Henry I of England

Henry I of England - reign 1100-1135

Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135.

Henry was the 4th son of William the Conqueror. It is interesting why his oldest son, Robert Curthose, was never king of England, but that is as they say - "complicated!".

According to John Gillingham ("The lives of the Kings and Queens of England" - edited by Antonia Fraser) Robert Curthose and William Rufus conspired againt Henry to disinherit him from succession. Robert had embarked on crusade and was returning at the time of Rufus' death in the New Forest.
He even implies that Henry may have had something to do with Rufus' death.

William Rufus was not a popular king while Henry proved to provide a stability to England during his reign. Curthose seemed to be more interested in partaking in the 1st crusade and accepted monies to fund that activity.

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Henry's "New Men"

In a similar manner to Roger of Salisbury ----- Walter de Beauchamp was one of Henry's "New Men".

Walter de Beauchamp was honoured by Henry I and appears in Orderic Vitalis in his Historia Ecclesiastica as a "Royal Forester". Walter's descendants became Earls of Warwick and had factions in Warwick and Bedford. The marriage of Roshe de Vere to Payne de Beauchamp, Baron of Bedford links Belchamp Walter to the de Beauchamp name.

" Henry's new men are considered by historians to be those men that rose to prominence during the reign of Henry I of England (reigned 1100–1135) and whose families had not previously been prominent in royal service.[1] "

Reading Simon Spensors "White Ship" I see:

" The chronicler Orderic Vitalis in his Historia Ecclesiastica said that Henry had "enobled others of base stock who had served him well, raised them, so to say, from the dust, and heaping all kinds of favours on them, stationed them above earls and famous constables."[2]
Orderic went on to mention a number of men that he considered "new men".[1] "

A Roger de Mowbray was also one of Henry's "New Men". Son of Nigel d'Aubigny.

Bishop Odo

William the Conqeuror's half brother.

Background to this page

Having seen some of my history pages being found by those making an Internet search I have decided to add a bit more context on how the pages came about.

The reference to King Henry I with repect to Belchamp Walter is through the de Beauchamps

Battle of Tinchebray - 1106

This battle is significant when you consider the development of the English Monarchy. After Conquest things were still pretty much "Norman" in England. Not only did William, still the Duke of Normandy as well as King of England, spend much of his time in the country of his birth, his youngest son, Henry I continued the conflict with his older brother Robert Curthose, who became Duke of Normandy after William's death.

" The Battle of Tinchebray (alternative spellings: Tinchebrai or Tenchebrai) took place on 28 September 1106, in Tinchebray (today in the Orne département of France), Normandy, between an invading force led by King Henry I of England, and the Norman army of his elder brother Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy.[2] Henry's knights won a decisive victory: they captured Robert, and Henry imprisoned him in England (in Devizes Castle) and then in Wales until Robert's death (in Cardiff Castle) in 1134.

The aftermath of Conquest

Henry I of England - reign 1100-1135

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