Henry I

‘Empress Matilda’ by Elisabeth van Houts review

Empress Matilda: Queen of the Romans, Ruler of the English by Elisabeth van Houts is a sympathetic biography of the woman who would be king.

The wreck of the White Ship, from the Chronicle of England by Peter de Langtoft, 1307-27.

Mourning the White Ship

The sinking of the White Ship was a disaster for England’s King Henry I, but it was also felt deeply by his subjects.

The Wild Hunt of Odin, Peter Nicolai Arbo, 1872. Photo Jacques Lathion/Nasjonalmuseet Norway. Public Domain.

The Wild Hunt in England

The monks of Peterborough told strange tales of the Wild Hunt. Were they ghostly apparitions or wishful thinking?

Merlin advises Vortigern, from the Roman de Brut, translation of Geoffrey’s History by Wace, English, 1338-40. British Library/Bridgeman Images.

The Prophecies of Merlin

As told by one medieval chronicler, Britain’s past and future had been prophesied by Merlin, who foresaw its rise, fall and conquest. Did the magician have warnings for the present?

From Peter Langtoft’s Chronicle of England, early 14th century.

The White Ship: A Crown Lost at Sea

The sinking of the White Ship, a vessel carrying the English king Henry I’s sole heir, was a disaster from which anarchy would follow.

Portrait of Britain: AD 1100

Brian Golding looks at life under the Norman Yoke during the consolidating reign of Henry I.