Chapter VII

THE LAST DAYS OF WILLIAM RUFUS AND THE ACCESSION
OF HENRY. 1100-1102.

1000-1100 End of the eleventh century; changes in Britain
and in the world 303-307

Change from Æthelred to William Rufus; contradiction
in William’s position; his defeats not
counted defeats 307-308

The year 1100; lack of events in its earlier months;
comparison with the year 1000; vague expectations,
portents, and prophecies 308-310

§ 1. _The Last days of William Rufus._
_January-August, 1100._

The three assemblies of 1099-1100; no record of
these assemblies; continental schemes of Rufus 310-311

Return of Robert from the crusade; his marriage
with Sibyl of Conversana 311-313

William of Aquitaine; his crusade; he proposes to
pledge his duchy to Rufus; preparations for the
occupation of Aquitaine 313-314

Alleged designs of Rufus on the Empire 314

May, 1100 Portents; death of Richard son of Robert 315-316

June, July Warlike preparations 317

July 15 Consecration of Gloucester abbey 317

August 1 Visions and prophecies; Abbot Fulchered’s sermon
at Gloucester 317-321

August 1 William at Brockenhurst; his companions; Walter
Tirel; his history; his _gab_ with the King;
illustrative value of the story 321-325

August 2 Last day of William Rufus; various versions of his
death; estimate of the received tale 325-327

Versions of Orderic and William of Malmesbury 327-331

Versions which assert a repentance for Rufus 331-332

Version charging Ralph of Aix 333-335

Impression made at the time by the death of Rufus;
its abiding memory; local traditions; end and
character of Rufus 335-337

Accounts of William’s burial; the genuine story; his
popular excommunication; he is buried in the Old
Minster without religious rites 338-341

July 31 Portents at William’s death; dream of Abbot Hugh
of Clugny 341

August 1 Vision of Anselm’s doorkeeper 341

August 2 News brought to Anselm’s clerk; vision of Count
William of Mortain 341-343

§ 2. _The First Days of Henry._
_August 2-November 11, 1100._

Vacancy of the throne; claims of Robert by the
treaty of 1091; choice between Robert and Henry;
claims of Henry; his speedy election 343-345

August 2 Story of Henry on the day of the King’s death; he
hastens to Winchester 345-346

He demands the treasure and is resisted by William
of Breteuil; popular feeling for Henry 346-347

August 3 Meeting for the election; division in the assembly;
influence of Henry Earl of Warwick; Henry
chosen King 347-348

Henry grants the bishopric of Winchester to
William Giffard 349

August 5 Henry crowned at Westminster; form of his oath;
joy at his accession 349-351

He puts forth his charter; its provisions 352-357

Privilege of the knights and its effects 355-356

Renewal of the Law of Eadward 357

Witnesses to the charter 358

August 5 Appointments to abbeys; Robert of Saint Eadmund’s
and Richard of Ely; their later history 359-360

1100-1120 Herlwin Abbot of Glastonbury 360

1100-1117 Faricius Abbot of Abingdon 360

Imprisonment of Flambard 361-362

The King’s inner council 362-363

The news of the King’s death brought to Anselm;
his grief 363

Letters to him from his monks and from the King;
popular language of Henry’s letter 363-366

Intrigues of the Norman nobles with Robert; renewed
anarchy in Normandy 366-367

Sept. Return of Robert to Normandy; his renewed 1100 no-government 367-368

Henry keeps his own fief; war between Henry and
Robert 368

Sept. 23. Return of Anselm 368

Helias returns to Le Mans; the King’s garrison
holds out in the royal tower 370

Helias calls in Fulk; siege of the tower 370

Courtesies between Helias and the garrison; messages
sent to Robert and Henry; surrender of the
castle 370-373

1100-1110 Just reign of Helias; his friendship for Henry 373

1109 His second marriage; later history of Maine; descent
of the later English kings from Helias 374

Meeting of Anselm and Henry; comparison of the
dispute between Anselm and William Rufus and
that between Anselm and Henry 374-375

Henry calls on Anselm to do homage; Anselm refuses;
change in his views 375-377

Truce till Easter; the Pope to be asked to allow the
homage; the spiritual power strengthened through
Rufus’ abuse of the temporal power 375-378

The temporalities of the archbishopric provisionally
restored 378

Reformation of the court; personal character of
Henry; his mistresses and children; story of
Ansfrida and her son Richard 379-382

Henry is exhorted to marry; he seeks for Eadgyth
daughter of Malcolm; policy of the marriage 382-383

Objections to the marriage; Eadgyth said to have
taken the veil 384

Anselm holds an assembly to settle the question;
Eadgyth declared free to marry; other versions of
the story 384-387

November Marriage of Henry and Eadgyth; she changes her 11, 1100 name to Matilda 387-388

Anselm’s speech at the wedding; objections not
wholly silenced 388

1100-1118 Matilda as Queen; her children and character;
“Godric and Godgifu” 388-391

