Hastings redux!

Henry being no fool!

Takes measures to consolidate his rule!

Henry I

By marrying Edith or Matilda of Scotland as she became to be known, Henry had secured his northern borders. With a Scottish Queen in London, the Scots were unlikely to come leaping across the border to make a nuisance of themselves in England.

Robert may well be our rightful Duke!

But by God, his style of rule makes us all puke!

As Henry consolidated his rule in England by the use of a number of politically adroit measures, things in Normandy under Robert went from bad to worse. Although great in the saddle wielding a sword on the battlefield, he was hopeless when seated at a table in a chamber, holding a quill and a scroll.

The Duke when not in battle or tournaments, whiled away the hours in wine, women and song.

Duke Robert fighting at the Battle of Antioch.

His bravery in battle was matched only by his buffoonery at banquets.

One story in particular illustrates the sheer buffoonery which characterised Robert’s court. As Duke, Robert was obliged  to attend a sermon given by Serlo, the saintly Bishop of Sees.

A medieval bishop on the diocesan throne.

As this was to be a very important occasion, Robert had new clothes made from silk and gold to wear. However the night before the ceremony, he had spent a drink-fuelled evening entertaining his guests and himself with harlots and jesters.

As Robert was carried off to bed in a drunken stupor, his companions for a prank, stole his newly made clothes and hid them. When the hapless Duke awoke, he discovered that he was without his fine clothes with which to attend the ceremony.

When the Duke awoke!

He realised he had no gown and cloak!

Of course all clothes in those days were custom made, there was no such thing as off the peg (Thank God for Marks and Spencers!).  Robert was forced to sit out the ceremony in bed.

Meanwhile back in England, Henry was pondering two problems. Firstly, the ever present threat of invasion from Robert and secondly, the annual payment that he was paying him which  represented a heavy drain on the Royal Exchequer. Also there was his personal ambition to match his father’s status as both King of England and Duke of Normandy.

But what of opportunity?

Sometimes it knocks!

In 1106 it did. A group of senior Norman Churchmen visited Henry and called on him to sail to Normandy and restore order. Their message to Henry was:

Bobby’s little legs are unable to push the pedals of power!

This was music to Henry’s ears;  with the Church on his side he was now in a very strong position to challenge his brother.

Time to set sail!

With the Church on my side, I cannot fail!

Henry invaded Normandy and he and Robert’s army met at  Trenchbrai castle on September 28th 1106. The sibling rivalry which had begun with the chamber pot incident all those years ago  had reached its climax, after this, only one of the brothers would be lord of both England and Normandy.

A medieval chamber pot which was probably similar to the one that caused a problem between the brothers in Rouen so long ago.

 

Henry’s army was a good deal larger than Robert’s but the Duke was considered a first class field commander and he had a wealth of experience in battle.

A much later depiction of the battle of Trenchbrai.

Trenchbrai although almost forgotten today, was after Hastings, the most important battle of the Middle Ages. The battle lasted only an hour but in that time the future of the English crown swayed in the balance.