STEPHEN and MATILDA - A Cruel Civil War 1135-1138 KING STEPHEN

(5) In 1127 it is said in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles that King Henry I, held his court at Christmas, in Windsor. There was David King of the Scots and all the headmen that were in England, learned and lewd. There, he engaged the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, and all the thegns (Norman Knights and free men) that were there to swear England and Normandy, after his death, into the hands of his daughter Matilda (Athelicia).

Afterward, Matilda, who was formerly the wife of the Emperor of Saxony, was sent by Henry, to Normandy. With her went, her brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester, and Brian, son of the Earl, Alan Fergan. Henry had arranged for her to wed the son of the Earl of Anjou, named Geoffrey Martel. All the French and English however, disapproved of this, but the King needed to forge an alliance with the Earl of Anjou, in order to have help, against his nephew, William Clito, who was the son of his brother Robert, the former Earl of Normandy.

After the tragedy of the White Ship in 1120, which took the life of Henry's son, the obvious male heir to England and Normandy was now, William Clito. Henry had been successful in writing his brother out of the succession, so he was not about to hand over the 'keys to the kingdom', to his brother's son. Henry needed to secure the throne and his only option was his daughter. But a woman on the throne of England. . .? Nevertheless, the barons swore an oath to recognize Henry's daughter, Matilda, as heir to her father's kingdom.

THE GREAT KING HENRY I

(4) Henry Beauclerc, youngest son of William the Conqueror, seized the throne of England just three days after the death of his brother, William Rufus, who had been killed whilst out hunting in the New Forest on 2nd August 1100.

On the day of William's death, Henry arrived at Winchester before the body of his brother arrived.  Winchester was where the Royal Treasure was kept.  He demanded the keys for the Royal Treasure from the guards, but the guards refused to hand them over, saying that Henry's eldest brother, Robert, was the rightful heir.  Henry drew his sword and demanded that no one shall stand between him and his father's sceptre. Resistance soon collapsed and when the peasants arrived with Rufus on a cart, the Lords were already electing Henry as the new King.  The first elected King since Harold Godwinson.  Henry's brother, Robert, was fighting abroad in the First Crusade.  With no time to waste, Henry was crowned King at Westminster Abbey on the 5th of August 1100.