A Handbook in Outline of the Political History of England to 1887

1066.

1067.

1068.

1069.

1070.

1071.

1072. 1073.

1074.

1076.

1078.

1079.

1082.

1084.

Sept. 28. William of Normandy lands at Pevensey.

Oct. 14. BATTLE OF HASTINGS. DEATH OF HAROLD. Edgar Etheling, grandson of King Edmund, is chosen king by the Witan in London.

William marches to Berkhampstead to cut off London from the north.

Edgar Etheling, Edwin and Morcar, and the men of London submit to William.

WILLIAM I., 1066-1087 (21 YEARS) (a).

Born 1027; Married, 1053, Matilda of Flanders.

Dec. 25. William is crowned at Westminster.

William visits Normandy, leaving Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and
William Fitz-Osbern in England.

Rebellions in Kent and Hereford.

Edgar Etheling takes refuge in Scotland.

William subdues Exeter, and the insurrection in the west.

The people of Northumberland rebel and call in Edgar Etheling;
they are subdued by William.

Harold's sons ravage Bristol and Wales, but have to retire to Ireland.
Malcolm of Scotland makes peace, and does homage for Cumberland.
Great rising of the north, with the assistance of the Danes
and of Edgar Etheling.

William retakes York, and ravages the country between the
Humber and the Tees.

Stigand is deposed, and Lanfranc is made Archbishop of
Canterbury. Several bishoprics and many abbeys are filled
up (b). [See Summary: Ecclesiastical, Part I., p. 239.]
The laws of the English are declared by twelve men elected from each
shire.

[At the end of this year only two bishoprics remain in native hands.]
Last struggle for independence. Edwin is killed. Morcar
joins Hereward, who is defeated by William. [See Sum-
mary: Union of Normandy and England, p. 257.]
William invades Scotland, and Malcolm "becomes his man.
William leads an English army into Maine, and conquers it.
Conspiracy of the Norman earls. Ralf Guader and Roger
of Breteuil rise in arms. Waltheof, the son of Earl Siward,
refuses to join them.

Execution of Waltheof.

William refuses the demand of fealty, made through a legate, by
Gregory VII. (c).

Rebellion of William's son Robert, supported by Robert of
Bellême, Robert Mowbray, and others.

William besieges Robert at Gerberoi; Robert submits.

Bishop Odo, Earl of Kent, is apprehended, and his possessions seized by William.

William renews the Danegeld (which Edward the Confessor had abolished), demanding 6s. per hide instead of 28.

1. The Church is to be free, and all bad customs are to be abolished. The king will not take advantage of the vacancy of sees and benefices.

2. Reliefs and amercements are to be just and lawful. The heiresses and widows to tenants-in-chief are not to be given in marriage against their will. Tenants-inchief are to be guided by the same rules in reference to the mesne tenants. Personal property may be disposed of by will.

3. The forests are to remain in the king's hands.

4. Lands held by knight-service are to be free from other imposts.

5. The laws of Edward the Confessor are to be retained, with William the Conqueror's improvements.

1096. Robert of Normandy goes on the first crusade.

1097. Donald Bane is de

posed, and Edgar is established on the throne of Scotland by his uncle, Edgar Etheling. 1099. Jerusalem is taken by the Crusaders. A Christian kingdom is founded there.

1085.

1086.

1087.

1088.

1089.

1090.

1091.

1092.

1093.

1094.

1095.

1096.

1097.

1100.

A general survey of England is ordered by William. It is taken by inquest. Each hundred and township appears by representative jurors.

Domesday Book, the result of the survey, is produced.

At William's great court at Salisbury all the landholders of Eng-
land swear allegiance to him.

William makes war upon Philip, King of France, and burns
Mantes.

William dies. Robert succeeds to Normandy.

[By an undated charter of this reign spiritual jurisdiction is separated from the secular courts of law, and assigned to separate spiritual courts.]

WILLIAM II., 1087-1100 (13 YEARS).

