Here's an interesting page on Henry I Beauclerc http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page54.asp Barbara -----Original Message----- From: JF [mailto:gen9@cox.net] Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 8:18 PM To: PLANTAGENET-DESCENDANTS-PROJECT-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PDP] RE: My most direct Plantagenet linneage Amanda Amanda McCormick wrote: >Henry I was the son of William I and Maud of Flanders. He was called Beauclerc because he was literate. > He was literate because, as fourth son he had been destined for the church. Beauclerc meant good scholar. Henry's next older brother Robert had already died in 1081 and his eldest brother, Robert III, by agreement with William II 'Rufus' was to succeed him as King of England on his death. Unfortunately for Robert he was away on Crusade when William died. Henry saw his chance and claimed the throne before his brother Robert could get back and claim it himself. Besides being literate in Latin and French, Henry was the first Norman ruler of England to be fluent in English. Jim ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237