Charles the Bald (823 -867)

 Charles II of France 

Charles the Bald (born 13 June 823 – died 6 October 877) was the King of West Francia (territory now primarily France) from 843, after the Treaty of Verdun, until 877. He also became the King of Italy and the Emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 875 to 877. Charles was the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious and his second wife, Judith of Bavaria. His older brothers, Lothair, Pepin and Louis the German, had already been given land by their father and little remained for Charles.

It is not known why the Bald was Charles' nick name. One suggestion is that it was a joke as he had lots of hair.  Another possibility is that it referred to him initially not having land.

In 842 Charles married Ermentrude, the daughter of Odo I, Count of Orléans. They had ten children including Judith of Flanders (843-870) and Louis (846-879). Ermentrude died in 869. In 870, Charles married Richilde of Provence and they had another five children. 

In 838 Charles inherited the kingdom of Aquitaine after the death of his brother, Pepin. When Emperor Louis the Pious died in 840, a war broke out among his sons. Charles teamed up with his brother Louis  against their older brother, Emperor Lothair, who they defeated at the Battle of Fontenoy-en-Puisaye on 25 June 841. The following year, Charles and Louis made their alliance stronger with the Oaths of Strasbourg. This war ended with the Treaty of Verdun in August 843.

The Treaty of Verdun split the Carolingian Empire into three parts. Charles the Bald received the western part, called the Kingdom of the West Franks. Louis received the eastern part, which became known as East Francia, now Germany. Lothair I kept the title of Emperor and the Kingdom of Italy. He also ruled the central lands, from Flanders, to the Rhineland and Burgundy known as Middle Francia. Until 855 when Lothair died, the brothers sometimes met to jointly govern their father's former territories.

In 858, Louis invaded Charles's kingdom and Charles fled to Burgundy where he was saved by the support of bishops and his mother's family. In 869, Charles tried to take over the lands of his nephew, Lothair II, who had died. Although Charles was crowned King of Lotharingia at Metz, he ended up dividing the kingdom with his brother, Louis, in 870 after the Treaty of Mersen.

Back in West Francia political uprisings occurred, particularly in Aquitaine and Brittany. The threat of Viking invasions was also present. They often attacked the northern sections of his country and also were known to sail along the Seine and Loire rivers. In Charles the Bald strengthened his army by adding cavalry. He also had fortified bridges built across the rivers to deter the progress of Vikings. In 885 and 886 two of the bridges in Paris helped save the city from Viking invasion.

The crown worn by Charles the Bald may have looked like this

In 875 Charles the Bald travelled to Italy where he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor on 25 December. He held the position until his death in 877. His brother, Louis the German, also wanted to be emperor so when Charles was in Italy Louis invaded part of Charles' land. Charles returned to West Francia. When Louis died in 876 Charles then tried unsuccessfully to take over Louis' land. 

Summoned back to Italy by Pope John VII, Charles had difficulty in forming an army. He became ill and on the return trip home, he died on 6 October 867. Charles the Bald was initially buried at the Abbey of Natura in Burgundy. Later his remains were removed to the Abbey of Saint-Denis (now Basilica of Saint-Denis) in north Paris.

Charles the Bald had lived during a time of family conflict and much of his life was spent protecting his land or attempting to acquire family land that he believed that he was entitled to rule. He is also said to be remembered for his support of education and learning plus his support of the church.

Charles' first wife, Ermentrude, was also buried at the Abbey of Saint-Denis in 869.

The Flanders Connection part one

Exploring family trees can lead to unexpected discoveries providing greater knowledge and understanding of the past. Many years ago I discovered links in our family tree to William the Conqueror plus the Norman and Plantagenet kings of England as well as royalty in Scotland. Exploring William's ancestry leads to the arrival of Vikings in France many years earlier. But the family tree of his wife, Matilda of Flanders, also meanders through other important paths of our history.

Flanders

The County of Flanders is located in Belgium with one border on the North Sea. The county borders France in the south-west and it is across the sea from England. The area is part of the Low Countries.

Duchy of Normandy in 1066 - north east border with Flanders.

As Normandy and Flanders were neighbours it is not surprising that marriages had occurred for generations between the two locations.

Matilda of Flanders 

Matilda of Flanders was born 1031 in Bruges, Belgium. Her father was Count Baldwin V of Flanders (1012-1079) and her mother was Adela of France (1009-1079). Adela was the daughter of Robert II, King of the Franks (later known as France) and Adelaide of Aquitaine making Matilda the granddaughter of the French king. She could therefore be said to have royal connections.

Matilda probably married William, Duke of Normandy in 1051. As William's parents were not married when he was born he was considered to be base-born. Marrying Matilda with her royal connections helped raise William's status. Initially Pope Leo IX would not recognise the marriage as Matilda and William were distantly related. However Pope Nicholas II finally gave approval to the marriage in 1059. 

Matilda and William had about ten children (records vary). The sons were Robert II, duke of Normandy, Richard Curthose, William Rufus and Henry I. There were at least five daughters.

Matilda assisted William ruling Normandy and later in England. She was appointed regent when he was away. Matilda was also crowned Queen of England. Matilda had had a good education and ensured that her children, daughters as well as sons, were educated.

When her sons argued about inheritance Matilda infuriated William when he realised that she had given Robert money to assist him with his claim. Generally, however, William and Matilda worked together.

Matilda died on 2 November 1083 and was buried at buried in Caen at l'Abbaye aux Dames. William died four years later.

A longer post about Matilda of Flanders can be found in this blog. 

Count Baldwin V of Flanders

Count Baldwin V of Flanders was the father of Matilda of Flanders. He was born in 1012 and died 1067. In 1028 he married Adela of France (1009 -1079). They had three children including Matilda of Flanders. Baldwin V supported the King of France in most of his endeavours. He only partially supported his son-in-law on William's planned invasion of England as Baldwin V had previously supported Edward the Confessor in some of his decisions.

