French Monarch. He was the son of King Robert II and grandson of Hugh Capet, the founder and first king of the Capetian dynasty (although Hugh's paternal grandfather, Robert I, had served briefly as King of West Francia from 922 until his death in 923). Henri became the heir to his father's throne upon the death of his elder brother, Hugh, in 1025. Following a tradition of the early Capetians to ensure the succession to the throne, he was crowned co-King of France on May 14, 1027, during the lifetime of his father, although he exercised no real monarchial power until his father's death on July 20, 1031. He and his younger brother, Robert, engaged in open revolt against their father, with the encouragement of their mother, and forced him to seek shelter in Paris. Peace was subsequently restored and was to last until their father's death. Historians in the past have largely assessed Henri as a weak monarch under whose reign the French royal domain reached its smallest size, but this assessment has been revisited and reinterpreted in light of the considerable limitations of the French monarchy during this period. He successfully suppressed the rebellion of his younger brother, Robert, who rebelled with the connivance of their mother, the dowager Queen Constance, with Robert being granted the duchy of Burgundy in 1032. King Henri came into conflict with Holy Roman Emperor Henry III over the county of Blois and although initially supportive of William, Duke of Normandy (later to reign as William I, the Conqueror, King of England), he increasingly came into conflict with the Normans. He died on August 4, 1060 while besieging Norman occupied Thimert. He was succeeded by Philip I, his eldest son by his second wife, Anne of Kiev.
French Monarch. He was the son of King Robert II and grandson of Hugh Capet, the founder and first king of the Capetian dynasty (although Hugh's paternal grandfather, Robert I, had served briefly as King of West Francia from 922 until his death in 923). Henri became the heir to his father's throne upon the death of his elder brother, Hugh, in 1025. Following a tradition of the early Capetians to ensure the succession to the throne, he was crowned co-King of France on May 14, 1027, during the lifetime of his father, although he exercised no real monarchial power until his father's death on July 20, 1031. He and his younger brother, Robert, engaged in open revolt against their father, with the encouragement of their mother, and forced him to seek shelter in Paris. Peace was subsequently restored and was to last until their father's death. Historians in the past have largely assessed Henri as a weak monarch under whose reign the French royal domain reached its smallest size, but this assessment has been revisited and reinterpreted in light of the considerable limitations of the French monarchy during this period. He successfully suppressed the rebellion of his younger brother, Robert, who rebelled with the connivance of their mother, the dowager Queen Constance, with Robert being granted the duchy of Burgundy in 1032. King Henri came into conflict with Holy Roman Emperor Henry III over the county of Blois and although initially supportive of William, Duke of Normandy (later to reign as William I, the Conqueror, King of England), he increasingly came into conflict with the Normans. He died on August 4, 1060 while besieging Norman occupied Thimert. He was succeeded by Philip I, his eldest son by his second wife, Anne of Kiev.
Bio by: CMWJR
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