Theme 4 Notes
Context - Normandy in 1066
Well-administered, relatively propserous, taxation effectively collected by vicomtes so could fund mercenaries
Aggressive, war oriented, best cavalrymen in Europe
William had 2 decades war experience, tight network of family and friends to draw resources from
Vulnerable position, exposed to surrounding rivals due to ill defined geography - Brestle and Epte, Selune and Couesnon and Avre rivers all failed to act as natural barriers
Seine divided dutchy in two, also flowed thru Paris + Rouen
Flanders and Ponthieu to west, Brittany to east, Vexin buffer between area held by French, Maine sepearates Normandy from Anjou
Pre-invasion - French left without a king, Anjou in civil war, W takes Maine, Brittany subdued, Flanders allied by marriage
Norman church flourishing under rule, had own foundation in Caen, allowed reforming councils
1050s
1054 + 57
Two pronged invasions led by Geoffrey Martel of Anjou and Henry I
1060s
1060
G and H deaths allowed William to manouvre, new Fr king a bebe, Anjou in civil war
1063
W takes Maine
1064
Brittany subdued
Early 1066
Mission sent to England under leadership of Gilbert focusing on broken oath, corruption of church under Stigand, Alexander saw W as opportunity to bring central control
1067
Robert C assisted Matilda in governing Normandy
1068
Robert C assumed greater responsibility when she left to be crowned
1069
Maine revolts falling under control of Geoffrey of Mayenne
1070s
1070
Geoffrey loses Le Mans
1072
Maine siezed by Fulk le Rechin count of Anjou
Philip I of France marries Robert of Flanders’ half sister Bertha of Hainult
Offers Edgar Ae the castle of Montreuil-sur-Mer as a base for harassing Normandy
Summer 1072
W invades Scotland
By 1073
W confident England securely under rule
By March 30 1073
w Successfuly reoccupies Maine w/speed, surprise, violence
Entered at start of campaigning season
Attacked Strongholds of Fresnay, Beaumont, Sille
Devastated countryside, surrounded Le Mans which surrendered without siege
1075
Revolt of the Three Earls gace Philip opportunity to engage William - when Ralph de Gael earl of Norfolk fled back to Brittany he was established at Dol on Normandy’s western frontier, troops reinforced by Anjou
1076
William besieges Dol
November 1076
Philip surprises W, W retreats
Lost men, horses, wealth, rep. for invincibility tarnished, rivals emboldened
Late 1076/early 1077
Fulk le Rechin attacks John de La Fleche
1077
Simon of Crepi retires to a monastery
Philip immediately occupies buffer w/out opposition from W who was recovering from defeat at Dol
Robert Curthose demands more power - Count of Maine and heir to Normandy, regarded by father as spoilt and irresponsible
Late 1077/Early 1078
Robert brawls w/ brothers and attempts to sieze Rouen castle, exiled
Robert’s rebellion embraced many other sons of great families - Robert Belleme son of Roger of Montgomery, William of Breteuil eldest son of William fitzOsbern and brother of recently imprisoned Roger de Breteuil earl of Hereford
Robert tours courts of Flanders and France, Philip I supplies him with soldiers and a castle at Gerberoy, allows Robert to raid the east of Normandy
1078 December
William lays siege to Robert, rebels battle and win, R unhorses and wounds W
1079
Malcom attacks border from River Tweed to River Tees
1080s
Easter 1080
After W’s leading magnates + pope urge reconciliation W welcomes R back to Normandy and reconfirms inheritance
Autumn 1080
R sets out to punish Scotland on his father’s behalf and founds Newcastle
Christmas 1085
W celebrates Christmas alone in Gloucester, empire surrounded by enemies King Cnut IV of Denmark threatening invasion, Malcom hostile ready to take advantage, on continent Philip I, Fulk le Rechin and Robert of Flanders buoyed by memories of Dol and Gerberoy all looking for opportunities to bring W’s downfall, Odo trying to ferment revolt from prison, Robert once again in exile following 1084 arguments
By 1086
Denmark’s threat to England diminished
Summer 1087
French king’s garrison raids into Normandy
W devastates the Vexin burning Mantes, in the fire his horse flees injuring him, retreats to Rouen where he dies, orders release of all his prisoners including Morcar, Roger, Wulfnoth Harold’s brother, Odo
Normandy to Robert, England to God hoping WR would get it, Henry £5000