During his reign, Baldwin V secured the union between Flanders and Hainaut through strategic marriage alliances. He served as co-regent for his nephew Philip I of France from 1060 to 1067.

Count Baldwin IV of Flanders

Count Baldwin IV of Flanders, Known as the Bearded, was born in 980 and died in 1035. In around 1012 he married Otgivia (or Ogiva or Otgive) Luxembourg who was born in 955 and died in 30 May 1035.

Baldwin IV became Count of Flanders in 987 after the death of his father, Arnulf II. His mother, Rozala of Italy, served as regent until he reached maturity. Baldwin IV focused on expanding his influence eastward, delegating the southern parts of his territory to his vassals. He acquired Zeeland as a fief from Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and later gained control of Valenciennes, parts of Cambresis, Saint-Omer, and the northern Ternois. He was succeeded by his son, Baldwin V Count of Flanders.

Arnulf II Count of Flanders

Arnulf II was Count of Flanders from 965 until his death in 987. He was born to Baldwin III of Flanders and Matilda of Saxony, and became count as an infant after his father's death in 962. His grandfather Arnulf I managed Flanders until his own death in 965, after which Baldwin Balso served as regent until 973. Upon reaching majority in 976, Arnulf II faced territorial losses in Flanders, including parts of Picardy and Ponthieu. Arnulf II died on 30 March 987 at the age of 26.

Arnulf II married Rozala of Italy, daughter of Berengar II of Italy in 976. They had two children Count Baldwin III and Mathilda. After the death of her husband, Rozala became regent until in 988 she married Robert II and changed her name to Susannah. They divorced in 996.

The Flanders Connection part two

 Count Baldwin III of Flanders

Baldwin III, known as the Young, was born around 940 as the son of Count Arnulf I of Flanders and Adele of Vermandois. In 958, he became co-ruler of the County of Flanders alongside his father. Baldwin married Mathilde Billung of Saxony shortly before 961, and they had a son named Arnulf. During his brief rule, he established the wool manufacturing industry in Ghent and set up markets in other towns across Flanders. Baldwin III died of smallpox on 1 January 962 after a campaign against the Normans. Following his death, his son Arnulf II succeeded him under the guardianship of King Lothair of France.

Mathilde Billung of Saxony (c942-1008) was a daughter of Duke Hermann Billung. Her first marriage was to Baldwin III, Count of Flanders, with whom she had a son. After Count Baldwin's death she married Godfrey, count of Verdun, with whom she had several sons.

Arnulf I of Flanders

Arnulf I, known as "the Great", was the first Count of Flanders. He was born between 893 and 899. Arnulf was the son of Baldwin II of Flanders and Ælfthryth of Wessex, linking him to both the Anglo-Saxon kings of England and Charlemagne. Upon his father's death in 918, Arnulf became Count of Flanders, while his brother Adeloft took the County of Boulogne.

In 933, after Adeloft's death, Arnulf assumed control of Boulogne but later transferred it to his nephew, Arnulf II. He expanded Flemish territory southward, taking regions such as Artois and Ponthieu, and made Bruges a central administrative hub. His conflicts with the Normans led to the murder of William Longsword in 942, and he later focused on reforming the Flemish government.

Arnulf I died on 27 March 964, reportedly murdered by Heluin in revenge for William Longsword's death, and was buried in Saint-Peter's Abbey in Ghent. He was succeeded by his grandson, Arnulf II of Flanders, after his own son Baldwin III predeceased him.

Adele, born c. 910–915 was a daughter of Herbert II of Vermandois and his wife, Adele, daughter of Robert I of France. She died in 960 in Bruges in Western Flanders. In 934 Adele married Count Arnulf I of Flanders and they had the five children including Baldwin III of Flanders.

Count Baldwin II of Flanders

Baldwin II, born around 865, was the second Margrave of Flanders ( a military title), ruling from 879 to 918. He was the son of Baldwin I of Flanders and Judith, daughter of Emperor Charles the Bald. His early rule was challenged by Viking raids, leading him to relocate to Pagus Flandransis, where he built fortifications in key locations such as Saint-Omer and Bruges.

In 888, Baldwin II could have pursued the West Frankish crown after Charles the Fat's deposition but instead supported Arnulf of East Francia, who declined the offer. Baldwin's relationship with King Odo soured over control of the Abbey of St. Bertin, leading to conflict. He expanded his territory southward, gaining control over Artois and the Abbey of St. Vaast.

Baldwin II died on September 10, 918, near Ghent. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Arnulf I of Flanders.

 Between 893 and 899 he married Ælfthryth, the daughter of King Alfred the Great.

Ælfthryth of Wessex was the youngest daughter of Alfred the Great, King of England, and his wife Ealhswith. Her siblings included King Edward the Elder and Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians. Ælfthryth received an education alongside her brother Edward, which was uncommon for princesses of her time. When she married Baldwin II she became the Countess consort of Flanders. Ælfthryth of Wessex died on 7 June 929. Her children included Arnulf I of Flanders and Adalulf, Count of Boulogne.

Judith of Flanders and Count Baldwin I of Flanders

Judith, the eldest daughter of Emperor Charles the Bald, King of West Francia, and his first wife Ermentrude of Orléans was probably born in c843. In 1856 she married her first husband, the elderly King Æthelwulf of Wessex (the father of Alfred the Great). This was a political marriage to strengthen the alliance of the two territories when defending their land from the Vikings. After Æthelwulf's death in 858, Judith was married to his son and successor, Æthelbald. The church did not approve of this union but the marriage continued until the death ofÆthelbald in 860.There were no children from these two marriages.

