Death of Rufus and Henry's Early Reign

Question 1

What was the context of the year 1100 regarding Robert Curthose?

Answer 1

He had survived the crusade, with Jerusalem being conquered in 1099. His reputation with the church was excellent and as he travelled home he made the decision to marry.

Question 2

What was the context for the year 1100 regarding William Rufus?

Answer 2

His reputation with the church was at its lowest point. Anselm remained in exile and in 1099 the Bishopric of Durham had been sold to Ranulf Flambard for £1,000.

Question 3

What was the context of the year 1100 regarding Henry?

Answer 3

Henry was keen to improve his own position and was present on the hunting expedition where Rufus was killed.

Question 4

What was the context of the year 1100 regarding Normandy?

Answer 4

Rufus has started to expand the power of Normandy into states called Maine and the Vexin. This led to the idea that he was creating another group of potential enemies.

Question 5

What do we know to be true about the death of Rufus?

Answer 5

It took place in the New Forest, which was one of the royal forests established by William the Conqueror, on the 2nd of August 1100. We know that Rufus had split from the main hunting party and with him was a French noble named Walter Tirel.

He took aim with his bow and arrow at a stag. The arrow deflected from a tree and pierced Rufus, who then fell from his horse and died instantly.

Tirel fled the scene, likely in panic, and found his way back to Normandy.

Question 6

What were the three main theories for the death of Rufus?

Answer 6

1. God’s will - due to the ungodly behaviour of Rufus, this was the intervention of God.
2. Walter Tirel was acting as an agent of an enemy of Rufus.
3. There are chroniclers who will accept that an accident.

Question 7

How do Medieval Chroniclers use the poor treatment of the church by Rufus as evidence for the Will of God being the reason for his death?

Answer 7

Constant theme that his death was the result of a period of dreadful policies towards the church.

Financial abuse, his view that the state was superior to the church, his specific arguments with Anselm.

Some chroniclers look at these things more closely than others.

Question 8

Give two examples of Medieval chroniclers talking of ‘portents’ of doom relating to the death of Rufus?

Answer 8

Most famous: story of blood coming up from the ground in a village called Finchampstead. Chroniclers saw this as a warning of something bad to come.

The other example is that a monk dreamt of the death of Rufus, went to warn him and Rufus was dismissive of this.

Question 9

What was Orderic Vitalis’ novel criticism for the death of Rufus?

Answer 9

He blames the death of Rufus on his father’s policy of hunting and creating royal forests. The creation of these from both William and his son (particularly the New Forest) led to the destruction of dwellings and churches. It was God’s will that Rufus should perish in this particular forest.

Question 10

Why do some Medieval chroniclers believe Tirel intentionally killed Rufus?

Answer 10

Tirel left the scene very quickly after the death of Rufus and returned back to Normandy, leading to many accusations of his guilt.

All advocates of the murder theory see someone else’s mind behind Walter’s bow shot.

Question 11

Can Walter Tirel be seen as an agent of Robert Curthose?

Answer 11

Curthose was still returning from the crusade. Although his return would surely have led to arguments over land, it is impossible to look at Curthose as guilty because of this.

Question 12

What ‘evidence’ is there that Walter Tirel was an agent of Henry?

Answer 12

He was present on the hunting expedition. Also in the party we’re a father and son: Gilbert and Roger de Clare. The father participated in the 1088 rebellion against Rufus and the family did very well in the reign of Henry.

Henry left very quickly to secure the English throne.

Question 13

Form a criticism to this argument: “Henry must have been involved in the death of Rufus because of the speed of which Henry left the forest to secure the throne.”

Answer 13

This was not uncommon in the Medieval period.

The clearest example is where Harold Godwinson crowned himself king on the same day Edward the Confessor was buried on the 6th of January; he had died on the 5th.

Question 14

Describe the coronation of Henry as King of England.

Answer 14

The coronation of Henry was organised very quickly as it was designed to give him some legitimacy.

