Editing Henry I of England (section)

=== Death ===
[[File:Henry I - British Library Royal 20 A ii f6v (detail).jpg|thumb|left|Early 14th-century depiction of Henry mourning the death of his son]]

Relations among Henry, Matilda, and Geoffrey became increasingly strained during the King's final years. Matilda and Geoffrey suspected that they lacked genuine support in England. In 1135 they urged Henry to hand over the royal castles in Normandy to Matilda while he was still alive, and insisted that the Norman nobility swear immediate allegiance to her, thereby giving the couple a more powerful position after Henry's death.<ref>{{harvnb|King|2010|pp=38–39}}</ref> Henry angrily declined to do so, probably out of concern that Geoffrey would try to seize power in Normandy.<ref>{{harvnb|Green|2009|pp=216–217}}; {{harvnb|King|2010|p=38}}; {{harvnb|Crouch|1986|p=162}}</ref> A fresh rebellion broke out among the barons in southern Normandy, led by [[William III, Count of Ponthieu]], whereupon Geoffrey and Matilda intervened in support of the rebels.<ref>{{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=162}}; {{harvnb|Hollister|2003|p=467}}</ref>

Henry campaigned throughout the autumn, strengthening the southern frontier, and then travelled to [[Lyons-la-Forêt]] in November to enjoy some hunting, still apparently healthy.<ref>{{harvnb|Hollister|2003|pp=467, 473}}</ref> There he fell ill – according to the chronicler [[Henry of Huntingdon]], he ate too many ("a surfeit of") [[lamprey]]s against his physician's advice – and his condition worsened over the course of a week.<ref>{{harvnb|Hollister|2003|pp=467–468, 473}}</ref> Once the condition appeared terminal, Henry gave confession and summoned Archbishop [[Hugh of Amiens]], who was joined by Robert of Gloucester and other members of the court.<ref>{{harvnb|Hollister|2003|p=473}}</ref> In accordance with custom, preparations were made to settle Henry's outstanding debts and to revoke outstanding sentences of forfeiture.<ref>{{harvnb|Hollister|2003|pp=467, 473}}; {{harvnb|Green|2009|p=220}}</ref> The King died on 1 December 1135, and his corpse was taken to Rouen accompanied by the barons, where it was embalmed; his entrails were buried locally at the [[priory]] of [[Notre-Dame-du-Pré|Notre-Dame du Pré]], and the preserved body was taken on to England, where it was interred at [[Reading Abbey]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hollister|2003|pp=467, 474}}</ref>

Despite Henry's efforts, the succession was disputed. When news began to spread of the King's death, Geoffrey and Matilda were in Anjou supporting the rebels in their campaign against the royal army, which included a number of Matilda's supporters such as Robert of Gloucester.<ref name=BarlowP162/> Many of these barons had taken an oath to stay in Normandy until the late king was properly buried, which prevented them from returning to England.<ref>{{harvnb|Crouch|2002|p=246}}</ref> The Norman nobility discussed declaring Theobald of Blois king.<ref>{{harvnb|King|2010|pp=47–48}}</ref> Theobald's younger brother Stephen quickly crossed from Boulogne to England, accompanied by his military household.<ref>{{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=163}}; {{harvnb|King|2010|p=43}}</ref> [[Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk|Hugh Bigod]] dubiously testified that Henry, on his deathbed, had released the barons from their oath to Matilda,<ref name=warren>{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Wilfred L. |url=http://archive.org/details/henryii00warr |title=Henry II |date=1973 |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |pages=14, 18–19 |isbn=978-0-52002282-9}}</ref> and with the help of his brother [[Henry of Blois]], Stephen seized power in England and was crowned king on 22 December.<ref>{{harvnb|King|2010|p=43}}</ref> Matilda did not give up her claim to England and Normandy, appealing at first to the Pope against the decision to allow the coronation of Stephen,<ref name=warren/> and then invading England to start a prolonged civil war, known as [[the Anarchy]], between 1135 and 1153.<ref>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2004|pp=169–171}}</ref>