Judith then returned to her parents in France where she was sent to a convent until her father found her a new husband. Judith took matters into her own hands and, escaping from the convent, married a man named Baldwin. Little is known about this Baldwin before his marriage to Judith. Judith's brother, Louis, assisted her in this endeavour. Judith's father was furious and the pope excommunicated the couple. Judith and Baldwin escaped to Lotharingia and eventually Pope Nicholas II persuaded the King to agree to his daughter's marriage.

King Charles put Baldwin in charge of a military attack against the Vikings which was successful. The area won by Baldwin's soldiers became known as Flanders. Charles the Bald then created the title, Count of Flanders, for Baldwin and from that time he was known as Count Baldwin I of Flanders.

Judith and Baldwin probably had four children. Charles (b. 864), did not survive to adulthood but another son was Baldwin II, Count of Flanders (865–918) while a third son, Raoul (or Rodulf, 867–896), was the Count of Cambrai. A daughter Gunhilde, born about 870, married Guifre I Count of Barcelona. 

 

Medieval Monarchs in Our Family Tree

Three years ago when my grand-daughter was studying medieval England at school I was asked about the medieval queens that she had heard were in our family tree. I added a number of posts about the queens and helped her make her costume for the medieval history day at school.

This year my grandson was doing the medieval history unit so I have now added information about the medieval kings in the family. He was especially interested in kings who fought battles which covered all of them.  Eventually he decided to call himself Edward I as he was known as the warrior king. Fortunately his mother's father helped him make a suit of armour for the event.

It is not unusual for families to be able to trace their family trees back to medieval monarchs, however having such connections is a good way to interest the younger generation in history. 

Medieval monarchs who ruled England from the arrival of William the Conqueror in 1066 until the death of Richard III in 1485 belonged to Norman or Plantagenet (also known as Angevin) dynasties. 

William the Conqueror and Henry I were Normans. From Henry II to Edward III the kings were known as Plantagenets. 

Rulers from the House of Lancaster and the House of York then ruled England until the death of Richard III before the arrival of the Tudors.

Medieval kings in our family tree include:

William the Conqueror (ruled from 1066 to 1087)
m. Matilda of Flanders
my 28th great grandparents

Henry I (ruled 1100 to 1135 after the death of his brother, Rufus)
m.Matilda of Scotland
my 27th great grandparents

Matilda (daughter of Henry I should have been Queen but was usurped by her cousin, Stephen)
m. Geoffrey of Anjou
my 26th great grandparents

Henry II (son of Maltilda ruled after the death of his uncle from 1154 to 1189)
m. Eleanor of Aquitaine
my 25th great grandparents

John (ruled from 1100 to 1216 after the death of his brother, Richard)
m. Isabella of Angoulême
my 24th great grandparents

Henry III (ruled from 1216 to 1272)
m. Eleanor of Provence
my 23rd great grandparents

Edward I (ruled from 1272 to 1307)
m. Eleanor of Castille
my 22nd great grandparents

Edward II (ruled from 1307 to 1327)
m. Isabella of France
my 21st great grandparents

Edward III (ruled from 1327 to 1377)
m. Philippa of Hainault
my 20th great grandparents

 Two posts in this blog provide information about discovering this aspect of our family story - Family legend  and Royalty in the family  

Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (1113-1151)

The daughter of Henry I, known as Matilda, Empress of England (1102 to 1167) married Geoffrey V Plantagenet (1113 to 1151) in 1128. Geoffrey was eleven years younger than Matilda. He was 15 when they married. 

They were the parents of three sons - Henry II of England, Geoffrey and William. 

Geoffrey was the elder son of Fulk V of Anjou (c1092 to 1144) and Eremgarde de la Fleche (died 1126), daughter of Elais I of Maine. Fulk V married Eremgadre (or Eremburga) in 1109 and was King of Jerusalem from 1131 until his death in 1144.

Geoffrey's titles in France included Count of Anjou, Tourine and Maine by inheritance from 1129 and then Duke of Normandy by conquest from 1144.

Geoffrey had the nickname - Plantagenet - probably because he wore a sprig of yellow broom blossom in his hat. Genêt is the French name for the planta genista, or broom shrub.

Matilda had been promised that she would be queen after the death of her father. However, her cousin, Stephen, had other ideas. A series of battles, The Anarchy, followed from 1138 until 1153.

Geoffrey remained in France where he took control of Normandy for Matilda and became Duke of Normandy. In 1129 he had inherited the title of the count of Anjou and Maine.

Geoffrey looked after the family's French possessions while Matilda and her army were occupied in attempting to defeat Stephen.

Geoffrey died on 7 September 1151. He was buried at St Julien's Cathedral in Le Mans, France.

When King Stephen died, Geoffrey and Matilda's son became King Henry II of England.

Enamel effigy from 
Geoffrey's tomb 

John of Gaunt (1340-1399)

John of Gaunt was not a king of England but his family had many direct connections with royalty.

John Gaunt was born in Ghent, Belgium, on 6 March 1340. His parents were King Edward III and Philippa of Hanault. John was the fourth son and not expected to be king but he wielded much power in the kingdom.

In 1376 King Edward III had mostly retired from public life so was not available to attend a meeting of both houses of parliament. This meeting, later called the Good Parliament, met to bring in reforms to what was considered corrupt government. This was largely due to the expenses resulting in increased taxation due to the war with France There were also protests about corrupt officials who worked with the king.

John of Gaunt, the king's son, had become a key player in court politics and represented the king at the parliamentary sessions.

John of Gaunt was loyal to his father, amenable, and had become a skilled diplomat and politician. He was the natural choice to defend the interests of the Crown, and oversaw a complicated and divided parliament. He, became increasingly unpopular as he attempted to deal with the complaints and requests of parliament without diminishing the authority of the king. Initially the Commons was victorious in its claims, but six months later John of Gaunt reversed the outcome. These dealings with the parliament made John of Gaunt unpopular with the public as well as the politicians.

