Henry I: King of England and Duke of Normandy

by Judith A. Green

Judith Green argues that although Henry's primary concern was defence of his inheritance, it did not preclude expansion where circumstances were propitious, notably into Welsh territory. His skillful dealings with the Scots permitted consolidation of Norman rule in the northern counties of England, while in Normandy every sinew was strained to defend frontiers through political alliances and stone castles. Green claims that although Henry's own outlook was essentially traditional, the legacy of this fascinating but repellent personality included some hugely significant developments in governance.

Genres: History, Medieval History, Nonfiction, Biography, Medieval, British Literature, Historical

406 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2006

About the author

Judith Green is an English medieval historian, who is Emerita Professor of Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. A graduate of King's College, London and Somerville College, Oxford, she held a research fellowship and then a lectureship at the University of St Andrews before transferring to a lectureship at Queen's University, Belfast. There she became a Reader and, eventually, Professor. In 2005, she took the professorship at Edinburgh, retiring in 2011.

Specialising in Anglo-Norman England, her notable works include:

The Government of England Under Henry I, (Cambridge, 1986)
The Aristocracy of Norman England, (Cambridge, 1997)
Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy, (Cambridge, 2006)

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written biography. I enjoyed it immensely. The Introduction discusses sources for a biography of Henry. Chapters 1 to 10 are a chronological narrative of Henry's life. Chapters 11 to 13 and the Conclusion are thematic. As far as I'm concerned this book is an exemplar of biographical writing generally, and of medieval biography in particular. I'm surprised that it has a rating of only 3.69 on Goodreads.

[Best British Biographies]

In my review of C. Warren Hollister’s biography of Henry I noted that during his career he was regarded as the foremost expert on the life and reign of the king. A close second to that title, and the successor to it upon his death is Judith Green. An emerita professor of medieval history at the University of Edinburgh, she made a name for herself with a groundbreaking study on the personnel and operations of his government, which she then followed up with other works on the Norman era. As she notes in her introduction, she was already in progress on her own biography of Henry when Hollister’s was published posthumously in 2001. While such an event may have discouraged others, she continued her work on it and saw it through to its publication five years later.

For the rest of my review, click on the link:

https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2022/...

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry I: King of England and Duke of Normandy
Judith A. Green
Read it in Paperback at 392 pages.

The third son of William the Conqueror was an unlikely heir to the throne. Even his father left him no lands among his vast estates, leaving Normandy to his first born and the crown of England to his second, but only a large purse of coin for Henry so that he might find his own place. Through good timing, luck, and dedication Henry would find himself surpass and dominate his bothers to gain first the English throne, and than through martial supremacy the duchy of Normandy. Solidifying his fathers efforts for some time.

Henry's life is fascinating on many different levels over the course of his long reign, Green fulfills. The problems that plagued monarchs in medieval times is on display throughout his reign and didn't end with his death after feasting on a taboo dish of Lampreys.

Judith A. Green is a English medieval historian and Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. She specializes in Anglo-Norman England and knows her stuff.

This is a serviceable work that adequately details the life of Henry I. For a more in depth read I would still suggest Hollister's work, as part of the comprehensive English Monarch Series. Hollister's work simply gives a bigger breadth of the times, events, people, and places. I would suggest this work for anyone looking to move quickly through the reign of Henry I while still capturing the intricacies.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating life story, and a good account of the times of a king no one talks about much. But I found some sections confusing - did Green in one paragraph refer to Henry's daughter as his daughter-in-law? Although the author was care to give an even-handed portrait, I found myself admiring Henry I by the end of the book, and surprised by the many parallels I saw with the life of his grandson, Henry II.

[Melisende · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, that fact the I own a copy is testimony to that fact that I really enjoyed this one. Green is rather a good source for Henry I - so definitely recommended reading.

[Geneva Henson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written. A very informative biography that shares a relatively balanced point of view, although I found Green tended to be somewhat more sympathetic towards Henry (which I have no opposition to of course!). If you to read this biography with little to no knowledge of Henry I, I recommend that you wet your appetite with some background information on articles such as the one on the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, especially since this is a very scholarly biography.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ick. I had to read this for my viva and while there were some interesting points, my brain is overloaded with academic reading. Would be interesting to read Warren Hollister's book on Henry I and compare the two...

[Pam Shelton-Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good history of Henry I and written in a very readable style. Extensive bibliography and usage of footnotes enhanced this. The first part is a chronology of his life and reign and the second part an analysis of the era and Henry's impact. This latter was very interesting.

[Elysium · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it but hated that the author used people's first name when talking about someone.