Born c. 1060.

William hastens to England, and is elected king by the influence of Lanfranc.

Rebellion of Normans, headed by Odo of Bayeux and Roger, Earl
of Shrewsbury. William appeals to the English, and sup-
presses it.

Lanfranc dies. The see of Canterbury is vacant four years.
William makes war on Robert in Normandy.

William grants land in Wales to any one who will take it, and in
consequence a war of conquest goes on for many years.
Treaty between William and Robert arranged by the barons.
Malcolm of Scotland, in alliance with Edgar Etheling, invades
England (a).

William compels him to do homage.

William takes possession of Cumberland, and settles peasants from
Hampshire at Carlisle.

Anselm becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ranulf Flambard becomes justiciar, and helps William in
his work of systematic extortion.

William refuses to give Anselm the temporalities of his see.
William, fighting with Robert, sends for 20,000 men. Flambard
collects them at Hastings, deprives them of their journey
money, dismisses them, and sends the money to the king.
The rebellion of Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, and
Norman nobles is crushed.

Robert pledges his duchy to William for money to go on a crusade.
Anselm, unable to bear the wickedness of William, retires to Rome.
William is killed in the New Forest.

HENRY I., 1100-1135 (35 YEARS).

Born 1068; Married 1121, Adela of Louvain.

1100, Matilda of Scotland.

Henry is chosen king, and crowned. He grants a charter (b).
Ranulf Flambard is arrested.

1137. Louis VI. dies, and is succeeded by Louis VII. 1138. Defeat of David I. of Scotland (1124-1153), who administers the northern counties till the end of his reign, his son Henry having received the earldom of Northumberland from Stephen.

1100.

1101.

1102.

1103. 1104.

1105.

1106.

1107.

1109. 1114. 1116.

1117.

1118.

1120.

1121.

1123.

1125.

1126.

1128.

1131. 1133.

1135.

1136.

1138.

Anselm is recalled.

Henry marries Matilda, daughter of Malcolm of Scot-
land.
Robert comes to England and claims the crown, but the English
support Henry. A treaty is made, and Robert withdraws.
Robert of Belleme rebels, and is expelled from England.
Anselm differs with Henry about investiture, and leaves England.
Robert of Bellême having been received in Normandy, war
breaks out.

Henry settles Flemings in Pembrokeshire.

Battle of Tenchebrai. Robert is captured, and Henry subdues the whole of Normandy.

Anselm and Henry agree on terms (a).

Roger of Salisbury becomes justiciar. He organizes the
Curia Regis and founds the Court of Exchequer.

Anselm dies.

Henry's daughter, Matilda, marries the Emperor Henry V.
Great council at Salisbury. Homage is done to William, son of
Henry, by the Normans.

Henry goes to Normandy for the war with France, Anjou, and
Flanders, and remains three years.

Henry defeats at Brenville his rebellious barons and Louis of
France, who with Robert of Flanders and Fulk of Anjou has
supported William, the son of Robert.

Peace is made, and Henry returns to England.

His son William is drowned.

Henry marries Adela of Louvain.

Rebellion in Normandy in favour of William, son of Robert, led by Count Waleran.

Henry, the emperor, husband of Matilda, dies.

The council of the realm swear to receive Matilda as their future sovereign.

Matilda marries Geoffrey of Anjou.

William, son of Robert, in asserting his claims to Flanders, is killed at Alost.

Fealty is again sworn to Matilda.

A son (afterwards Henry II.) is born to Matilda, and fealty again sworn to her.

Robert of Normandy dies in prison. Henry dies.

STEPHEN, 1135-1154 (19 YEARS).

Born c. 1094; Married, 1124, Matilda of Boulogne.

Stephen is received as king in England and accepted in Normandy.
Stephen grants a charter (c).

Robert, Earl of Gloucester, natural son of Henry I., throws off his
fealty to Stephen.

David of Scotland, uncle of Matilda, defeated at the battle of the
Standard, near Northallerton.

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