Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/30



9. The Crusades.—During this reign the Crusades began. Peter the Hermit, encouraged by the Pope, went through Europe preaching against the Turks, because they ill-treated Christian pilgrims who visited the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. A multitude of people, sewing a colored cross (crux) on their arms, went forth from Europe to fight against the Turks. With them went Robert, William’s brother, having, however, first pledged his duchy to William for a sum of money with which to go on the expedition. This was in 1096. So while Robert was absent William governed both England and Normandy, and took English men and money into France to help him in his wars.

10. Death of Rufus, 1100 A.D.—The people groaned under their heavy burdens and the famine which now came; but the end was near. One day Rufus was hunting in the New Forest, and after a time being missed by his attendants they sought for him, only to find him dead, with an arrow in his breast. Some thought that he had been shot accidentally by Walter Tyrrell, while others, with perhaps good reason, believed that one of the many oppressed by the cruel forest laws had seized the opportunity to take the wicked king’s life. Rufus died “in his sins,” and his body was not given a religious burial. His brother Henry at once hastened to Winchester and seized the royal treasure, fearing Robert’s return from the Crusades. So Henry became king, Robert being absent in the Holy Land.

11. Henry 1.—Henry, the youngest son of the Conqueror, was a quiet thoughtful man, with so much learning for his time, that he was called ‘‘Beauclerc,” or ‘‘Fine Scholar.” Nevertheless he kept a firm hand on his barons, and as he knew that his throne depended on the good-will of the English, he gave them a “charter,” and restored the laws of Edward the Confessor. He relieved the people from many of their unjust burdens, and, to please the English still more, married Edith, the daughter of Malcolm of Scotland, and grand-daughter of Edmund Ironsides. All these things Henry did because he knew that when Robert returned from the Crusades he would claim the throne and would be supported by most of the barons. After a time Robert came home, and as expected, the barons rose in his favour. Peace, however, was made between the brothers, Robert receiving a pension from Henry.