Richard II, the ten year old son of the Black Prince, became king after the death of Edward III. Although John of Gaunt (known as the Red Prince) was not officially regent he continued to oversee much of the government and protected the young prince. 

Over the years the political reputation of John of Gaunt varied depending on what else was happening in England. High taxation, however, led to political unrest in the community. In London, John of Gaunt resided at the Savoy Palace and in 1381 the palace was burned down by participants in the Peasant's Revolt. Fortunately John and his family were not in London at the time.

Artist impression of what the palace may have looked like - London Museum

In May 1359 at Reading Abbey, 19-year-old John married Blanche of Lancaster (1342 - 1368). Reports from the time state that this was a love match. Blanche was the daughter of the first Duke of Lancaster. When the duke died the entire Lancastrian estate was inherited by Blanche and John making them very rich.

John and Blanche had seven children but only three survived childhood - Philippa, Elizabeth and Henry (who became Henry IV).

John's second marriage was to Constance of Castile(1354 - 1394) in 1371. This was a political marriage providing John the chance to claim the Crown of Castile in Spain. In 1386 he travelled to Spain to claim the kingship of Castile but the expedition was not successful. However, their daughter, Catherine, later married King Henry III of Castile.

On 13 January 1396, John of Gaunt married his mistress, Katherine Swynford (1349 - 1403) - maiden name de Roet. They had four children born before they married - John, Henry, Thomas and Joan. The children were eventually declared legitimate by papal and royal decree and were given the surname, Beaufort. Katherine had been governess to the children of John and Blanche.

For many years Katherine and her children had lived with John and his other children when he was in England. However the Peasants' Revolt caused John to rethink about his position. Considering that God was punishing him for having a mistress, John publicly broke off his relationship with Katherine and she and the children returned to her home at Kettlethorpe. However John issued a 'quit claim' ensuring that all the gifts given by him to Katherine would remain her property. John also continued to support his children.

John of Gaunt was also a military leader - sometimes successful and sometimes not - and spent many years overseas, especially in France and Spain. In 1389 John of Gaunt became Duke of Aquitaine.

John of Gaunt was a patron and close friend of the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, best known for writing 'The Canterbury Tales'. Chaucer married Philippa, the sister of Katherine Swynford.

John of Gaunt died on 3 February 1399 at Leicester Castle. He was 58. John of Gaunt was buried beside his first wife, Blanche, at St Paul's Cathedral. The tomb was destroyed in the Fire of London in 1666.

John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford were my 19th great grandparents.

Edward III (1312 - 1377)

King Edward III was born on 13 November 1312 at Windsor Castle. He was the son of King Edward II and Isabella of France.

Edward became king on 25 January 1327 when his father abdicated, He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 29 January 1327. He was 14. Edward officially assumed power to rule in 1330 - his mother and Roger Mortimer had taken power of government until then.

Roger Mortimer was executed and Edward's mother was imprisoned for the rest of her life.

In 1328 Edward married Phillipa of Hanault (1313 - 1369) at York Minster. They possibly had seven sons and five daughters though not all survived childhood.

Like the reigns of the Plantagenet kings before him, much of Edward's reign was involved in combat, particularly against the Scots and the French.

Edward's early experience against the Scots included the Weardale campaign in 1327 which the English lost. In 1329 England recognised Scotland as an independent nation. However conflict continued. In 1333 The troops of Edward III defeated the Scottish army at Halidon Hill near Berwick. Then in 1346, David II of Scotland invaded England but was defeated at Neville's Cross. King David was captured and imprisoned until 1357 when he was released from captivity and he returned to Scotland.

The French, however, remained the greatest challenge. In 1337 King Philip VI of France annexed the English King's Duchy of Aquitaine. Edward III then responded by claiming the French crown as he was a grandson of Philip IV via his mother Isabella. This resulted in many battles between England and France which became known as the 100 Years' War.

In 1346 the French were defeated at the Battle of Crecy while in 1347 Edward besieged and captured Calais. In 1356 King Edward's son, known as Black Prince because of his black armour, defeated the French at Poitiers capturing King John II of France who was imprisoned by the English for four years. Most of South western France was now held by the English.

When King John II of France was released from prison he agreed to pay a ransom. His son, Louis of Anjou, remained in English-held Calais as a hostage. Lois escaped in 1364 and as King John II had not paid the ransom he was imprisoned in England where he died.

The fighting continued. In 1367 England and France support rival sides when there was civil war in Castille. In 1369 the French reclaimed Aquitaine while in 1370 the Black Prince attacked Limoges. French troops recaptured Poitou and Brittany in 1372 and there was a naval battle at La Rochelle. In 1373, another of King Edward's sons, John of Gaunt, led an invasion of France taking his army to the borders of Burgundy.

The Treaty of Bruges was agreed to in 1375 and English lands in France were reduced to Bordeaux and Calais.

King Edward III is not only known for fighting battles.

In 1332 Parliament was divided into two houses, the Lords and the Commons. During this time English becomes the court language replacing Norman French. In 1337, Edward created the Duchy of Cornwall to provide the heir to the throne with an independent income. In 1344 Edward founded the Order of the Garter - an award made to nobles and the military for special service to the king.

Conflict with Scotland and France was not the only challenge facing the king and the people of England.

 The Black Death, a plague occurring in 1348-9, 1361-2 and 1369 was estimated to have killed killed 30-40% of the English population. In some villages, the death toll reached 80-90%. It is estimated that London's population was reduced from 100,000 to 20,000 in one generation. The first cases were reported in Dorset in 1348. The original plague morphed into a more deadly version killing most people affected by it. With so many deaths there was an acute shortage of labour for agriculture and armies for many years.

On 21 June 1377 King Edward III died at Sheen Palace in Surrey, after ruling England for fifty years. He was 64. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Edward's grandson, Richard II then became king. Richard was the son of Edward, the Black Prince, who had died in 1376.