Henry decided not to wait for Anselm to return from his ‘self-imposed exile’ and had a man called Maurice the Bishop of London perform the ceremony.

Rufus died on 2nd August and the coronation took place on 5th August.

Question 15

What was Henry’s coronation charter?

Answer 15

A politically astute document that tried to guarantee support through a correction of the abuses from the reign of Rufus. The first clause was very deliberately constructed to say he would end the abuses of the church that Rufus had completed.

Question 16

State three populist policies that were present on Henry’s coronation charter.

Answer 16

1. Arrested Ranulph Flambard and placed him in the Tower of London.
2. Nominated a series of religious people to fill the vacancies that exist.
3. Recalled Anselm from exile so he can consecrate those that were nominated.

Question 17

Provide the context for the conflict between Henry and Robert Curthose following the death of Rufus.

Answer 17

In 1099 Robert started his return from the First Crusade. This would have implications for Rufus and Henry.

Robert’s reputation had been enhanced by the conquest of Jerusalem and he became a viable alternative for the English throne.

Alternatively, Curthose still had the option to buy back Normandy from Rufus.

Robert married on return from crusade and if Rufus died any claims over England or Normandy may be gone if an heir is produced.

Question 18

Explain the events of the conflict between Henry and Robert Curthose following the death of Rufus.

Answer 18

Robert landed in England on 21st July 1101 with a large army. He had, to an extent, been persuaded to invade through the influence of Ranulph Flambard, who had escaped from the Tower of London, who suggested to Robert that an invasion would be successful.

The invasion came to a bloodless conclusion. It ended with the Treaty of Alton in Hampshire on 2nd August 1101.

Question 19

What was the end result of the conflict between Curthose and Henry?

Answer 19

The Treaty of Alton in Hampshire on 2nd August 1101.

Question 20

What were the terms of the Treaty of Alton?

Answer 20

The terms mirrored the Treaty of Rouen.

1. Agreement on territory.
2. Support each other’s claim to land in their own domain.
3. Named each other as heir, unless they produced a male heir.

Question 21

Describe the effectiveness of the Treaty of Alton.

Answer 21

Both men knew the treaty would provide only a temporary end to the crisis.

One close advisor of Henry said he should ‘soothe them with promises’.

Question 22

What policy did Henry utilise leading up to the year 1105?

Answer 22

Up to 1105 Henry was using a policy of trying to de-stabilise Normandy, using bribery to gain the support of barons who were based more in Normandy.

Question 23

What did Henry do in 1105?

Answer 23

He made his first military expedition into Normandy, breaking the terms of the Treaty of Alton. This found reasonable success as it secured a large part of the west of Normandy.

This was part of an incremental policy.

Question 24

What did Henry do in 1106?
(Short answer)

Answer 24

He launched a campaign to take complete control of Normandy.

Question 25

What external support did Henry have in 1106?

Answer 25

Had the support of the Counts of Maine to the south of Normandy and Brittany to the west.

Question 26

How was Robert Curthose defeated and how did he die?

Answer 26

The external support for Henry led to the defeat of Curthose at Tinchebrai through a siege and the capture of his closest Norman ally William of Mortain.

Robert was taken back to England and never left prison, dying in his 80s.

Question 27

What death in 1075 strongly supports the theory of the death of Rufus being an accident?

Answer 27

The second son of William the Conqueror died in a hunting accident. His name was Richard and his death took place in the New Forest. He crashed into a hazel tree whilst on horseback.

Question 28

What death in 1099 strongly supports the death of Rufus being an accident?

Answer 28

The illegitimate son of Curthose died whilst hunting in the New Forest. He was also killed by a stray arrow.

Question 29

Was there a real resolution to the issues between the three sons of William the Conqueror by 1107?

Answer 29

Following the imprisonment of Robert Curthose, Henry had now exercised authority over England and Normandy to a great extent and this was not seriously challenged up until his death.

Also, the two territories remained in the hands of one ruler for the next 100 years.