143-695: Corfe Castle is a fortification standing above the village of the same name on the Isle of Purbeck peninsula in the English county of Dorset . Built by William the Conqueror , the castle dates to the 11th century and commands a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage . The first phase was one of the earliest castles in England to be built at least partly using stone when
286-698: A French ambassador, he was arrested and imprisoned. Rebellions broke out in France and Anjou between 1111 and 1113, and Henry crossed into Normandy to support his nephew, Count Theobald II, Count of Champagne , who had sided against Louis in the uprising. In a bid to isolate Louis diplomatically, Henry betrothed his young son, William Adelin, to Fulk's daughter Matilda , and married his illegitimate daughter Matilda to Duke Conan III of Brittany , creating alliances with Anjou and Brittany respectively. Louis backed down and in March 1113 met with Henry near Gisors to agree
429-700: A borough electing two Members of Parliament (MPs). In the 17th and 18th centuries, with the Bankes's owning much of the property and thereby controlling most of the votes, the town was a rotten borough . The Bankes family was able to ensure that at least one of the MPs returned to the House of Commons was a member of the family or a Bankes nominee. The Reform Act 1832 abolished the rotten boroughs, and Corfe lost its direct representation. The village and castle were part of Corfe Castle hundred . The parish later formed part of
572-508: A claim under the right of porphyrogeniture . Tempers flared, but Henry, supported by Henry de Beaumont and Robert of Meulan, held sway and persuaded the barons to follow him. He occupied Winchester Castle and seized the royal treasury. Henry was hastily crowned king in Westminster Abbey on 5 August by Maurice , the bishop of London , as Anselm , the archbishop of Canterbury , had been exiled by William Rufus, and Thomas ,
715-571: A dowry of £6,666 from England and Normandy. Raising this money proved challenging, and required the implementation of a special "aid", or tax, in England. Matilda was crowned German queen in 1110. Henry responded to the French and Angevin threat by expanding his own network of supporters beyond the Norman borders. Some Norman barons deemed unreliable were arrested or dispossessed, and Henry used their forfeited estates to bribe his potential allies in
858-665: A fleet, ready to move against Henry in England. Raising the stakes in the conflict, Henry seized Flambard's lands and, with the support of Anselm, Flambard was removed from his position as bishop. The King held court in April and June, where the nobility renewed their oaths of allegiance to him, but their support still appeared partial and shaky. With the invasion imminent, Henry mobilised his forces and fleet outside Pevensey , close to Robert's anticipated landing site, training some of them personally in how to counter cavalry charges. Despite English levies and knights owing military service to
1001-420: A judgement that Anselm then affirmed, allowing the marriage to proceed. Matilda proved an effective queen for Henry, acting as a regent in England on occasion, addressing and presiding over councils, and extensively supporting the arts. The couple soon had two children, Matilda , born in 1102, and William Adelin , born in 1103; it is possible that they also had a second son, Richard, who died young. Following
1144-577: A large area of heathland stretching as far as the southern shore of Poole Harbour , where Furzey , Green , Long and Round little islands also form part of the parish. To the north west on a clear day, the Mendip Hills in Somerset can be seen in the distance from the castle. The village is constructed almost entirely from the local grey Purbeck limestone and comprises two main streets, East Street and West Street, linked at their north end at
1287-561: A major rebellion in the Duchy between 1116 and 1119. Following Henry's victory at the Battle of Brémule , a favourable peace settlement was agreed with Louis in 1120. Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler, Henry skilfully manipulated the barons in England and Normandy. In England, he drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice, local government and taxation, but also strengthened it with more institutions, including
1430-493: A negotiated settlement that confirmed Henry as king. The peace was short-lived, and Henry invaded the Duchy of Normandy in 1105 and 1106, finally defeating Robert at the Battle of Tinchebray . Henry kept Robert imprisoned for the rest of his life. Henry's control of Normandy was challenged by Louis VI of France , Baldwin VII of Flanders and Fulk V of Anjou , who promoted the rival claims of Robert's son, William Clito , and supported
1573-613: A negotiated surrender. He left for Brittany and crossed over into France. Henry's next steps are not well documented; one chronicler, Orderic Vitalis , suggests that he travelled in the French Vexin, along the Normandy border, for over a year with a small band of followers. By the end of the year, Robert and William Rufus had fallen out once again, and the Treaty of Rouen had been abandoned. In 1092, Henry and his followers seized
SECTION 10
#17327809344261716-515: A new bishop with his staff and ring: traditionally, this had been carried out by the King in a symbolic demonstration of royal power, but Pope Urban II had condemned this practice in 1099, arguing that only the papacy could carry out this task, and declaring that the clergy should not give homage to their local temporal rulers. Anselm returned to England from exile in 1100 having heard Urban's pronouncement, and informed Henry that he would be complying with
1859-563: A papal court, beyond royal control. Henry needed the support of the Papacy in his struggle with Louis of France, however, and therefore allowed Thurstan to attend the Council of Rheims in 1119, where Thurstan was then consecrated by the Pope with no mention of any duty towards Canterbury. Henry believed that this went against assurances Thurstan had previously made and exiled him from England until
2002-616: A peace settlement, giving Henry the disputed fortresses and confirming Henry's overlordship of Maine, Bellême and Brittany. Meanwhile, the situation in Wales was deteriorating. Henry had conducted a campaign in South Wales in 1108, pushing out royal power in the region and colonising the area around Pembroke with Flemings. By 1114, some of the resident Norman lords were under attack, while in Mid-Wales, Owain ap Cadwgan blinded one of
2145-483: A ready supply of building material, and its stones were reused by the villagers. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the Bankes family regained their properties. Rather than rebuild or replace the ruined castle they chose to build a new house at Kingston Lacy on their other Dorset estate near Wimborne Minster . The first archaeological excavations were carried out in 1883. No further archaeological work
2288-435: A reputation for punishing those barons who stood against him, and he maintained an effective network of informers and spies who reported to him on events. Henry was a harsh, firm ruler, but not excessively so by the standards of the day. Over time, he increased the degree of his control over the barons, removing his enemies and bolstering his friends until the "reconstructed baronage", as historian Warren Hollister describes it,
2431-399: A result of their age differences and Richard's early death, Henry would have probably seen relatively little of his older brothers. He probably knew his sister Adela well, as the two were close in age. There is little documentary evidence for his early years; historians Warren Hollister and Kathleen Thompson suggest he was brought up predominantly in England, while Judith Green argues he
