While this Church question was in dispute, Henry had still more
pressing matters to attend to. His elder brother Robert (SS124, 127)
had invaded England and demanded the crown. The greater part of the
Norman nobles supported this claim, but the English people held to
Henry. Finally, in consideration of a heavy money payment, Robert
agreed to return to Normandy and leave his brother in full possession
of the realm. On his departure, Henry resolved to drive out the
prominent nobles who had aided Robert. Of these, the Earl of
Shrewsbury, called "Robert the Devil," was the leader. With the aid
of the English, who hated him for his cruelty, the earl was at last
compelled to leave the country.
He fled to Normandy, and, in violation of a previous agreement, was
received by Henry's brother Robert. Upon that, Henry declared war,
and, crossing the Channel, fought (1106) the battle of Tinchebrai,[1]
by which he conquered and held Normandy as completely as William, Duke
of Normandy, had conquered England forty years before. The King
carried his brother captive to Wales, and kept him in prison during
his life in Cardiff Castle. This ended the contest with the nobles.
[1] Tinchebrai, Normandy, in the region west of Caen and Avranches.
(See map facing p. 54.)
By his uprightness, his decision, his courage, and by his organization
of better courts of law (S147), Henry fairly won the honorable title
of the "Lion of Justice"; for the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" says, "No
man durst misdo against another in his time."[2]
[2] See, too, the Summary of Constitutional History in the Appendix,
p. vi, S7.