| Notes |
- During his reign, feudal power in France reached its height. He reigned from 1031 until his death in 1060. Henry's brother Robert, supported by their mother Constance, had designs on the French throne which lead to some conflict. Robert became the Duke of Burgundy in 1034.
A member of the House of Capet, Henry was born in Reims, the son of King Robert ll (972-1031) and Constance of Arles (986-1034). He was crowned King of France at the Cathedral in Reims on 14 May 1027, in the Capetian tradition, while his Father still lived. He had little influence and power until he became sole ruler on his Father's death.
The reign of Henry I, like those of his predecessors, was marked by territorial struggles. Initially, he joined his brother Robert, with the support of their mother, in a revolt against his Father (1025). His mother, however, supported Robert as heir to the old King, on whose death Henry was left to deal with his rebel sibling. In 1032, he placated his brother by giving him the duchy of Burgundy which his Father had given him in 1016.
In an early strategic move, Henry came to the rescue of his very young nephew-in-law, the newly appointed Duke William of Normandie (who would go on to become William the Conqueror), to suppress a revolt by William's vassals. In 1047, Henry secured the dukedom for William in their decisive victory over the vassals at the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes near Caen; however, Henry would later support the barons against William until the former's death in 1060.
In 1051, William married Matilda, the daughter of the Count of Flandre, which Henry saw as a threat to his throne. In 1054, and again in 1057, Henry invaded Normandie, but on both occasions he was defeated.
Henry had three meetings with Henry lll, Holy Roman Emperor-all at Ivois. In early 1043, he met him to discuss the marriage of the emperor with Agnes of Poitou, the daughter of Henry's vassal. In October 1048, the two Henries met again and signed a treaty of friendship. The final meeting took place in May 1056 and concerned disputes over Theobald lll and of Blois. The debate over the duchy became so heated that Henry accused the emperor of breach of contract and subsequently left. In 1058, Henry was selling bishoprics and abbacies, ignoring the accusations of simony and tyranny by the Papal legate Cardinal Humbert. Despite his efforts, Henry I's twenty-nine-year reign saw feudal power in France reach its pinnacle.
King Henry I died on 4 August 1060 in Vitry-en-Brie, France, and was interred in Basilica of St Denis. He was succeeded by his son, Philip I of France, who was 7 at the time of his death; for six years Henry's queen Anne of Kiev ruled as regent.
He was also Duke of Burgundy from 1016 to 1032, when he abdicated the duchy to his brother Robert.
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1008 - 1060 (52 years)
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