2574-468: A scapegoat for the King's death. Henry rode to Winchester, where an argument ensued as to who now had the best claim to the throne. William of Breteuil championed the rights of Robert, who was still abroad, returning from the Crusade, and to whom Henry and the barons had given homage in previous years. Henry argued that, unlike Robert, he had been born to a reigning king and queen, thereby giving him
2717-478: A series of alliances against Robert with barons in Normandy and neighbouring Ponthieu. Robert allied himself with Philip I of France . In late 1090 William Rufus encouraged Conan Pilatus, a powerful burgher in Rouen, to rebel against Robert; Conan was supported by most of Rouen and made appeals to the neighbouring ducal garrisons to switch allegiance as well. Robert issued an appeal for help to his barons, and Henry
2860-494: A series of plans of the castle; the documents are the oldest surviving survey of the castle. The castle was bought by Sir John Bankes , Attorney General to Charles I , in 1635. The English Civil War broke out in 1642, and by 1643 most of Dorset was under Parliamentarian control. While Bankes was in Oxford with the king, his men held Corfe Castle in the royal cause. During this time his wife, Lady Mary Bankes , resided at
3003-479: A wider range of candidates into the senior positions of the Church, often with more reformist views, and the impact of this generation would be felt in the years after Henry's death. Like other rulers of the period, Henry donated to the Church and patronised several religious communities, but contemporary chroniclers did not consider him an unusually pious king. His personal beliefs and piety may have developed during
SECTION 20
#17327809344263146-459: A wider range of these bishops as advisors – particularly Roger of Salisbury – breaking with the earlier tradition of relying primarily on the Archbishop of Canterbury. The result was a cohesive body of administrators through which Henry could exercise careful influence, holding general councils to discuss key matters of policy. This stability shifted slightly after 1125, when he began to inject
3289-496: A year for life; if either brother died without a male heir, the other would inherit his lands; the barons whose lands had been seized by either the King or the Duke for supporting his rival would have them returned, and Flambard would be reinstated as bishop; the two brothers would campaign together to defend their territories in Normandy. Robert remained in England for a few months more with Henry before returning to Normandy. Despite
3432-400: Is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset . It is the site of a ruined castle of the same name . The village and castle stand over a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage . The village lies in the gap below the castle and is around four miles (6.4 km) south-east of Wareham, and four miles (6.4 km) north-northwest of Swanage. Both
3575-521: Is also a Scheduled Monument , a "nationally important" historic building and archaeological site which has been given protection against unauthorised change. The earthworks known as "The Rings", thought to be the remains of a 12th-century motte-and-bailey castle built during a siege of Corfe, are also scheduled. In 2006, Corfe Castle was the National Trust's tenth most-visited historic property with 173,829 visitors. According to figures released by
3718-644: Is part of the South East Purbeck ward which elects 1 member to Dorset Council . In the 2011 census Corfe Castle civil parish had 738 dwellings, 612 households and a population of 1,355. The main route through the village is East Street which forms part of the A351 main road taking traffic to Wareham in the north and Swanage in the south. Separating the two streets is an area of common land called "the Halves". Corfe Castle railway station lies to
3861-464: Is protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument . Corfe Castle was built on a steep hill in a gap in a long line of chalk hills, created by two streams eroding the rock on either side. The name Corfe derives from the Old English ceorfan , meaning 'a cutting', referring to the gap. The construction of the medieval castle means that little is known about previous activity on
4004-422: The Battle of Tinchebray took place, probably on 28 September. The battle lasted around an hour, and began with a charge by Duke Robert's cavalry; the infantry and dismounted knights of both sides then joined the battle. Henry's reserves, led by Elias I, Count of Maine , and Alan IV, Duke of Brittany , attacked the enemy's flanks, routing first Bellême's troops and then the bulk of the ducal forces. Duke Robert
4147-715: The District of Purbeck . It is within the South Dorset constituency of the House of Commons . Prior to Brexit in 2020 it was in the South West England constituency of the European Parliament . There is an electoral ward called Castle which is based on the village, but this includes Studland and the intermediate areas. The total population of Castle ward is 1,780. After 2019 structural changes to local government in England , Corfe Castle
4290-811: The Durotriges tribe. Evidence suggests that the tribe co-existed with the Romans in a trading relationship following the Roman invasion c. 50 AD. King Edward the Martyr was murdered in Corfe on the evening of 18 March 978. In the Middle Ages there was a considerable marble carving and stone cutting industry in the village. Purbeck stone was shipped all round the country from Ower Quay in Poole harbour . In
4433-633: The Gloriette in the inner bailey was built. The Pipe Rolls , records of royal expenditure, show that between 1201 and 1204 over £750 was spent at the castle, probably on rebuilding the defences of the west bailey with £275 spent on constructing the Gloriette. The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England noted the link between periods of unrest and building at Corfe. In the early years of his reign, John lost Normandy to
Corfe Castle - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-518: The Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The royal forest of Purbeck , where William the Conqueror enjoyed hunting, was established in the area. Between 1066 and 1087, William established 36 such castles in England. The castle stood 21 m (69 ft) tall atop a 55 m (180 ft) high hill. Sitting as it does on a hill top, Corfe Castle is one of the classic images of a medieval castle. However, despite popular imagination, occupying
4719-501: The Tower of London and charged with corruption. The late king had left many Church positions unfilled, and Henry set about nominating candidates to these, in an effort to build further support for his new government. The appointments needed to be consecrated, and Henry wrote to Anselm, apologising for having been crowned while the archbishop was still in France and asking him to return at once. On 11 November 1100 Henry married Matilda ,
4862-714: The Wars of the Roses Henry Beaufort and his army marched from the castle destined for the Battle of Wakefield . During the march the army split at Exeter so the cavalry could reach the north quicker, and on 16 December 1460 some of his men became embroiled in the Battle of Worksop , Nottinghamshire . Beaufort and the Lancastrians won the skirmish. The castle remained a royal fortress until sold by Elizabeth I in 1572 to her Lord Chancellor , Sir Christopher Hatton . Ralph Treswell, Hatton's steward, drafted
5005-591: The White Tower . Michael de la Pole, 1st Earl of Suffolk , was kept imprisoned at Corfe for a few weeks in November 1386 after being impeached by the Wonderful Parliament . On 10th December 1450, Corfe was ransacked by the tenants of Richard, Duke of York , as the castle had served as the chief residence for his political rival, Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset . In December 1460, during