Robert inherits Normandy, followers rewarded and bought, treasury runs low, Henry gives him £3000 for a grant of rights over the Countances and Avranchin regions in west of Normandy
September 1087
WR crowned in Westminster
Christmas 1087
R informed of plot against WR
Easter 1088
Many leading men absent from WR court
1088
Odo establishes self in Rochester castle threatening Canterbury and London
Reinforcements from continental possible via Thames and Medway
By summer 1088
Garrison at 500 knights
Gilbert fitzRichard established at Tonbridge
Robert of Mortain established at Pevensy
Geoffrey bishop of Countances and Robert of Mowbray burnt Bath and Berkeley and raided into Wiltshire
William of Eu rode into Gloucestershire
Subsidiary revolts in Leicestershire, Northampton and Durham
Feb-April 1089
Siege of Monastery Mont-Saint-Michel where Henry had retreated after fortifying castles in Countances and Avranches
1090s
April
Henry negotiates an honorable surrender
August
Robert and William return to England
May
Malcom invades Northumbria
1091
Robert and William make peace in Rouen
By end of 1093
R-W relationship failing as W does not support Robert in Maine
March 1094
W goes on offensive after a meeting, army only halted by Philip I who is bought off by William
December 1094
WR returns to England following an inconclusive campaign
1095
Call to crusade at Clermont
September 1096
Deal where William lends Robert £6,666 to aid him in crusade
Normandy pledged for repayment
Fulfilled and Robert departs
1097
W surpresses a Welsh revolt and sends army to Scotland
1099
William restores Norman domination in Maine through two campaigns and pushes the French back to the Vexin
Capture of Jerusalem
1100s
1100
W killed by Walter Tirel’s arrow
Following R’s return had decided not to assist Norman garrison at Le Mans who surrendered and Normandy lost hold
Ranulf Flambard secured the position of bishop of Lisieux for his son
Paschal II complained to Robert about treatment of Norman church
1101
Treaty of Alton signed - R recognises H in return for financial benefits
1102
Henry moves against Robert of Belleme, summoned to answer 45 charges, replied by raising revolt
Henry advances to Shrewsbury laying siege to Arundel in Sussex, Trickhill in Yorkshire and Bridgenorth in Shropshire
Robert Belleme and brothers exiled to Normandy, R’s probem
R-C unable to prevent Duchy from slipping into disorder
Upon RB’s arrival RC had to move against him according to Treaty of Alton
R besieges RB’s supporters at Vignants
June 1103
R’s allies gather in nunnery of Almeneches
RB burns nunnery to ground killing and mutilating many captured soldiers
1104
RB holed up Exemes Castle and launched surprise attack
Further castles fall into rebel lands and R forced to make peace and confirm RB’s Norman inheritance
Region of Normandy destabilised by peace, R broke Treaty of Alton so Henry raided and burned Normandy
Baronial war in Evereux broke out over inheritance of William of Breteuil, heir Eustace William FO’s illegitimate son who was supported by Henry
August 1104
Henry travels to Normandy to berate Robert and justify a future invasion
Early 1105
Henry crosses channel with troops and money
Buys support of many castellans in West
Before 1105 return
Takes Bayeux and Caen
Served as bridgehead into central Normandy
Early 1106
R attempts to negotiate with Henry in Northampton to no avail
June 1106
Henry invades for second time
R controlled towns of Rouen and Falaise
Support from William of Mortain and Robert Belleme
September 1106
Henry places William of Mortain’s castle at Tinchebrai under siege
R camped at Falaise and advanced to support William
Henry ordered knights to fight on foot, army estimated at 40,000 but exaggerated
Robert of Mortain in front lines Robert Belleme in rear
Henry offers to give Robert a comfortable retirement for ½ duchy, all castles, all judicial and admin business
R declines with scorn
R’s army attacks first, count Helias of Maine with Breton cavalry flanks Duke’s infantry inflicting heavy losses
RB flees
R taken prisoner by Waldric
Henry suffered insignificant losses
R would spent rest of life in captivity, allowed men to surrender honourably
H has restored Anglo-Norman union
1108
Philip of France dies succeeded by Louis VI
1109
Fulk IV Anjou dies succeeded by son Fulk V
1112, 1117-18, 1124 and 1128
Henry spends entire years in Normandy
England experiences long periods of absent kingship
Henry spends more than half his time in Normandy