Henry I King of England and Duke of Normandy

Important new exploration of the life of Henry I and his court.

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'.

This first comprehensive biography of Henry I, an elusive figure for historians, provides a rich and compelling account of his tumultuous life and reign and presents a significant new perspective on his court, showing how it was shaped by his fascinating, if repellent, personality.

Judith A. Green is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. She is the author of The Government of England under Henry I (1986) and The Aristocracy of Norman England (1997) and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.