Biography of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

Paternal Family Tree: Capet

Maternal Family Tree: Gerberge Unknown Viscountess Anjou

In 988 [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 15) and Rozala of Italy (age 38) were married. They separated around the time of coronation. The difference in their ages was 22 years; she, unusually, being older than him. He the son of [his grandfather] Hugh I King of the Franks (age 47) and [his grandmother] Adelaide Poitiers Queen Consort France (age 43).

In 999 [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 26) and [his step-mother] Bertha Welf Queen Consort France (age 35) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. They separated sometime before 1003 as a consequence of their consanguinity. She the daughter of Conrad I King Burgundy and Mathilde Carolingian Queen Consort Burgundy. He the son of [his grandfather] Hugh I King of the Franks and [his grandmother] Adelaide Poitiers Queen Consort France (age 54). They were second cousins.

In 1003 [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 30) and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 17) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of [his grandfather] William "Liberator" Arles 1st Count Provence 1st Count Arles and [his grandmother] Adelaide Blanche Ingelger Queen Consort West Francia (age 63). He the son of [his grandfather] Hugh I King of the Franks and [his grandmother] Adelaide Poitiers Queen Consort France (age 58).

On 4th May 1008 King Henry I of France was born to [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 36) and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 22) at Reims.

In January 1027 [his brother-in-law] Richard Normandy III Duke Normandy (age 25) and [his sister] Adela Capet Duchess Normandy (age 18) were married. She by marriage Duchess Normandy. She the daughter of [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 54) and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 41). He the son of Richard "Good" Normandy II Duke Normandy and Judith Penthièvre Duchess Normandy. They were second cousin once removed.

On 14th May 1027 King Henry I of France (age 19) was crowned I King France: Capet at Reims Cathedral whilst his father was still living.

In 1028 [his brother-in-law] Baldwin "The Good" V Count Flanders (age 15) and [his sister] Adela Capet Duchess Normandy (age 19) were married. She the daughter of [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 55) and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 42). He the son of Baldwin "Bearded" IV Count Flanders (age 48) and Ogive Luxemburg Countess Flanders. They were half third cousin twice removed.

On 20th July 1031 [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks (age 59) died at Melun, Seine et Marne. His son Henry (age 23) succeeded I King France: Capet.

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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In 1032 [his brother] Robert I Duke Burgundy (age 21) was created I Duke Burgundy.

Around 1033 [his brother] Robert I Duke Burgundy (age 22) and [his sister-in-law] Helie Samur Duchess Burgundy were married. She by marriage Duchess Burgundy. He the son of [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 47).

In 1034 [his wife] Matilda Brunonids Queen Consort France by marriage Queen Consort of France.

In 1034 King Henry I of France (age 25) and Matilda Brunonids Queen Consort France were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Liudolf Brunonids Margrave Frisia (age 31). He the son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks and Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 48).

In 1034 [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France (age 48) died.

Battle of Seignelay

On 29th May 1040 Renauld I Count of Nevers (age 35) was killed at the Battle of Seignelay against [his brother] Robert I Duke Burgundy (age 29). His son William (age 10) succeeded Count Nevers.

In 1044 [his wife] Matilda Brunonids Queen Consort France died.

In 1046 [his brother] Robert I Duke Burgundy (age 35) and [his sister-in-law] Ermengarde Blanche Ingelger Duchess Burgundy (age 28) were married. She by marriage Duchess Burgundy. She the daughter of Fulk "Black" Ingelger III Count Anjou and Hildegarde Sundgau Countess Anjou. He the son of [his father] Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks and [his mother] Constance Arles Queen Consort France. They were second cousins.

Battle of Val-ès-Dunes

In 1047 King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 19), supported by King Henry I of France (age 38), defeated a rebel army led by William's cousin Guy Ivrea (age 22) who opposed William's succession as Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in Caen, Calvados, Basse Normandie.

Hamon Dentatus was killed.

On 19th May 1051 King Henry I of France (age 43) and Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 21) were married at Reims Cathedral, Reims. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks and Constance Arles Queen Consort France.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 23rd May 1052 [his son] Philip I King of the Franks was born to King Henry I of France (age 44) and [his wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 22). He married (1) 1072 his half fourth cousin twice removed Bertha Gerulfing Queen Consort France, daughter of Floris Gerulfing I Count Holland and Gertrude Billung Countess Holland, and had issue (2) 15th May 1092 his fourth cousin once removed Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France and had issue.

In 1054 [his daughter] Emma Capet was born to King Henry I of France (age 45) and [his wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 24).

In 1055 [his son] Robert Capet was born to King Henry I of France (age 46) and [his wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 25). He died aged five in 1060.

Battle of Varaville

In 1057 at Varaville King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 29) defeated the army of King Henry I of France (age 48) and Geoffrey "Martel" II Count Anjou during the Battle of Varaville. Henry and Geoffrey's army were fording the Dives River when the tide came in; only half of the army had crossed. William seized the opportunity and attacked.

In 1057 [his son] Hugh "Great" Capet was born to King Henry I of France (age 48) and [his wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 27). He married his third cousin twice removed Adelaide I Countess Vermandois, daughter of Herbert Vermandois IV Count Vermandois and Adela Valois Countess Blois and Vermandois, and had issue.