5148-410: The archbishop of York , was in the north of England at Ripon . In accordance with English tradition and in a bid to legitimise his rule, Henry issued a coronation charter laying out various commitments. The new king presented himself as having restored order to a trouble-torn country. He announced that he would abandon William Rufus's policies towards the Church, which had been seen as oppressive by
5291-472: The county of Maine , but refused to recognise Henry as his feudal lord and instead allied himself with Louis. Robert II of Flanders also briefly joined the alliance, before his death in 1111. In 1108, Henry betrothed his six-year-old daughter, Matilda, to Henry V , the future Holy Roman Emperor . For King Henry, this was a prestigious match; for Henry V, it was an opportunity to restore his financial situation and fund an expedition to Italy, as he received
5434-419: The 18th century, ball clay quarrying developed as an industry in the village. By the middle of the century, with the arrival of William Pike – a merchant from Devon, activity expanded significantly. In 1791 Pike signed a five-year contract with Josiah Wedgwood to supply 1,200 tons of clay and search for further deposits. From the 1796 Corfe Castle Census of the 96 men involved in local industries and living in
5577-459: The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, the number of visitors in 2019 had risen to over 259,000. Corfe Castle is roughly triangular and divided into three parts, known as enclosures or wards. Enclosed in the 11th century, the inner ward contained the castle's keep, also known as a donjon or great tower, which was built partly on the enclosure's curtain wall. It is uncertain when
5720-506: The Church arriving in considerable numbers, many of his barons did not appear. Anselm intervened with some of the doubters, emphasising the religious importance of their loyalty to Henry. Robert unexpectedly landed further up the coast at Portsmouth on 20 July with a modest force of a few hundred men, but these were quickly joined by many of the barons in England. Instead of marching into nearby Winchester and seizing Henry's treasury, Robert paused, giving Henry time to march west and intercept
5863-455: The Church. He was a keen supporter of the Cluniac order , probably for intellectual reasons. He donated money to the abbey at Cluny itself, and after 1120 gave generously to Reading Abbey , a Cluniac establishment. Construction on Reading began in 1121, and Henry endowed it with rich lands and extensive privileges, making it a symbol of his dynastic lines. He also focused effort on promoting
Corfe Castle - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-530: The Conqueror had reformed the English Church with the support of his Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc , who became a close colleague and advisor to the King. Under William Rufus this arrangement had collapsed, the King and Archbishop Anselm had become estranged and Anselm had gone into exile. Henry also believed in Church reform, but on taking power in England he became embroiled in the investiture controversy . The argument concerned who should invest
6149-419: The Conqueror; the survey explicitly mentions seven people as having built castles, of whom William was the most prolific. In the early 12th century, Henry I began the construction of a stone keep at Corfe. Progressing at a rate of 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 ft) per year for the best part of a decade, the work began in around 1096 or 1097 and was complete by 1105. The chalk of the hill Corfe Castle
6292-611: The Cotentin and allied himself with William Rufus against Robert. Present in England with his brother William when William died in a hunting accident, Henry seized the English throne, promising at his coronation to correct many of William's less popular policies. He married Matilda of Scotland and they had two surviving children, Empress Matilda and William Adelin ; he also had many illegitimate children by his numerous mistresses. Robert, who invaded from Normandy in 1101, disputed Henry's control of England; this military campaign ended in
6435-515: The Duchy and England, to find that William Rufus had crossed the Channel and been crowned king. The two brothers disagreed fundamentally over the inheritance, and Robert soon began to plan an invasion of England to seize the kingdom, helped by a rebellion by some of the leading nobles against William Rufus. Henry remained in Normandy and took up a role within Robert's court, possibly either because he
6578-430: The Duchy. Robert's invasion force failed to leave Normandy, leaving William Rufus secure in England. Henry quickly established himself as count, building up a network of followers from western Normandy and eastern Brittany, whom the historian John Le Patourel has characterised as "Henry's gang". His early supporters included Roger of Mandeville, Richard of Redvers, Richard d'Avranches and Robert Fitzhamon , along with
6721-416: The Duke and accused him of siding with his enemies, before returning to England. Normandy continued to disintegrate into chaos. In 1105, Henry sent his friend Robert Fitzhamon and a force of knights into the Duchy, apparently to provoke a confrontation with Duke Robert. Fitzhamon was captured, and Henry used this as an excuse to invade, promising to restore peace and order. Henry had the support of most of
6864-441: The Duke of Normandy. William Rufus began to support Henry with money, encouraging his campaign against Robert, and Henry used some of this to construct a substantial castle at Domfront. William Rufus crossed into Normandy to take the war to Robert in 1094, and when progress stalled, called upon Henry for assistance. Henry responded, but travelled to London instead of joining the main campaign further east in Normandy, possibly at
7007-552: The French throne in 1108 and began to reassert central royal power. Louis demanded Henry give homage to him and that two disputed castles along the Normandy border be placed into the control of neutral castellans. Henry refused, and Louis responded by mobilising an army. After some arguments, the two kings negotiated a truce and retreated without fighting, leaving the underlying issues unresolved. Fulk V assumed power in Anjou in 1109 and began to rebuild Angevin authority. He inherited
7150-622: The French, and further building work at Corfe coincided with the political disturbances later in his reign. At least £500 was spent between 1212 and 1214 and may have been focused on the defences of the outer bailey. R. Allen Brown noted that in John's reign "it would seem that though a fortress of the first order might cost more than £7,000, a medium castle of reasonable strength might be built for less than £2,000". The Pipe Rolls show that John spent over £17,000 on 95 castles during his reign spread; he spent over £500 at nine of them, of which Corfe
7293-573: The German TV thriller At the End of the Silence [ de ] based on the novel by Charlotte Link . An episode of Mary Queen of Shops centred on Mary Portas revamping the village's convenience store. Featured in the time-slip novel, The Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine . Henry I of England Henry I ( c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc ,
SECTION 50
#17327809344267436-601: The King and Archbishop came to a negotiated solution the following year. Even after the investiture dispute, Henry continued to play a major role in the selection of new English and Norman bishops and archbishops. He appointed many of his officials to bishoprics and, as historian Martin Brett suggests, "some of his officers could look forward to a mitre with all but absolute confidence". Henry's chancellors, and those of his queens, became bishops of Durham, Hereford, London, Lincoln, Winchester and Salisbury. Henry increasingly drew on
7579-537: The King instead began peace discussions with Robert. The negotiations were inconclusive and the fighting dragged on until Christmas, when Henry returned to England. Henry invaded again in July 1106, hoping to provoke a decisive battle. After some initial tactical successes, he turned south-west towards the castle of Tinchebray . He besieged the castle and Duke Robert, supported by Robert of Bellême, advanced from Falaise to relieve it. After attempts at negotiation failed,
