Henry I
King of England and Duke of Normandy

This book presents the first comprehensive biography of Henry I, as well as an evocation of his court.

Judith A. Green (Author)

9780521591317, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 March 2006

406 pages, 1 b/w illus. 9 maps 9 tables
23.5 x 16 x 2.9 cm, 0.77 kg

'Henry I King of England and Duke of Normandy is a masterful and engrossing biography of one of England's most fascinating and perhaps least known monarchs. The author uses primary sources to excellent effect, enlivening and enriching the text with fascinating contemporary facts. There is a comprehensive biography, a set of family trees and even a diagram of the harbour of Barfleur, where the White Ship sank.' Rachel Bellerby, Suite101.com

This first comprehensive biography of Henry I, the youngest son of William the Conqueror and an elusive figure for historians, offers a rich and compelling account of his tumultuous life and reign. Judith Green argues that although Henry's primary concern was defence of his inheritance this did not preclude expansion where circumstances were propitious, notably into Welsh territory. His skilful dealings with the Scots permitted consolidation of Norman rule in the northern counties of England, while in Normandy every sinew was strained to defend frontiers through political alliances and stone castles. Green argues that although Henry's own outlook was essentially traditional, the legacy of this fascinating and ruthless personality included some fundamentally important developments in governance. She also sheds light on Henry's court, suggesting that it made an important contribution to the flowering of court culture throughout twelfth-century Europe.

Introduction: a surfeit of lampreys
1. 'Born in the purple'
2. 'By the grace of God, king of the English'
3. Testing times, 1101–3
4. The conquest of Normandy, 1104–7
5. Reform and reconstruction, 1107–8
6. Defence of his dominions, 1108–15
7. Triumph and disaster, 1116–20
8. Surviving the wreck, 1120–4
9. Matilda and the succession, 1125–8
10. Rescuing the marriage, 1129–35
11. The ruler
12. 'Guardian of the church'
13. The court and court culture
Conclusion: 'once the peace and glory of the world'.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], British & Irish history [HBJD1], European history [HBJD]