In 1060 [his son] Robert Capet (age 5) died.

Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. 1060. Henry (age 51), king of the Franks, died, and was succeeded by his eldest son [his son] Philip (age 7). Duduc, bishop of Wells, died, and was succeeded by Giso, the king's chaplain; they were both natives of Lorraine. Kinsi, archbishop of York, died at York on the eleventh of the calends of January [22nd December]. His body was carried to the abbey of Peterborough Cathedral [Map], and buried there with great pomp. Aldred, bishop of Worcester, was elected his successor as archbishop of York at Christmas; and the see of Hereford, which had been entrusted to his administration on account of his great diligence, was given to Walter, a Lorrainer, and chaplain to queen Edgitha (age 34).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1060. This year was a great earthquake on the Translation of St. Martin, and King Henry (age 52) died in France. Kinsey, Archbishop of York, died on the eleventh before the calends of January; and he lies at Peterboorugh [Map]. Bishop Aldred succeeded to the see, and Walter to that of Herefordshire. Dudoc also died, who was Bishop of Somersetshire; and Gisa the priest was appointed in his stead.

On 4th August 1060 King Henry I of France (age 52) died. His son Philip (age 8) succeeded I King France: Capet.

Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes

Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.

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The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy. Seeing the destruction of his men, the king withdrew from Normandy as quickly as he could, and did not attempt to return again. He sought the friendship of the duke, having considered his valour, and restored to him the castle of Tillières, which he had formerly taken. The said king was very warlike, and of great courage and piety. He had in marriage Matilda¹, daughter of Yaroslav, king of the Rugians, by whom he had two sons, Philip and Hugh, and one daughter. After he had ruled the kingdom of the Franks for nearly twenty-five years, he, for the sake of bodily health, received a potion from John, most skilled of physicians. But, as the medicine brought on too great a thirst, he disregarded the strict instructions of the physician, and receiving a drink from a chamberlain while the doctor was absent, he drank before the purgation. Thereby becoming very ill, he died on the same day², after receiving the Holy Eucharist. He appointed his son Philip as heir to the rule of the Franks, and commended him to the guardianship of Baldwin, Count of Flanders.

Videns autem rex suorum interitum, quantocius valuit a Northmannis recessit et ad eos ultra venire non apposuit. Amicitiam qnoque ducis, considerata ejus probitate, requisivit, et Tegulense castrum, quod dudum abstulerat, illi tradidit. Sæpedictus rex valde fuit militaris, magnæque fortitudinis et pietatis. Mathildem Juliusclodii regis Rugorum filiam in matrimonio habuit, ex qua duos filios, Philippum et Hugonem, unamque filiam genuit. Qui postquam regnum Galliæ fere 25 annis rexit, causa corporeæ salutis a Joanne medicorum peritissimo potionem accepit. Sed veneno nimiam sitim inferente jussum Archiatri sprevit et a cubiculario potum accipiens, dum medicus abesset, ante purgationem bibit. Unde nimis infirmatus, eodem die post perceptionem sacræ Eucharistiæ obiit. Philippum vero filium suum in regimine Francorum hæredem constituit et tutelæ Balduini Flandrensis strapæ commendavit.

Note 1. King Henry I of Francia had two wives 1 before 1040, Matilda of Frisia, who died in 1044, daughter of Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia, and 2 in 1051, [his wife] Anne of Kiev (age 30), daughter of Yaroslav, Prince of Kiev and Novgorod. Anne of Kiev was the mother of Philip and Hugh, and a daughter Emma. Following King Henry's death in 1060 Anne married, controversially, Ralph IV of Valois (age 35). Chronicle de l'abbaye de Saint-Pierre-le-Vif, Page 433: "In the year of the Lord 1060, Henry, king of Francia, died. He granted privileges to the monastery of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif, and he was buried at Saint-Denis. Count Ralph, cousin of the deceased king, took the queen as his wife; for this reason he was excommunicated by Gregory VII. Baldwin, count of Flanders, took the young King Philip under his protection and governed Francia." King Henry and Ralph were second cousins once removed, with their common ancestor being Fulk, 2nd Count of Anjou, whose daughter Adelaide was grandmother of King Henry, and whose daughter Adela was great grandmother of Ralph.

Note 2. King Henry I of Francia (age 52) died on 4th August 1060. He was interred in the Basilica of St Denis, north of Paris. William of Malmesbury, Book 2, Chapter 13: "The same year Henry, king of France, a good and active warrior, died by poison."

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Around 1061 Ralph IV Count of Valois (age 36) and [his former wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 31) were married. The marriage may have been bigamous, since he may have been still married to his second wife. He the son of Ralph III Count of Valois.

In 1075 [his former wife] Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia (age 45) died.

Biography of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

King Henry I of France 1008-1060 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

Royal Descendants of King Henry I of France 1008-1060
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Ancestors of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

Biography of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

King Henry I of France 1008-1060 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

Royal Descendants of King Henry I of France 1008-1060Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Ancestors of King Henry I of France 1008-1060

Royal Descendants of King Henry I of France 1008-1060
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.