7722-572: The King temporary custody of his part of the Duchy in exchange. The King appeared confident of regaining the remainder of Normandy from Robert, and Henry appeared ever closer to William Rufus. They campaigned together in the Norman Vexin between 1097 and 1098. On the afternoon of 2 August 1100, King William Rufus went hunting in the New Forest , accompanied by a team of huntsmen and Norman nobility, including Henry. An arrow, possibly shot by
7865-400: The King's sheriffs in the shires. Itinerant justices began to emerge under Henry, travelling around the country managing eyre courts , and many more laws were formally recorded. Henry gathered increasing revenue from the expansion of royal justice, both from fines and from fees. The first Pipe Roll that is known to have survived dates from 1130, recording royal expenditures. Henry reformed
8008-528: The Norman border were particularly important to maintaining the stability of the Duchy. Henry ruled through the barons and lords in England and Normandy, whom he manipulated skilfully for political effect. Political friendships, termed amicitia in Latin, were important during the 12th century, and Henry maintained a wide range of these, mediating between his friends in factions across his realm when necessary, and rewarding those who were loyal to him. He also had
8151-526: The Norman border. Henry attempted to win over other members of the Norman nobility and gave other English estates and lucrative offers to key Norman lords. Duke Robert continued to fight Robert of Bellême, but the Duke's position worsened, until by 1104, he had to ally himself formally with Bellême to survive. Arguing that the Duke had broken the terms of their treaty, the King crossed over the Channel to Domfront, where he met with senior barons from across Normandy, eager to ally themselves with him. He confronted
8294-412: The Norman tradition, distinguishing between Normandy, which he had inherited, and England, which he had acquired through war. William's second son, Richard, had died in a hunting accident, leaving Henry and his two brothers to inherit William's estate. Robert, the eldest, despite being in armed rebellion against his father at the time of his death, received Normandy. England was given to William Rufus, who
8437-439: The Normandy town of Domfront . Domfront had previously been controlled by Robert of Bellême , but the inhabitants disliked his rule and invited Henry to take over the town, which he did in a bloodless coup. Over the next two years, Henry re-established his network of supporters across western Normandy, forming what Judith Green terms a "court in waiting". By 1094, he was allocating lands and castles to his followers as if he were
8580-456: The Pope's wishes. Henry was in a difficult position. On one hand, the symbolism and homage was important to him; on the other hand, he needed Anselm's support in his struggle with his brother Duke Robert. Anselm stuck firmly to the letter of the papal decree, despite Henry's attempts to persuade him to give way in return for a vague assurance of a future royal compromise. Matters escalated, with Anselm going back into exile and Henry confiscating
8723-473: The Square. The National Trust runs a shop and a tearoom in the village, both are Grade II listed buildings . The Corfe Model Village, located on the village square, is a 1 ⁄ 20 scale model that shows what the castle and village would have looked like in 1646 before the castle was slighted . Within the Church of St. Edward is an alabaster reredos inset with carvings in white marble, designed by
SECTION 60
#17327809344268866-428: The baron Walter Tirel, hit and killed William Rufus. Many conspiracy theories have been put forward suggesting that the King was killed deliberately; most modern historians reject these, as hunting was a risky activity and such accidents were common. Chaos broke out, and Tirel fled the scene for France, either because he had shot the fatal arrow, or because he had been incorrectly accused and feared that he would be made
9009-530: The birth of these children, Matilda preferred to remain based in Westminster while Henry travelled across England and Normandy, either for religious reasons or because she enjoyed being involved in the machinery of royal governance. Henry had a considerable sexual appetite and enjoyed a substantial number of sexual partners, resulting in many illegitimate children, at least nine sons and 13 daughters, many of whom he appears to have recognised and supported. It
9152-430: The castle with their children. Parliamentarian forces planned to infiltrate the castle's garrison by joining a hunting party from the garrison on a May Day hunt; however they were unsuccessful. The Parliamentarians gave orders that anyone joining the garrison would have their house burned and that no supplies were to reach the castle. Initially defended by just five people, Lady Bankes was able to get food through and swell
9295-436: The castle, and the keep was re-opened to visitors in 2008, and the work completed the following year. During the restoration work, an "appearance" door was found in the keep, designed for Henry I. The National Trust claims that this indicates that the castle would have been one of the most important in England at the time. The castle is a Grade I listed building , and recognised as an internationally important structure. It
9438-434: The castle, giving it its present appearance. In the 17th century many castles in England were in a state of decline, but the war saw them pressed into use as fortresses one more time. Parliament ordered the slighting of many of these fortifications, but the solidity of their walls meant that complete demolition was often impracticable. A minority were repaired after the war, but most were left as ruins. Corfe Castle provided
9581-594: The castle. The children's author Enid Blyton spent time in the area, and some of her adventure stories like The Famous Five (Kirrin Island) featured castles that were said to be based on Corfe Castle. In 1957 the Children's Film Foundation (CFF) film "Five on a Treasure Island" was filmed in and around Corfe Castle, Corfe Castle Village and the Jurassic Coast (Durdle Door and Stairhole at Lulworth Cove). Corfe
9724-401: The churchman Roger of Salisbury . Robert attempted to go back on his deal with Henry and re-appropriate the county, but Henry's grip was already sufficiently firm to prevent this. Robert's rule of the duchy was chaotic, and parts of Henry's lands became almost independent of central control from Rouen. During this period, neither William nor Robert seems to have trusted Henry. Waiting until
9867-459: The clergy; he promised to prevent royal abuses of the barons' property rights, and assured a return to the gentler customs of Edward the Confessor ; he asserted that he would "establish a firm peace" across England and ordered "that this peace shall henceforth be kept". As well as his existing circle of supporters, many of whom were richly rewarded with new lands, Henry quickly co-opted many of
10010-402: The coinage in 1107, 1108 and in 1125, inflicting harsh corporal punishments to English coiners who had been found guilty of debasing the currency. In Normandy, he restored law and order after 1106, operating through a body of Norman justices and an exchequer system similar to that in England. Norman institutions grew in scale and scope under Henry, although less quickly than in England. Many of
10153-540: The conversion of communities of clerks into Augustinian canons, the foundation of leper hospitals , expanding the provision of nunneries, and the charismatic orders of the Savigniacs and Tironensians . He was an avid collector of relics, sending an embassy to Constantinople in 1118 to collect Byzantine items, some of which were donated to Reading Abbey. Normandy faced an increased threat from France, Anjou and Flanders after 1108. Louis VI of France succeeded to
