals, which he kept at Woodstock Palace . Despite being a lively community, Henry's court was more tightly controlled than those of previous kings. Strict rules controlled personal behaviour and prohibited members of
9737-421: The youngest daughter of Roger of Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury by his first wife, Mabel Talvas , daughter of William I Talvas . She survived her husband and is said to have entered a convent with two of her daughters. By his wife, Robert Fitzhamon is said to have had four daughters including: A depiction of Robert FitzHamon (d. 1107) and Richard I de Grenville (d. post 1142) is contained within one of
9844-564: Was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He 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. He purchased the County of Cotentin in western Normandy from Robert, but his brothers deposed him in 1091. He gradually rebuilt his power base in
9951-564: Was William the Conqueror , the duke of Normandy who had invaded England in 1066 to become the king of England , establishing lands stretching into Wales . The invasion had created an Anglo-Norman ruling class , many with estates on both sides of the English Channel . These Anglo-Norman barons typically had close links to the Kingdom of France , which was then a loose collection of counties and smaller polities, only nominally under control of
10058-465: Was a member of the West Saxon royal family, being the niece of Edgar the Ætheling , the great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside and a descendant of Alfred the Great . For Henry, marrying Matilda gave his reign increased legitimacy, and for Matilda, an ambitious woman, it was an opportunity for high status and power in England. Matilda had been educated in a sequence of convents and may well have taken
10165-476: Was besieged, probably in March 1091. The site was easy to defend, but lacked fresh water. The chronicler William of Malmesbury suggested that when Henry's water ran short, Robert allowed his brother fresh supplies, leading to remonstrations between Robert and William Rufus. The events of the final days of the siege are unclear: the besiegers had begun to argue about the future strategy for the campaign, but Henry then abandoned Mont Saint-Michel, probably as part of
10272-455: Was generally good, partially due to Henry's marriage to his sister. In Wales, Henry used his power to coerce and charm the indigenous Welsh princes, while Norman Marcher Lords pushed across the valleys of South Wales . Normandy was controlled via interlocking networks of ducal, ecclesiastical and family contacts, backed by a growing string of important ducal castles along the borders. Alliances and relationships with neighbouring counties along
10379-533: Was given military training by an instructor called Robert Achard, and Henry was knighted by his father on 24 May 1086. In 1087, William was fatally injured during a campaign in the Vexin . Henry joined his dying father near Rouen in September, where the King partitioned his possessions among his sons. The rules of succession in western Europe at the time were uncertain; in some parts of France, primogeniture , in which
10486-532: Was in favour with the dying king. Henry was given a large sum of money, usually reported as £5,000, with the expectation that he would also be given his mother's modest set of lands in Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire . William's funeral at Caen was marred by angry complaints from a local man, and Henry may have been responsible for resolving the dispute by buying off the protester with silver. Robert returned to Normandy, expecting to have been given both
10593-414: Was initially brought up in the Duchy. 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. 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 . He
10700-492: Was normal for unmarried Anglo-Norman noblemen to have sexual relations with prostitutes and local women, and kings were also expected to have mistresses. Some of these relationships occurred before Henry was married, but many others took place after his marriage to Matilda. Henry had a wide range of mistresses from a range of backgrounds, and the relationships appear to have been conducted relatively openly. He may have chosen some of his noble mistresses for political purposes, but
10807-544: Was one of the reasons Henry crossed the channel with a substantial force later that year. Fitzhamon was freed, and joined Henry's campaign, which proceeded to besiege Falaise . There Fitzhamon was severely injured in the head; although he lived two more years he was never the same mentally. He was buried in the Chapter House at Tewkesbury Abbey , which he had founded and considerably enriched during his lifetime. Between 1087 and 1090, Robert Fitzhamon married Sybil, apparently
10914-408: Was only three years old and was released to the care of Helias of Saint-Saens , a Norman baron. Henry reconciled himself with Robert of Bellême, who gave up the ducal lands he had seized and rejoined the royal court. Henry had no way of legally removing the Duchy from his brother, and initially Henry avoided using the title "duke" at all, emphasising that, as the king of England, he was only acting as
11021-441: Was predominantly loyal and dependent on the King. Henry's itinerant royal court comprised several parts. At the heart was his domestic household, called the domus ; a wider grouping was termed the familia regis , and formal gatherings of the court were termed curia . The domus was divided into several parts. The chapel, headed by the chancellor, looked after the royal documents, the chamber dealt with financial affairs and
11128-589: 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 son William drowned in the White Ship disaster of 1120, throwing the royal succession into doubt. Henry took a second wife, Adeliza of Louvain , in the hope of having another son, but their marriage was childless. In response to this, he declared his daughter Matilda his heir and married her to Geoffrey of Anjou . The relationship between Henry and
11235-442: Was taken prisoner, but Bellême escaped. Henry mopped up the remaining resistance in Normandy, and Duke Robert ordered his last garrisons to surrender. Reaching Rouen, Henry reaffirmed the laws and customs of Normandy and took homage from the leading barons and citizens. The lesser prisoners taken at Tinchebray were released, but the Duke and several other leading nobles were imprisoned indefinitely. The Duke's son, William Clito ,
11342-499: Was the first to arrive in Rouen in November. Violence broke out, leading to savage, confused street fighting as both sides attempted to take control of the city. Robert and Henry left the castle to join the battle, but Robert then retreated, leaving Henry to continue the fighting. The battle turned in favour of the ducal forces and Henry took Conan prisoner. Henry was angry that Conan had turned against his feudal lord. He had him taken to
11449-517: Was unwilling to side openly with William Rufus, or because Robert might have taken the opportunity to confiscate Henry's inherited money if he had tried to leave. William Rufus sequestered Henry's new estates in England, leaving Henry landless. In 1088, Robert's plans for the invasion of England began to falter, and he turned to Henry, proposing that his brother lend him some of his inheritance, which Henry refused. Henry and Robert then came to an alternative arrangement, in which Robert would make Henry
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