Henry I became king of England in 1100 and duke of Normandy in 1106. As the third son of William the Conqueror, Henry had been passed over in the line of succession. When their father died in 1087, Robert inherited Normandy and William Rufus (r. 1087-1100), England. Robert pawned Normandy to William in order to raise money to go on the crusade. Before Robert could return, however, William died in a hunting accident, and Henry claimed the throne of England. Since Robert had not repaid his debt, Henry claimed Normandy, too. The brothers went to war, and Henry defeated Robert in 1106 and held him captive until his death in 1134. Henry had to contend with hostility and revolt the rest of his life. Henry’s only legitimate son drowned in 1121, and Robert’s son was killed in 1128. With no males to inherit, Henry turned to his daughter Matilda, who was married to the German emperor Henry V. The selection of Matilda instead of her cousin Stephen led to civil war and a period of anarchy in England that finally ended at midcentury with the accession of Henry II. Matilda later married Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou. Geoffrey was the son of Fulk, king of Jerusalem and builder of huge crusader castles. Their son was the formidable Henry II Plantagenet.
The period saw the construction of stone castles throughout the kingdom. The timber stockades and towers did not withstand the frequent wars of this period and were replaced by stone towers wherever the earth could support the weight.
World History