10296-435: The count of the Cotentin. In early 1091, William Rufus invaded Normandy with a sufficiently large army to bring Robert to the negotiating table. The two brothers signed a treaty at Rouen, granting William Rufus a range of lands and castles in Normandy. In return, William Rufus promised to support Robert's attempts to regain control of the neighbouring county of Maine, once under Norman control, and help in regaining control over
10439-534: The count of western Normandy, in exchange for £3,000. Henry's lands were a new countship created by a delegation of the ducal authority in the Cotentin , but it extended across the Avranchin , with control over the bishoprics of both. This also gave Henry influence over two major Norman leaders, Hugh d'Avranches and Richard de Redvers , and the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel , whose lands spread out further across
10582-466: The county of the Cotentin. Henry was held there over the winter, but in the spring of 1089 the senior elements of the Normandy nobility prevailed upon Robert to release him. Although no longer formally the Count of Cotentin, Henry continued to control the west of Normandy. The struggle between his brothers continued. William Rufus continued to put down resistance to his rule in England, but began to build
10725-553: The couple became strained, and fighting broke out along the border with Anjou . Henry died on 1 December 1135 after a week of illness. Despite his plans for Matilda, the King was succeeded by his nephew Stephen of Blois , resulting in a period of civil war known as the Anarchy . Henry was probably born in England in 1068, in either the summer or the last weeks of the year, possibly in the town of Selby in Yorkshire . His father
10868-439: The course of his life; Henry had always taken an interest in religion, but in his later years he may have become much more concerned about spiritual affairs. If so, the major shifts in his thinking would appear to have occurred after 1120, when his son William Adelin died, and 1129, when his daughter's marriage teetered on the verge of collapse. As a proponent of religious reform, Henry gave extensively to reformist groups within
11011-453: The court from pillaging neighbouring villages, as had been the norm under William Rufus. Henry was responsible for a substantial expansion of the royal justice system. In England, Henry drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice, local government and taxes , but strengthened it with more central governmental institutions. Roger of Salisbury began to develop the royal exchequer after 1110, using it to collect and audit revenues from
11154-504: The daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland , in Westminster Abbey . Henry was now around 31 years old, but late marriages for noblemen were not unusual in the 11th century. The pair had probably first met earlier the previous decade, possibly being introduced through Bishop Osmund of Salisbury. Historian Warren Hollister argues that Henry and Matilda were emotionally close, but their union was also certainly politically motivated. Matilda had originally been named Edith, an Anglo-Saxon name, and
11297-510: The defence of the castle when it was twice besieged by Parliamentarian forces . The first siege, in 1643, was unsuccessful, but by 1645 Corfe was one of the last remaining royalist strongholds in southern England and fell to a siege ending in an assault. In March that year Corfe Castle was slighted on Parliament's orders. Owned by the National Trust , the castle is open to the public and in 2018 received around 237,000 visitors. It
11440-439: The duchy, including Henry's lands. They nominated each other as heirs to England and Normandy, excluding Henry from any succession while either one of them lived. War now broke out between Henry and his brothers. Henry mobilised a mercenary army in the west of Normandy, but as William Rufus and Robert's forces advanced, his network of baronial support melted away. Henry focused his remaining forces at Mont Saint-Michel, where he
11583-539: The east of East Street, adjacent to the village centre. Originally the only intermediate station on the London and South Western Railway 's branch line from Wareham to Swanage, the station is now a stop on the Swanage Railway , a steam locomotive operated heritage railway . The railway links the tourist centres of Corfe Castle and Swanage with each other, and with a Park and Ride site at Norden station just to
11726-399: The eldest son would inherit a title, was growing in popularity. In other parts of Europe, including Normandy and England, the tradition was for lands to be divided, with the eldest son taking patrimonial lands – usually considered to be the most valuable – and younger sons given smaller, or more recently acquired, partitions or estates. In dividing his lands, William appears to have followed
11869-407: The entire Bankes estate to the National Trust , including Corfe Castle, much of the village of Corfe, the family home at Kingston Lacy , and substantial property and land holdings elsewhere in the area. In mid-2006, the dangerous condition of the keep caused it to be closed to visitors, who could only visit the walls and inner bailey. The National Trust undertook an extensive conservation project on
12012-471: The entry, which reads "Of the manor of Kingston the King has one hide on which he built Wareham castle", is thought to refer to Corfe rather than the timber castle at Wareham . There are 48 castles directly mentioned in the Domesday Book, although not all those in existence at the time were recorded. Assuming that Corfe is the castle in question, it is one of four the Domesday Book attributes to William
12155-620: The evidence to support this theory is limited. By early 1101, Henry's new regime was established and functioning, but many of the Anglo-Norman elite still supported his brother Robert, or would be prepared to switch sides if Robert appeared likely to gain power in England. In February, Flambard escaped from the Tower of London and crossed the Channel to Normandy, where he injected fresh direction and energy to Robert's attempts to mobilise an invasion force. By July, Robert had formed an army and
12298-399: The existing administration into his new royal household. William Giffard , William Rufus's chancellor, was made the bishop of Winchester , and the prominent sheriffs Urse d'Abetot , Haimo Dapifer and Robert Fitzhamon continued to play a senior role in government. By contrast, the unpopular Ranulf Flambard , the bishop of Durham and a key member of the previous regime, was imprisoned in
12441-514: The famous Victorian architect George Edmund Street R.A. , which was presented by Lord Eldon in 1876. A cross in the square commemorates Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee of 1897. Next to the cross is a defunct village pump , bearing the village's arms. Mortons House Hotel , a Grade II* listed building, was built in 1590 and is one of the most notable buildings in the village. Corfe Castle Town Hall , also Grade II listed, in West Street,
12584-496: The garrison to 80. The Parliamentarian forces numbered between 500 and 600 and began a more thorough siege; it went on for six weeks until Lady Bankes was relieved by Royalist forces. During the siege the defenders suffered two casualties while there were at least 100 deaths among the besieging force. The Parliamentarians were in the ascendency so that by 1645 Corfe Castle was one of a few remaining strongholds in southern England that remained under royal control. Consequently, it
12727-493: The guardian of the troubled Duchy. Henry inherited the kingdom of England from William Rufus, giving him a claim of suzerainty over Wales and Scotland , and acquired the Duchy of Normandy , a complex entity with troubled borders. The borders between England and Scotland were still uncertain during Henry's reign, with Anglo-Norman influence pushing northwards through Cumbria , but his relationship with King David I of Scotland
