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.
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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'.
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'Judith Green provides us with the best available biography of Henry I … Green's biography … shows the richness derived from having lived with study of the king for decades, and it skilfully provides an account of the reign and his kingship that is both detailed and accessible.' BBC History Magazine
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This book presents the first comprehensive biography of Henry I, as well as an evocation of his court.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780521744522
Publisert
2009-05-14
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Vekt
660 gr
Høyde
226 mm
Bredde
150 mm
Dybde
20 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
406

Forfatter

Biographical note

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.