This is the story of the Norman dynasty after William the Conqueor and their divided realm. William the Conqueror's youngest son Henry was never destined to be king. On his father's death England and Normandy were carved up between his elder brothers William Rufus and Robert Curthose. Henry was left landless.
Yet 20 years later Henry was master of both. The death of his brother, now King William Rufus, shot while hunting with Henry, may have been an accident, but Henry certainly acted swiftly to seize the crown. The defeat and imprisonment for life of Robert was certainly not accidental. Contemporaries considered Henry a harsh yet effective ruler.
History has all but forgotten the achievements of his reign but it includes one of the great "what ifs" of history. Henry had always worked to truly unify his two realms and his only legitimate son, William Adelin, was integral to his plans. If William had not perished in the sinking of the White Ship, would England and Normandy still be united today?
Author(s): Teresa Cole
Publisher: Amberley Publishing
Year: 2018
Language: English
Pages: 304
City: Stroud
Tags: Henry I, King of England, 1068-1135; Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500; HISTORY -- Medieval; Great Britain -- History -- Henry I, 1100-1135; England -- Kings and rulers -- Biography;
Genealogy trees
Maps
1 - The Lion’s Cubs (1054–1087)
2 - King, Duke and Count (1087–1100)
3 - An Arrow in the Forest (August–December 1100)
4 - Robert the Hero (1101–1103)
5 - Church and State (1101–1107)
6 - The Conquest of Normandy (1102–1106)
7 - Lion of Justice (1106–1111)
8 - Prestige and Problems (1111–1120)
9 - All the King’s Children
10 - The White Ship and After (1120–1125)
11 - A Surfeit of Lampreys (1125–1135)
12 - The End of an Era
A Note on Sources
Select Bibliography