12870-401: The highest point in the landscape was not the typical position of a medieval castle. In England, a minority are located on hilltops, but most are in valleys; many were near important transport routes such as river crossings. Unusually for castles built in the 11th century, Corfe was partially constructed from stone indicating it was of particularly high status. A stone wall was built around
13013-520: The hill top, creating an inner ward or enclosure. There were two further enclosures: one to the west, and one that extended south (the outer bailey); in contrast to the inner bailey, these were surrounded by palisades made from timber. At the time, the vast majority of castles in England were built using earth and timber, and it was not until the 12th century that many began to be rebuilt in stone. The Domesday Book of 1086 records one castle in Dorset;
13156-448: The hill. We know from contemporary writing that Anglo-Saxon nobility treated it as a residence, such as Queen Ælfthryth, wife of Edgar , and there are postholes belonging to a Saxon hall on the site. This hall may be where the boy-king Edward the Martyr was assassinated in 978; contemporaries tell us that he went to the castle at Corfe to visit Ælfthryth and his brother. A castle was founded at Corfe on England's south coast soon after
13299-469: The invasion force. The two armies met at Alton, Hampshire , where peace negotiations began, possibly initiated by either Henry or Robert, and probably supported by Flambard. The brothers then agreed to the Treaty of Alton , under which Robert released Henry from his oath of homage and recognised him as king; Henry renounced his claims on western Normandy, except for Domfront, and agreed to pay Robert £2,000
13442-403: The keep was built though dates of around 1100–1130 have been suggested, placing it within the reign of Henry I. Attached to the keep's west face is a forebuilding containing a stair through which the great tower was entered. On the south side is an extension with a guardroom and a chapel. The two attachments postdate the construction of the keep itself, but were built soon after. To the east of
13585-466: The keep within the inner ward is a building known as the gloriette . Only ruins are left of the gloriette which was probably built by King John. The remains of the west bailey, the stone wall with three towers, date from 1202 to 1204 when it was refortified. It resembles the bailey of Château Gaillard in Normandy , France, built for Richard I in 1198. Corfe Castle (village) Corfe Castle
13728-449: The keep. While construction was under-way, a camp to accommodate the workers was established outside the castle. Over time, this grew into a settlement in its own right and in 1247 was granted a market and fair by royal permission. It was Henry III who ordered in 1244 that Corfe's keep should be whitewashed. Four years previously, he also ordered that the keep of the Tower of London should be whitewashed, and it therefore became known as
13871-427: The king. Henry's mother, Matilda of Flanders , was the granddaughter of King Robert II of France , and she probably named Henry after her uncle Henry I of France . Henry was the youngest of William and Matilda's four sons. Physically he resembled his older brothers Robert Curthose , Richard and William Rufus , being, as historian David Carpenter describes, "short, stocky and barrel-chested," with black hair. As
14014-464: The main A351 road from Lytchett Minster to Swanage and the Swanage Railway thread their way through the gap and the village. The civil parish of Corfe Castle stretches across the width of the Isle of Purbeck , with coasts facing both the English Channel and Poole Harbour . It, therefore, includes sections of both the low-lying sandy heathland that lies to the north of the castle and
14157-590: The majority were built with earth and timber. Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1572, Corfe Castle left the Crown's control when Elizabeth I sold it to Sir Christopher Hatton . Sir John Bankes bought the castle in 1635, and was the owner during the English Civil War . While Bankes was fighting in London and Oxford, his wife, Lady Mary Bankes , led
14300-406: The master-marshal was responsible for travel and accommodation. The familia regis included Henry's mounted household troops, up to several hundred strong, who came from a wider range of social backgrounds, and could be deployed across England and Normandy as required. Initially Henry continued his father's practice of regular crown-wearing ceremonies at his curia , but they became less frequent as
14443-478: The neighbouring counts around Normandy's borders, and King Philip of France was persuaded to remain neutral. Henry occupied western Normandy, and advanced east on Bayeux, where Fitzhamon was held. The city refused to surrender, and Henry besieged it, burning it to the ground. Terrified of meeting the same fate, the town of Caen switched sides and surrendered, allowing Henry to advance on Falaise, Calvados , which he took with some casualties. His campaign stalled, and
14586-399: The neighbouring territories, in particular Maine. Around 1110, Henry attempted to arrest the young William Clito, but William's mentors moved him to the safety of Flanders before he could be taken. At about this time, Henry probably began to style himself as the duke of Normandy. Robert of Bellême turned against Henry once again, and when he appeared at Henry's court in 1112 in a new role as
14729-404: The north of Corfe Castle. On some days, diesel trains also run to Wareham , where they connect with National Rail services to London , Southampton , Bournemouth and Weymouth . The village was for many years the residence of composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji . Keith Roberts , an English science fiction writer who lived nearby, set his alternative history novel Pavane partly around
14872-404: The officials that ran Henry's system were termed "new men", relatively low-born individuals who rose through the ranks as administrators, managing justice or the royal revenues. Henry's ability to govern was intimately bound up with the Church, which formed the key to the administration of both England and Normandy, and this relationship changed considerably over the course of his reign. William
15015-524: The pair worked closely together, combining to deal with Duke Robert's invasion of 1101, for example, and holding major reforming councils in 1102 and 1108. A long-running dispute between the Archbishops of Canterbury and York flared up under Anselm's successor, Ralph d'Escures . Canterbury, traditionally the senior of the two establishments, had long argued that the Archbishop of York should formally promise to obey their Archbishop, but York argued that
15158-544: The political hostages he was holding, and in North Wales Gruffudd ap Cynan threatened the power of the Earl of Chester. Henry sent three armies into Wales that year, with Gilbert Fitz Richard leading a force from the south, Alexander, King of Scotland, pressing from the north and Henry himself advancing into Mid-Wales. Owain and Gruffudd sued for peace, and Henry accepted a political compromise. He reinforced
15301-576: The rebellion against William Rufus was safely over, Henry returned to England in July 1088. He met with the King but was unable to persuade him to grant him their mother's estates, and travelled back to Normandy in the autumn. While he had been away, however, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux , who regarded Henry as a potential competitor, had convinced Robert that Henry was conspiring against the duke with William Rufus. On landing, Odo seized Henry and imprisoned him in Neuilly-la-Forêt , and Robert took back
