Henry was the fourth son of William the Conqueror. He used the conflicts of his elder brothers, Robert Duke of Normandy and William Rufus to his own advantage by changing sides when he pleased. This displeased his brothers, and even though they had their differences, neither wanted Henry to become King of England or Duke of Normandy. To ensure this, they signed a treaty at Caen stating that if either of them died without producing an heir, they would be succeeded by the other.

Claiming the throne

The death of William Rufus came just at the right time for Henry to claim the English throne for himself. Duke Robert was returning from Crusade and was not in a position to oppose Henry's claim to the throne. When the news of William's accidental death in the New Forest reached him, Henry hurried to Winchester to demand the keys to the royal crown and other royal treasures. The treasurer William De Bretevil refused to admit him, reminding Henry of the treaty signed in Cean by his elder brothers Robert and William Rufus. Under threat of death, the treasurer handed over the keys. On 5th of August, 1100 only three days after his brother's death, Henry was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

As King of England

Henry's first main problem was the threat of invasion by his brother Robert from Normandy. The last thing Henry needed was to have any distractions in the north of England and so on 11/12 November 1100 Henry married Matilda of Scotland the daughter of Malcolm III, king of the Scots. When Henry's elder brother Robert returned from the Crusades he began his plans to invade England. Robert landed at Portsmouth in July 1101 but was unable was make any headway and a treaty was signed allowing Henry to remain as king of England as long as he paid Robert an annual fee for the privilege.

Conflict at home

Robert of Belleme, Earl of Shrewsbury, was a powerful Norman baron who controlled castles in the Welsh Marches and the important castle at Arundel. Robert had rebelled against William Rufus and could not be trusted. In 1102 Henry captured the Earl's castles and exiled him to Normandy.

Normandy

In 1105 Henry invaded Normandy. His aim was to remove his brother whose incompetent rule was bringing Normandy under threat from invasion from its neighbours. It wasn't until September 1106 at the battle of Tinchebrai that Henry finally defeated Robert. Robert was captured along with Belleme and both spent the remainder of their lives as prisoners. For the rest of his reign, Henry not only had to guard his English lands from invasion but also Normandy as well.

Succession worries

Henry's plans for a united realm of England and Normandy by marrying his son William Audelin to the daughter of Count Fulk of Anjou, came to grief in 1120. Whilst attempting what should have been an easy crossing of the channel, William's ship called the White Ship ran aground and the prince was drowned. Henry was a widower and although he remarried after the death of William, he had no more children. Henry only had one other ligitimate child, Matilda. Matilda had been married at the age of eight to Henry V, the German Emperor, but he died in 1126, and Matilda returned to her father's side. Concerned that he had no male heir, Henry asked the Barons to agree that Matilda should become queen after his death. He then married Matilda to the heir of Anjou, Geoffrey. The Norman barons were not happy with this. They did not want either a female ruler or a ruler from Anjou. When Henry died in 1135 the control of his kingdom was in dispute and it led to civil war.

Previous monarch: William II 'Rufus'

Next monarch: Stephen

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