Crusade (51 page)

Authors: Stewart Binns

BOOK: Crusade

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There are also other claimants, including the Harvard family (the founders of Harvard University) and the Howard family (the Dukes of Norfolk and Earls Marshal of England).

Coronation Charter of Henry I

Also known as the Charter of Liberties, it was sent to every shire in England to mark the King’s coronation on 5 August 1100. Although Henry was less than assiduous in following it, it did set a precedent and contained many of the principles that formed the basis of the Great Charter (Magna Carta) of 1215 and put into writing a commitment to the pre-eminence of the rule of law.

Written in Latin in fourteen points, its text translates, in summary, as follows.

I, Henry, by the grace of God having been crowned the King of England, shall not take or sell any property from a Church upon the death of a bishop or abbot, until a successor has been named to that Church property. I shall end all the oppressive practices which have been an evil presence in England.
If any baron or earl of mine shall die, his heirs shall not be forced to purchase their inheritance, but shall retrieve it through force of law and custom.
Any baron or earl who wishes to betroth his daughter or other women kinsfolk in marriage should consult me first, but I will not stand in the way of any prudent marriage. Any widow who wishes to remarry should consult with me, but I shall abide by the wishes of her close relatives, the other barons and earls. I will not allow her to marry one of my enemies.
Any wife of my barons who becomes a widow shall not be denied her dowry. She should be allowed to remarry according to her wishes, so long as she maintains the integrity of her body, in a lawful manner. Barons overseeing the children of a dead baron shall maintain their land and interest in a lawful manner.
Common seigniorages taken in the cities and counties, not in the time of Edward I, shall henceforth be forbidden.
I shall remit all debts and pleas which were owing to my brother, except those which were lawfully made through an inheritance.
If any of my barons should grow feeble, and give away money or other possessions, these shall be honoured, so long as the heirs are properly remembered. Gifts given by feeble barons under force of arms shall not be enforced.
If any of my barons commit a crime, he shall not bind himself to the Crown with a payment as was done in the time of my father and brother, but shall stand for the crime as was custom and law before the time of my father, and make amends as are appropriate. Anyone guilty of treachery or other heinous crime shall make proper amends.
I forgive all murders committed before I was crowned. Subsequent murders shall stand before the justice of the Crown.
With the common consent of my barons, I shall maintain all the forests, as was done in the time of my father.
Those knights who render military service and horses shall not be required to give grain or other farm goods to me.
I impose a strict peace on the land, and command that it be maintained.
I restore the law of King Edward and the amendments which my father introduced upon the advice of his barons.
Anything taken from me after the death of my father shall be returned immediately, without fine. If it is not returned, a heavy fine shall be enforced.

Witnesses: Maurice, Bishop of London, and William, Bishop Elect of Winchester, and Gerard, Bishop of Hereford, and Earl Henry and Earl Simon and Walter Giffard and Robert de Montfort and Roger Bigot and Eudo the Steward and Robert, son of Hamo and Robert Malet. At London when I was crowned. Farewell.

Genealogies

The Lineage of Edgar the Atheling

The Lineage of Robert, Duke of Normandy

The Lineage of Edgar the Atheling