King Edward II (1284 - 1327)

King Edward II was born on 25 April 1284 at Caernarvon Castle in Wales. His parents were King Edward I and Eleanor of Castile.

In 1301 his father named him as the first Prince of Wales, a title bestowed on the eldest son of a king or queen since that time.

Edward II became king on 8 July 1307 aged 23 years. He was crowned king on 25 February 1308 at Westminster Abbey.

King Edward can be said to have a tumultuous reign.

On 25 January 1308 he married Isabella (1295-1358) daughter of the King Phillip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre.

Edward and Isabella had two sons - Edward (later King Edward III) and John - and two daughters - Eleanor and Joan who married King David II of Scotland.

Edward also had relationships with men. When young he was known to be under the influence of Piers Gaveston until the barons intervened and Gaveston was executed in 1312. Some years later Hugh le Despenser, son of the Earl of Winchester, used the power created with his relationship with the king to take over a large section of south Wales.

In 1314 Edward and his army once again ventured into Scotland where they were defeated at the Battle of Bannockburn by Robert Bruce.

View in 2014 of where the battle took place.

In 1320 the independence of the Scots was confirmed when the Declaration of Arbroath was signed.

King Edward continued to face opposition from the barons. In 1310 Parliament established a committee of Lords Ordainers to control the King and improve the administration of the country to favour the barons. A leader of the barons was the King's cousin, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. He was probably more concerned with increasing his power base than in reforming parliament.

As the influence of Hugh le Despenser and his father over the king increased the barons rebelled. In 1321an attempt was made to invade London. The troops of the barons camped outside London's walls. They were unable to break into the city, but having come so were not prepared to back down on their demands.

Inside the city walls was the king was unable to force the besiegers to leave. He was also unwilling to meet their principle demand: to get rid of Hugh le Despenser. Eventually Queen Isabella intervened, publicly pleading with the king to exile Hugh for the sake of the kingdom. Eventually King Edward finally agreed to the barons' demands and the Despensers were exiled.

Unrest continued. In 1322 the Baron's Rebellion led by Thomas Earl of Lancaster was defeated at the Battle of Boroughbridge in Yorkshire.

Hugh le Despenser returned and took vengeance on those who previously opposed him. In 1324 after King Edward had ordered that all French aliens should be arrested, Despenser had put the queen under house arrest.

Meanwhile the French king (Isabella's brother) threatened Edward's possessions in Gascony. Isabella agreed to return to France to negotiate a peace treaty.

The peace treaty was approved provided that the king's eldest son went to France to pay homage to the French king. Now that she had her son with her, Queen Isabella, with Roger Mortimer, returned to England with an army to challenge the king.

King Edward II was captured in Wales and imprisoned at Berkeley Castle where he died on 21 September 1327 aged 43 years. He may have been murdered. he had been king for 20 years. 

King Edward II was buried at Gloucester Cathedral.

King Edward I (1239 - 1307)

Edward I was born on 17 June 1239 at Westminster Palace. His parents were King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence.

Edward became king on 20 November 1272 when he was 33.

He was crowned on 19 August 1274 at Westminster Abbey after he returned from the Ninth Crusade.

During the Second Barons War, Edward led the royal forces against Simon de Montfort who had imprisoned Edward's father. De Montfort was defeated in 1265. Henry III was suffering from ill health so Edward then acted as regent until his father died.

Battle of Evesham

Edward I took part in the Ninth Crusade from 1271-1272. and was on a crusade when he succeeded to the throne. Edward and his crusader forces arrived at Acre on May 9th in 1271. They carried out a series of raids and helped stop an attack on the city in December. Edward started negotiating a truce which was agreed to in May 1272.

As king in England, Edward had many other battles to fight.

In 1282 King Edward I and his troops invaded north Wales ending Welsh independence in 1284.

When Alexander III died without an immediate heir in 1287 there followed a period of leadership uncertainty in Scotland.

Initially Edward held power in Scotland and in 1292 chose John Balliol to be the new King of Scotland although the Scots, under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, fiercely resisted actual conquest.

In 1294 France, aligned with Scotland, was at war with England over the duchy of Gascony in France. In 1295 John Balliol reneged on his allegiance to Edward and signed an alliance with King Philip IV of France.

Eventually Edward I became known as the Hammer of the Scots because of his determination to assert his rule in Scotland.

King Edward the warrior - statue at Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria

In 1296 Edward invaded Scotland, defeated the Scots at Dunbar and deposed Balliol. Edward was once again in control in Scotland. The Stone of Scone was removed to Westminster Abbey in London.

The Scots then rose against English rule in 1297 and, led by William Wallace, defeated King Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The following year Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk.

Robert Bruce was crowned Robert I, King of Scotland, in 1306. Edward I attempted to invade Scotland again in 1307, but died when he was travelling north with his troops.

Edward's reign saw the move towards the modern form of Parliament with the Model Parliament of 1295.

Castles including the northern Welsh Conway castle, Caernarvon castle, Beaumaris castle, and Harlech castle were built during Edward's reign. He was also responsible for building bastides (walled towns) to defend the English position in France.

Caernarvon castle.

Edward I married Eleanor of Castile in November 1254 and they had at least 14 children. Five daughters and one son who became Edward II lived to be adults, When Eleanor died in 1290, Edward arranged the creation of a series of Eleanor crosses commemorating her life and the journey taken to bring her body back to London for burial.

An Eleanor Cross

In 1299 Edward I married Margaret, daughter of Philip III of France and they had three children.

King Edward I died on 7 July 1307 in Cumbria, aged 68 years. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. Edward was king of England for 34 years.

King Henry III (1207-1272)

When King John died in 1216 his nine year old son became king - King Henry III.

Statue of Henry III at Salisbury Cathedral.

