Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
This year, at Christmas, King Henry was at Westminster, and there he
held his court, and during this festival Robert de Belesme departed
from the King in enmity, and left this country for Normandy. After
this, and before Lent, the King was at Northampton, and his brother
Earl Robert of Normandy came to him there; and because the King
would not give up that which he had won from the Earl in Normandy,
they separated in enmity, and the Earl soon went again over sea. In
the first week of Lent, on the evening of Friday, the 14th of the
calends of March, a strange star appeared, and it was seen a while
every evening for a long time afterwards. This star appeared in
the south-west, it seemed small and dim, but the light that stood
from it was very bright and like an exceedingly long beam shining
to the north-east; and one evening it seemed as if a beam from over
against the star darted directly into it. Some persons said that they
observed more unknown stars at this time, but we do not write this as
a certainty because we saw them not ourselves. One night, the morrow
being the day of our Lord’s Supper, that is, the Thursday before
Easter, two moons appeared before day in the heavens, the one in the
east and the other in the west, both full; and the same day was the
14th of the moon. At Easter the King was at Bath, and at Pentecost
at Salisbury, because he would not hold his Court over sea during
his absence from this country. After this, before August, the King
went into Normandy, and almost all the inhabitants bowed to his will,
excepting Robert de Belesme, and the Earl of Mortaigne, and a few other
chiefs who yet held with the Earl of Normandy: the King therefore came
with an army, and besieged a castle of the Earl of Mortaigne called
Tinchebray. Whilst the King was besieging this castle, Robert Earl
of Normandy and his army came upon him on Michaelmas eve, and with
him were Robert de Belesme and William Earl of Mortaigne, and all
who wished well to their cause, but strength and victory were with
the King. The Earl of Normandy was taken, together with the Earl of
Mortaigne and Robert de Stutteville; and they were afterwards sent to
England, and kept in confinement; Robert de Belesme was put to flight,
and William Crispin was taken, with many others; Edgar Ætheling who
had gone over from the King to the Earl a short time before, was also
taken; but the King afterwards let him depart unhurt. After this, the
King subdued the whole of Normandy, and brought it under his own will
and power. This year, also there was a very terrible and sinful war
between the Emperor of Saxony and his son, during which the father
died, and the son succeeded to the Empire.
1107.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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