15444-435: The reigns of John and Henry III , both of whom kept Eleanor, rightful Duchess of Brittany who posed a potential threat to their crowns, in confinement at Corfe until 1222. John also kept Scottish hostages Margaret of Scotland and Isobel of Scotland there. In 1203, Savari de Mauléon was also imprisoned, but reputedly escaped by getting his jailers drunk and then overpowering them. It was probably during John's reign that
15587-502: The request of the King, who in any event abandoned the campaign and returned to England. Over the next few years, Henry appears to have strengthened his power base in western Normandy, visiting England occasionally to attend at William Rufus's court. In 1095 Pope Urban II called the First Crusade , encouraging knights from across Europe to join. Robert joined the Crusade, borrowing money from William Rufus to do so, and granting
15730-426: The revenues of his estates. Anselm threatened excommunication, and in July 1105 the two men finally negotiated a solution. A distinction was drawn between the secular and ecclesiastical powers of the prelates, under which Henry gave up his right to invest his clergy, but retained the custom of requiring them to come and do homage for the temporalities , the landed properties they held in England. Despite this argument,
15873-439: The royal exchequer and itinerant justices . Normandy was also governed through a growing system of justices and an exchequer. Many of the officials who ran Henry's system were "new men" of obscure backgrounds, rather than from families of high status, who rose through the ranks as administrators. Henry encouraged ecclesiastical reform , but became embroiled in a serious dispute in 1101 with Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury , which
16016-454: The rugged Jurassic Coast upland to the south. The name "Corfe" is derived from the Old English word, ceorfan, meaning to cut or carve, referring to the gap in the Purbeck hills where Corfe Castle is situated. Burial mounds around Corfe Common to the south of Corfe Castle suggest that the area was occupied from 6000 BC. The common also points to a later Celtic field system worked by
16159-563: The same time. Corfe Castle was captured and Lady Bankes and the garrison were allowed to leave. In March that year, the town of Poole petitioned Parliament to demolish the Castle and to allocate the proceeds and any fines levied on Lady Bankes for the "relief and Maintenance of the Soldiers and poor Inhabitants of the said Town of Poole, and other Garrisons of that County", that had been loyal to Parliament. Parliament voted to slight (demolish)
16302-422: The siege and that a series of earthworks about 290 metres (320 yd) south-southwest of Corfe Castle mark the site of the fortification. During the reign of Henry II Corfe Castle was probably not significantly changed, and records from Richard I's reign indicate maintenance rather than significant new building work. In contrast, extensive construction of other towers, halls and walls occurred during
16445-403: The south-west to attack Bridgnorth . His power base in England broken, Robert accepted Henry's offer of banishment and left the country for Normandy. Henry's network of allies in Normandy became stronger during 1103. He arranged the marriages of his illegitimate daughters, Juliane and Matilda , to Eustace of Breteuil and Rotrou III, Count of Perche , respectively, the latter union securing
16588-483: The top of Rouen Castle and then, despite Conan's offers to pay a huge ransom, threw him off the top of the castle to his death. Contemporaries considered Henry to have acted appropriately in making an example of Conan, and Henry became famous for his exploits in the battle. In the aftermath, Robert forced Henry to leave Rouen, probably because Henry's role in the fighting had been more prominent than his own, and possibly because Henry had asked to be formally reinstated as
16731-599: The town, 55 were clay cutters. Clay extraction continued to provide major employment for the local population until the 20th century. The village had two watermills, West Mill on the River Wicken ceased operating in 1792 but the building was used for poor housing until 1915. Stone from the building was used to construct the World War 1 war memorial. The other mill was Boar Mill on the Byle Brook. The mill cottage
16874-653: The treaty, Henry set about inflicting severe penalties on the barons who had stood against him during the invasion. William de Warenne , the Earl of Surrey , was accused of fresh crimes, which were not covered by the Alton amnesty, and was banished from England. In 1102 Henry then turned against Robert of Bellême and his brothers, the most powerful of the barons, accusing him of 45 different offences. Robert escaped and took up arms against Henry. Henry besieged Robert's castles at Arundel , Tickhill and Shrewsbury , pushing down into
17017-421: The two episcopates were independent within the English Church and that no such promise was necessary. Henry supported the primacy of Canterbury, to ensure that England remained under a single ecclesiastical administration, but the Pope preferred the case of York. The matter was complicated by Henry's personal friendship with Thurstan , the Archbishop of York, and the King's desire that the case should not end up in
17160-421: The vows to formally become a nun, which formed an obstacle to the marriage progressing. She did not wish to be a nun and appealed to Anselm for permission to marry Henry, and the Archbishop established a council at Lambeth Palace to judge the issue. Despite some dissenting voices, the council concluded that although Matilda had lived in a convent, she had not actually become a nun and was therefore free to marry,
17303-430: The years passed. Henry's court was grand and ostentatious, financing the construction of large new buildings and castles with a range of precious gifts on display, including his private menagerie of exotic animals, which he kept at Woodstock Palace . Despite being a lively community, Henry's court was more tightly controlled than those of previous kings. Strict rules controlled personal behaviour and prohibited members of
17446-572: Was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts . On William's death in 1087, Henry's elder brothers Robert Curthose and William Rufus inherited Normandy and England, respectively, but Henry was left landless. He purchased the County of Cotentin in western Normandy from Robert, but his brothers deposed him in 1091. He gradually rebuilt his power base in
17589-512: Was William the Conqueror , the duke of Normandy who had invaded England in 1066 to become the king of England , establishing lands stretching into Wales . The invasion had created an Anglo-Norman ruling class , many with estates on both sides of the English Channel . These Anglo-Norman barons typically had close links to the Kingdom of France , which was then a loose collection of counties and smaller polities, only nominally under control of
17732-523: Was a member of the West Saxon royal family, being the niece of Edgar the Ætheling , the great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside and a descendant of Alfred the Great . For Henry, marrying Matilda gave his reign increased legitimacy, and for Matilda, an ambitious woman, it was an opportunity for high status and power in England. Matilda had been educated in a sequence of convents and may well have taken
17875-444: Was besieged by a force under the command of Colonel Bingham . One of the garrison's officers, Colonel Pitman, colluded with Bingham. Pitman proposed that he should go to Somerset and bring back a hundred men as reinforcements; however the troops he returned with were Parliamentarians in disguise. Once inside, they waited until the besieging force attacked before making a move, so that the defenders were attacked from without and within at