Henry III was born on 1 October 1207 at Winchester - the son of King John, and Isabella of Angoulême.

Henry III was King of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272.

Nine year old Henry was first crowned king on 28 October 1216 at Gloucester Cathedral and later on 17 May 1220 at Westminster Abbey.

England was ruled temporarily by two French regents, Peter des Roches and Hubert de Burgh plus Sir William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke who was Protector of England.

The first challenge faced by the young king was the continuation of the first Barons War. The war ended in 1217 when Prince Louis of France renounced his claim to the English throne and Alexander II of Scotland paid homage to King Henry. In 1221 Alexander II of Scotland married Henry's sister, Joan.

The barons had continued to make changes to the Magna Carta and in 1225, King Henry III reaffirmed the document. During his rule Henry continued to encounter confrontations with the barons over a variety of issues including England's financial commitments to the papacy. King Henry took full control of the government of England in 1227, but retained Hubert de Burgh as his main adviser until 1232.

In 1236 King Henry married Eleanor of Provence. Two sons, Edward I and Edmund, plus three daughters, Margaret who became Queen of Scots, Beatrice and Katherine, lived to adulthood.

On 26 December 1251 Alexander III of Scotland married Henry's daughter, Margaret, in York. Alexander was 10 and Margaret was 11 when they married.

For a number of years Robert de Ros and John Balliol were appointed as guardians of Alexander III of Scotland until it was considered that he was old enough to rule in his own right.

In 1258 the English barons led by Simon de Montfort - brother-in-law of Henry III, rebelled against what they considered to be Henry's misgovernment. They presented a list of grievances to King Henry, who signed the Provisions of Oxford, further limiting royal power.

Henry repudiated the Provisions of Oxford in 1261.

Once again the barons objected to high taxes imposed by the king and the Second Barons War between the rebel barons and the king of England began in 1264.

Simon De Montfort and his troops defeated King Henry and his supporters at Lewes. Henry was captured in 1264 and was imprisoned until Prince Edward and his supporters defeated de Montfort at Evesham in 1265.

The Dictum of Kenilworth signed on 30 October 1266 restored Henry's authority and annulled the Provisions of Oxford.

King Henry was free but was no longer actively involved in political life. King Henry's health had deteriorated so his son, Edward, acted as regent for the remainder of Henry's life.

Henry spent much of his life improving the country's architectural monuments such as Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey, Salisbury Cathedral, St Alan's Cathedral, Wells Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral.

Henry had laid the foundation stone for the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey in 1245. The new church was consecrated on 13 October 1269 and Henry was one of the pall bearers carrying the coffin of St Edward (Edward the Confessor) which was placed in a new position in the church.

King Henry III died on November 16, 1272 at Westminster, aged 65 years, and was buried at Westminster Abbey. King Henry III reigned for 53 years. His son, Edward I was the next king.

In 1235 Henry III was given three lions by the Holy Roman Emperor. The animals were housed at the Tower of London. Over the years other animals were added to the collection at the Tower Menagerie making this the first London Zoo. From December 1831 the animals were rehoused at Regents Park. Wire sculptures of some of the animals can currently be found at the Tower of London.

Models of animals held in Tower Menagerie.

King John (1166-1216)

King John was born on 24 December 1166 at Beaumont Palace, Oxford. As the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine he was not expected to be king. This situation changed when his brother Richard I died on 6 April 1199. John was 32.

As the youngest son, when Henry II divided the family territories among his sons, John was made Lord of Ireland, the only territory left unallocated. This led to Lackland being a nickname for John.

John and his brother Richard were not on friendly terms. When Richard w/ent on the Third Crusade, almost immediately after being crowned king, he appointed barons loyal to him to manage his territories. John eventually served as acting king with his mother exerting much power in the kingdom.

John was crowned king at Westminster Abbey on 27 May 1199. Some of the barons plus the king of France wanted John's nephew, Arthur, to be king.

John had married Isabella of Gloucester in 1189, but the marriage was annulled ten years later. In 1200 John married Isabella of Angoulême. They had two sons (Henry and Richard) and three daughters (Joan, Eleanor and Isabella).

Most of King John's reign was dominated by war with France. Although there was peace after the Treaty of Le Goulet fighting commenced again in 1202. By 1204 John had lost Normandy and most of the other English possessions in France to the French king, Philip II, and spent the next decade trying to regain these territories without success. His army was finally defeated by Philip Augustus at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214.

As in the reign of previous kings, John was in conflict with the Church. When in 1205 John disputed Pope Innocent III's choice of Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury, the pope suspended all religious services, including baptisms, marriages, and burials. King John retaliated by seizing church revenues. He was excommunicated in 1209 until finally accepting the pope's nominee. An annual monetary tribute was also to be paid to the pope.

Another problem facing John when he became king was the financial crisis in England partly due to expenses incurred supporting King Richard and his troops on crusade. There were additional costs when Richard was captured and money was needed for his ransom. Then there were the costs of the campaigns in France to try and keep territories claimed by the English king. Taxes were increased plus other charges which made John more unpopular with the barons and the general population as well as increasing his problems with the church.

Recent research, however, has shown the excellent organisation of royal bureaucracy during King John's reign and how the money raised by taxes was spent. Sealed documents were sent to individuals or officials, addressing various aspects of governance, including land disputes, financial matters, and appointments. King John's government documented Close Rolls-letters, orders, and instructions that were sealed with the royal "Close Seal."

King John was also the first of the Norman / Plantagenet kings to use the English language instead of French.

Major problems continued with many of the barons leading to the Barons War which began in 1215. In 1215 John refused the demands of the barons so in retaliation a rebel group took over the City of London. This action forced John to negotiate with the barons and clergy and on 15 June 1215 they met at Runnymede where the Charter of Liberties (later the Magna Carta) was signed. Although King John met many of their demands when he signed the Magna Carta the unrest continued and evolved into a civil war. Rebel barons sought assistance from France and Scotland in their fight against the king. Prince Louis of France landed in England in 1216 and his troops captured the Tower of London.