Guy of Vienne comes as Legate; his claims not
acknowledged 391

Nov. 18 Death of Thomas Archbishop of York 391

1100-1108 Gerard of Hereford Archbishop of York 392

§ 3. _Invasion of Robert. January-August, 1101._

Likeness of the years 1088 and 1101; plots to give
the crown to Robert; a party in Normandy to give
the crown to Henry 392-393

Character of Robert and Eadgar; Robert as crusader;
his relapse on his return to Normandy 394

Parties in England and Normandy; Henry’s strict
rule distasteful to the nobles 394-395

Plots of Robert of Bellême and others; Duke
Robert’s grants to Robert of Bellême 395-396

Christmas Assembly at Westminster 396
1100-1101
Flambard escapes to Normandy; his influence with
Robert 396-398

April 21 Easter assembly at Winchester; the questions between
Henry and Anselm adjourned; growth of
the conspiracy 399

June 9 Whitsun assembly; its popular character; mediation
of Anselm; renewed promise of good laws 399-400

The Church and the people for Henry; England
united against invasion 401

Importance of the campaign of 1101; last opposition
of Normans and English; their fusion under Henry 401-402

July, 1101 Robert and his fleet at Tréport 401-403

Henry’s levée; Anselm and his contingent; the
English at Pevensey 403-404

The English fleet sent out; some of the crews desert
to Robert 404

July 20 Robert lands at Portchester; comparison with former
invasions 405-406

Robert marches on Winchester; Matilda in child-bed
in the city; he declines to attack Winchester 406

Estimate of his conduct; personal character of the
chivalrous feeling 406-408

Robert marches towards London; the armies meet
near Maldon 408-409

Desertion of Robert of Bellême and William of
Warren 408-409

July 26 Death of Earl Hugh 410

Anselm’s energy on the King’s side; zeal of the
English; exhortations of the King 410-411

Negotiations between Henry and Robert; their
personal meeting; they agree on terms 412-413

Treaty of 1101; Robert resigns his claim to England;
Henry gives up his Norman possessions, but keeps
Domfront; other stipulations 413-414

Michaelmas, Robert goes back; mischief done by his army 415 1101

§ 4. _Revolt of Robert of Bellême._ 1102.

Continued disloyalty of the Norman nobles; Henry’s
plans for breaking their power 415

Flambard in Normandy; his dealings with the see
of Lisieux 415-416

Banishment and restoration of Earl William of Warren 416

Other banishments; trial of Ivo of Grantmesnil; his
bargain with Robert of Meulan 417-418

1102-1118 Robert of Meulan Earl of Leicester; his death; his
ecclesiastical foundations 418-421

Christmas, Assembly at Westminster; danger from Robert of 1101-1102 Bellême; the King watches him 420-421

April 6, Easter assembly at Winchester; Robert of Bellême 1102 summoned, but does not come 421-422

Second summons to Robert; the war begins 422

Robert and his brothers Arnulf and Roger; his
acquisition of Ponthieu; his dealings with Wales,
Ireland, and Norway 423-424

Condition of Wales; return of Gruffydd and Cadwgan 424

Alliance of Robert of Bellême with the Welsh 425

Arnulf’s dealings with Murtagh; the Irish king’s
daughter promised to him 425-426

Henry’s negotiations with Duke Robert; the Duke
attacks Robert of Bellême’s fortress of Vignats 426

Treason of Robert of Montfort; defeat of the
besiegers; general ravages 427-428

Robert of Bellême strengthens his castles; his
works at Bridgenorth 428

The King besieges Arundel; truce with the besieged 428-429

Robert and Arnulf harry Staffordshire 429

Surrender of Arundel 430

Surrender of Tickhill; its later history 431-432

Autumn, Henry’s Shropshire campaign; Robert of Bellême at 1102 Shrewsbury; the three captains at Bridgenorth 432-433

Story of William Pantulf; he joins the King; his
services 434-435

Siege of Bridgenorth; division between the nobles
and the mass of the army 435-437

Gathering of the mass of the army; they stand by
the King 437-438

William Pantulf wins over Jorwerth to the King 439-440

The captains at Bridgenorth agree to surrender 440-441

Arnulf goes to Ireland; Robert asks help of Magnus
in vain 442-443

The mercenaries at Bridgenorth refuse to surrender;
they are overpowered by the captains and the
townsmen 443-444

Surrender of Bridgenorth; the mercenaries march
out with the honours of war 444-445

Robert still holds Shrewsbury; his despair 445-446

The King’s march to Shrewsbury; zeal of the
English; clearing of the road 446-447

The King refuses terms to Robert; he submits
at discretion, and is banished from England 448-449

Joy at Robert’s overthrow; banishment of his
brothers; later history of Robert of Bellême 449-450

1103 Death of Magnus 451

1103 Later history of Jorwerth; his trial at Shrewsbury
and imprisonment 451-453

Assemblies held in various places under Henry 452

1104-1106 Establishment of Henry’s power; banishment of
William of Mortain; his imprisonment and alleged
blinding 453

1102-1135 Peace of Henry’s reign; its character; Henry the
refounder of the English nation 454-455

1107 The compromise with Anselm 455

1106 Battle of Tinchebrai 456

General character and results of the reigns of
William Rufus and Henry 456-457