18018-476: Was besieged, probably in March 1091. The site was easy to defend, but lacked fresh water. The chronicler William of Malmesbury suggested that when Henry's water ran short, Robert allowed his brother fresh supplies, leading to remonstrations between Robert and William Rufus. The events of the final days of the siege are unclear: the besiegers had begun to argue about the future strategy for the campaign, but Henry then abandoned Mont Saint-Michel, probably as part of
18161-418: Was built in around 1774. The castle stands above the village and dates back in some form to the 10th century. It was the site of the murder of Edward the Martyr in 978. During the English Civil War it was a Royalist stronghold and was besieged twice, in 1643 and again in 1646. It is currently owned by the National Trust and is open to the public. The former royal status of Corfe meant that it existed as
18304-405: Was built on was an unsuitable building material, and instead Purbeck limestone quarried a few miles away was used. By the reign of King Stephen (1135–1154) Corfe Castle was already a strong fortress with a keep and inner enclosure, both built in stone. In 1139, during the civil war of Stephen's reign, Corfe withstood a siege by the king. It is thought that he built a siege castle to facilitate
18447-670: Was carried out on the site until the 1950s. Between 1986 and 1997 excavations were carried out, jointly funded by the National Trust and English Heritage . Corfe Castle is considered to be the inspiration for Enid Blyton 's Kirrin Island , which had its own similar castle. It was used as a shooting location for the 1957 film series Five on a Treasure Island and the 1971 film Bedknobs and Broomsticks . The castle plays an important part in Keith Roberts ' uchronia novel Pavane . Upon his death, Ralph Bankes (1902–1981) bequeathed
18590-698: Was featured in the 1971 film Bedknobs and Broomsticks released by The Walt Disney Company , doubling as the fictional village of Pepperinge Eye. The Castle itself and the Greyhound Inn feature prominently in Mike Leigh 's 1976 TV play Nuts in May . The two main characters, Keith and Candice-Marie, pay a visit to the castle during their camping holiday. The back of Corfe Castle plus Oliver's Bistro in Corfe Castle Village are featured in
18733-455: Was generally good, partially due to Henry's marriage to his sister. In Wales, Henry used his power to coerce and charm the indigenous Welsh princes, while Norman Marcher Lords pushed across the valleys of South Wales . Normandy was controlled via interlocking networks of ducal, ecclesiastical and family contacts, backed by a growing string of important ducal castles along the borders. Alliances and relationships with neighbouring counties along
18876-542: Was given military training by an instructor called Robert Achard, and Henry was knighted by his father on 24 May 1086. In 1087, William was fatally injured during a campaign in the Vexin . Henry joined his dying father near Rouen in September, where the King partitioned his possessions among his sons. The rules of succession in western Europe at the time were uncertain; in some parts of France, primogeniture , in which
19019-539: Was in favour with the dying king. Henry was given a large sum of money, usually reported as £5,000, with the expectation that he would also be given his mother's modest set of lands in Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire . William's funeral at Caen was marred by angry complaints from a local man, and Henry may have been responsible for resolving the dispute by buying off the protester with silver. Robert returned to Normandy, expecting to have been given both
19162-414: Was initially brought up in the Duchy. He was probably educated by the Church, possibly by Bishop Osmund , the King's chancellor , at Salisbury Cathedral ; it is uncertain if this indicated an intent by his parents for Henry to become a member of the clergy. It is also uncertain how far Henry's education extended, but he was probably able to read Latin and had some background in the liberal arts . He
19305-410: Was later used as a bakery. The Grade II listed mill and cottage are now owned by the National Trust . The parish of Corfe Castle encompasses a broad swathe of the Isle of Purbeck and has an area of 14 + 1 ⁄ 2 square miles (37.45 km ). To the south, it includes the smaller village of Kingston and a section of the Jurassic Coast facing the English Channel . To the north, it includes
19448-492: Was normal for unmarried Anglo-Norman noblemen to have sexual relations with prostitutes and local women, and kings were also expected to have mistresses. Some of these relationships occurred before Henry was married, but many others took place after his marriage to Matilda. Henry had a wide range of mistresses from a range of backgrounds, and the relationships appear to have been conducted relatively openly. He may have chosen some of his noble mistresses for political purposes, but
19591-433: Was one. Additional records show that John spent over £1,400 at Corfe Castle. One of the secondary roles of castles was to act as a storage facility, as demonstrated by Corfe Castle; in 1224 Henry III sent to Corfe for 15,000 crossbow bolts to be used in the siege of Bedford Castle . Following John's work, Henry III also spent over £1,000 on Corfe Castle, in particular the years 1235 and 1236 saw £362 spent on
19734-408: Was only three years old and was released to the care of Helias of Saint-Saens , a Norman baron. Henry reconciled himself with Robert of Bellême, who gave up the ducal lands he had seized and rejoined the royal court. Henry had no way of legally removing the Duchy from his brother, and initially Henry avoided using the title "duke" at all, emphasising that, as the king of England, he was only acting as
19877-441: Was predominantly loyal and dependent on the King. Henry's itinerant royal court comprised several parts. At the heart was his domestic household, called the domus ; a wider grouping was termed the familia regis , and formal gatherings of the court were termed curia . The domus was divided into several parts. The chapel, headed by the chancellor, looked after the royal documents, the chamber dealt with financial affairs and
20020-595: Was resolved through a compromise solution in 1105. He supported the Cluniac order and played a major role in the selection of the senior clergy in England and Normandy. Henry's son William drowned in the White Ship disaster of 1120, throwing the royal succession into doubt. Henry took a second wife, Adeliza of Louvain , in the hope of having another son, but their marriage was childless. In response to this, he declared his daughter Matilda his heir and married her to Geoffrey of Anjou . The relationship between Henry and
20163-442: Was taken prisoner, but Bellême escaped. Henry mopped up the remaining resistance in Normandy, and Duke Robert ordered his last garrisons to surrender. Reaching Rouen, Henry reaffirmed the laws and customs of Normandy and took homage from the leading barons and citizens. The lesser prisoners taken at Tinchebray were released, but the Duke and several other leading nobles were imprisoned indefinitely. The Duke's son, William Clito ,
20306-448: Was the first to arrive in Rouen in November. Violence broke out, leading to savage, confused street fighting as both sides attempted to take control of the city. Robert and Henry left the castle to join the battle, but Robert then retreated, leaving Henry to continue the fighting. The battle turned in favour of the ducal forces and Henry took Conan prisoner. Henry was angry that Conan had turned against his feudal lord. He had him taken to
20449-517: Was unwilling to side openly with William Rufus, or because Robert might have taken the opportunity to confiscate Henry's inherited money if he had tried to leave. William Rufus sequestered Henry's new estates in England, leaving Henry landless. In 1088, Robert's plans for the invasion of England began to falter, and he turned to Henry, proposing that his brother lend him some of his inheritance, which Henry refused. Henry and Robert then came to an alternative arrangement, in which Robert would make Henry
#425574