[Commemorative version of the Magna Carta, plus shields of the barons plus seal of King John, celebrating 800 years since original document signed. 

John and his loyal supporters fled north where he became ill with dysentery and died at Newark Castle on 18 October 1216. King John was buried at Worcester Cathedral. John was 49 when he died. He had ruled England for 17 years.

When John travelled north it is believed that the crown jewels were included in his baggage. Most of his baggage was lost when the baggage train crossed the tidal estuaries of the Wash.

King John no doubt had failings as a person and a leader. He certainly antagonised many people. But these were difficult times and he had many enemies at home and abroad.

Although John's brother, King Richard, only spent six months of his reign in England his reputation has survived through time and literature as him being a brave and good king. In contrast, King John, especially after losing his French territories, spent much of his reign in England trying to govern the country with little loyalty and support.

Many years later stories have evolved such as Shakespeare's play 'King John' and books, television shows and films about the fictional Robin Hood and his encounters with King John. These works of fiction portray John as a ruthless, unpopular king with many failings, especially when compared with his brother, good King Richard! 

[Plaque on wall of King's Lynn Town Hall commemorating the Royal Charter granted in 1204 by King John.]

King Henry II (1133-1189)

King Henry II was England's first Plantagenet king. He was the son of the Empress Matilda and Geoffrey Plantagenet. Henry was born on 5 March 1133 at Le Mans, France.

In 1152 Henry married Eleanor, daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine.

As well as England, Henry was lord of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, and Count of Anjou, Brittany, Poitou, Normandy, Maine, and Gascony plus Aquitaine due to his marriage to Eleanor. With so many French possessions Henry lived for more than half his reign outside England.

After the death of King Stephen, Henry became the English king in 1154. He was crowned king at Westminster Abbey on 19 December 1154.

Henry and Eleanor had five sons - William (died aged 3), Henry, Richard, Geoffrey and John - and three daughters - Matilda who married Henry Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, Eleanor who married Alphonso VIII, king of Castile and Joan who married firstly William II, king of Sicily then Raymond IV, count of Toulouse. Consequently the family cemented relationships in many parts of Europe.

The children of Henry II and Eleanor.

Henry II became king after The Anarchy - a long battle between his mother and her cousin, Stephen. During this time many castles had been built illegally by some of the barons. Henry II insisted that the castles were to be destroyed.

He was still able to build up and count on support from loyal barons who supported the crown.

Henry needed the support of the barons especially as he spent much of his time in France where there were constant tensions with the French king. Eleanor was actively involved in the administration of England when Henry was absent as well as managing her own domains in France.

In England Henry II established a new judicial and administrative system in England as well as improving the financial administration of the country. This included introducing his own courts and magistrates, roles traditionally under the control of the church. In 1166 trial by jury was introduced in England. He also attempted to exert royal power over the church in England which increased friction with the Pope.

In 1155 Henry II appointed Thomas à Becket Chancellor of England, a post that he held for seven years. Henry appointed Thomas à Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury hoping that he would introduce Church reforms.

However Thomas à Becket supported the church much to the displeasure of the king. This resulted in four of Henry's knights killing Thomas à Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170. This event was regretted by the king and overshadowed most of the achievements undertaken by Henry II.

Thomas à Becket memorial.

Henry II died at Chinon Castle, Anjou, on 6 July 1189, aged 56 years. He was buried at Fontevraud Abbey in France.

Henry II had been king of England for 34 years. His son, Richard, became the next king of England from 1189 - 1199.

Cooring Yering - the early years

In the 1880s, the house Cooring Yering was built for Colonel William Forbes Hutton on his property of the same name near Lilydale. William Forbes Hutton had purchased the property in 1871 after serving in the Madras Army in India from 1836. William then purchased additional land nearby, eventually owning more than 1,600 acres. The land was used for grazing cattle and there was also a vineyard, though dairying and sheep were also tried on the property. Small parcels of land were leased to market gardeners. After the death of Eleonora Hutton in 1900 the property was sold, but the house with approximately 100 acres still stands today surrounded by a housing estate.

Early history of the property

In 1849 Rowland Hill took up a selection to the north of what became the township of Lilydale. He commenced clearing land, planted crops, built a single room slab hut with a bark roof and dug a waterhole. 

Thomas Payne purchased the 640 acres comprising Section 23 for £1 per acre at the first land sales in 1852 when Hill could not afford to buy the land. 

John Hill repurchased the property when Payne decided to return to England. In 1857 the land was subdivided with three equal parts sold to their three sons and the rest sold outside the family. The sons farmed the property collectively and called the property Cooring Yering. Initially wheat and other grains were grown in the area but by the mid 1860s such crops were not profitable as the land was overworked and not allowed to lie fallow. A wooden house later replaced Hill’s bark roofed hut.

In Yering grape growing was introduced in the 1850s and expanded in the 1860s.  

In the early 1860s Samuel de Pury bought a section of Hill’s Cooring Yering and planted 10 acres of vines. A letter to the editor in the Argus stated that M de Pury had a vineyard at Cooring Yering. George Hutton states that William Forbes Hutton ‘bought Cooring Yering from a Mr de Pury who had formed the farm and then returned to Switzerland for a holiday, but married and settled down there’. 

Rate books do not conclusively resolve the question of previous ownership of the property but an entry for 1871-72 stated - G De Pury gentleman leasing land owned by Major Hutton freehold part of section 24 £211.

The Huttons and Cooring Yering (part one)

George Hutton in the 1930s

The Huttons settle in Lilydale

George Hutton (son of William Forbes Hutton) had arrived in Victoria from England in August 1869. His father arrived in the colony in May 1871. William decided to purchase land in Lilydale several months after arrival in the colony. Many years later (in the 1930s) George recorded his memories of the family's first years on the property.

Father having bought Cooring Yering, a 400 acre farm at Lilydale – a village 25 miles east of Melbourne on the Olinda Creek, a tributary of the Yarra. It was named after Mrs Paul de Castella who was a daughter of Colonel Anderson, the Commander of the Garrison of Victoria at the time. Mt Juliet was named after another daughter. … Father bought Cooring Yering from a Mr de Pury who had formed the farm and then returned to Switzerland for a holiday, but married and settled down there. Guillaume de Pury, his brother had married a Miss Iffitson who had a good bit of money I believe. At any rate he owned a big property 3,000 acres about eight miles from Lilydale and had a big vineyard, about 100 acres I believe in hearing it made a lot of wine each year.

The de Castellas also had big vineyards - Hubert de Castella’s 300 acres under vines being the biggest vineyard in Victoria at that time. There were other Swiss farmers and all had more or less land under vines. There were only 10 acres at Cooring Yering and we made about 4,000 gallons of wine a year. The trouble was that the country was not suitable for vines, being too rough except at the lower end of the existing vineyard, and if we had continued the vineyard towards the flat the frosts would have cut off the flowers every spring. Another thing was that wine requires several years age besides taking a lot of looking after before it is fit to drink and the price procurable did not pay interest on the cost of buildings, presses, casks etc. so was no game for a man unless he had capital. The de Castellas both went broke although Paul de Castella’s failure was really caused by speculating in cattle stations long before I knew them.

The farmers were all dairymen and mostly struggling for a living. It was too far to send the milk to Melbourne and the best butter only bought 6d a lb wholesale and it cost 2d a lb for carriage. Another thing was that many of the cows were poor milkers, pleuro-pneumonia having decimated the herds a few years previously and a good many of the cows then milking were rotten with tuberculosis. It was not until the railway came to the district that the farmers got on their legs again. A good deal of de Pury’s country was high, dry and well grassed and he had a flock of English sheep (Southdowns I think) and did well out of them, but most of the country was only fit for cattle in its natural state and not too good at that.

The flats were alright in the summer time but were too cold and wet during a great portion of the year especially along the river where most of the flats were flooded during the winter and more or less in the autumn and early spring. The soil on the hills was mostly a poor clay and the grasses growing on them of little value as feed except in the gullies between the hills where the kangaroo grass grew. On the flats the principal feed was white clover in the spring and summer months, at least in the improved country, which on the Olinda Creek been a ti-tree swamp originally cleared and drained at great expense. On Cooring Yering 100 acres had cost £11 an acre to clear and I do not know whether that included the cost of digging drains. The flats were too wet to grow wheat and most of the hill country was too dry. A lot of this poor country paid well later on as an orchard and raspberry gardens but I don’t know if it still does.

Father went in for fattening cattle but the flats were the only suitable country and the summer was too short to get off more than one mob or at the most two in a season, say 80 to 100 head, in fact during the winter the flats had to be shut off as the cattle puddled them too much and as there was no shelter from the wind and rain and was too cold for stock to do well on. Father bought the property in November too late in the season for fattening really poor cattle, so put on 80 heads of bullocks fat but wearied by travelling so practically sold as stones on a big market at Flemington and held them to freshen up. I took one lot into market the following May, but it had been a wet summer and they had not done well, besides hitting a big market, so did not sell as well as they ought to have done. Another thing was that we found our cattle from beyond the Murray required two summers to get acclimatised. In fact dairying, unless on had a big area of cheap country to breed on, was the only payable business. 

A cold wet winter and very little growth in the grass, so Father bought 300 acres of rent (ring) barked country on the opposite side of the valley adjoining Cooring Yering. Lots of grass but of course sour stuff, however it kept the stock going until spring. I did not like the country and could not see how it could be made to pay. Father’s idea was to grow hay on it and feed the cattle during the winter like they did in England, but he did not take into consideration the difference in the price of fat stock and also that cattle from New South Wales and the north and western parts of Victoria where the summer was longer could be put on to the market and sold at a profit for less than he could sell stall fed cattle after about 18 months trial he gave up cattle and went for crossbred sheep.

Going back to England shortly after the purchase of the sheep. He had bought Rowe’s Mount – 480 acres – and what was known as Jamieson’s – 200 (acres) just before he went. Both blocks were poor rough country, totally unfitted for sheep and only fenced for cattle. Of course we put in wires where possible, rolled logs under two rail fences and nailed saplings between the rails on the fence between Rourke’s and our flat paddocks. I may remark that this mob of sheep were the worst sheep I have ever known for getting through fences except a mob of 8,000 crossbred wethers belonging to C B Fisher a few years later in the Riverina. I had a pretty bad time with these sheep when Father was away. What between footrot, fluke and want of feed for I had to keep them off the flat as neither creeks nor fences were any obstacles for their wandering propensities. Father was very angry that I had kept the sheep off the flats and thought that I was pulling his leg when I told him that the saplings that he had nailed between the rails of Rourke’s fence crossing the flat were no good, the ewes got their heads under the saplings and dragged them off till he saw them do it himself. He soon stopped that however as he had imported some wire netting and sent for it at once. As soon as it arrived we put it up along Rourke’s fence and spent two or three hours laughing at the sheep trying to get through.

Shortly after Father returned to Melbourne I had told him that I was not going to stay at Cooring Yering but meant joining an over-landing party to bring cattle from Queensland. I had wanted to do this for some time but it was not easy to find a party going north. …

George worked with his father in Lilydale for several years as the property was established. In 1874 the rest of the family travelled from England to settle in Victoria and some of George's younger brothers were now available to assist their father. George told his father that he planned to head north to Queensland and follow new adventures.