1050-6 Henry I is crowned in Westminster Abbey

http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/royals/henry-iii


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Henry was born at Winchester Castle on 1 October 1207, eldest son of King John and Isabella. He succeeded his father in 1216. His was one of the longest reigns in English history. It is to Henry that we owe the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey in the new Gothic style of architecture.  In 1220 he had laid the foundation stone of the old Lady Chapel (later replaced by Henry VII's chapel) and he had a special devotion to St Edward the Confessor.  He wanted to emulate the great churches then being built in France and to transfer Edward's body to a new shrine near which he himself could be buried.  Demolition of Edward the Confessor's 11th century church began in 1245 and the king was recklessly extravagant in the money spent on the Abbey and its lavish decoration (the cost including the new Shrine was £45,000, about 15 million in today's money).  The  eastern section and transepts of the Church as far as one bay of the nave west of the organ screen, dates from his reign. The bones of St Edward were translated to the new shrine in 1269 and the consecration of the Church took place on 13 October 1269.  But building ceased when Henry died and it was completed at a much later date.

Marriage

Henry married Eleanor, daughter of Raymond Berenger V, Count of Provence, in Canterbury cathedral on 4 January 1236. They had six sons and three daughters, many of whom died young.

Coronation

He was hastily crowned king at Gloucester Abbey on 28 October 1216 due to the uncertain political situation at the time and then again with full ceremonial in Westminster Abbey on 17 May 1220. Eleanor was crowned on 20 January 1236.

Burial

Henry died at the Palace of Westminster on 16 November 1272. He had a magnificent funeral and his body was temporarily buried in the old grave of Edward the Confessor in front of the High Altar of the Abbey. He was the first monarch to be buried in a coffin (rather than the body being visible on a bier) with a wax effigy used in the procession.  Nineteen years later he was placed in the splendid tomb put up by his son Edward I to the north of the Shrine of St Edward, although his heart was delivered to the Abbey at Fontevrault in France as Henry had wished. Henry's large tomb is of Purbeck marble with slabs of purple and green antique porphyry set in the sides and inlaid with gilded "Cosmati" mosaic and coloured marble and glass.  Much of this has been robbed but decoration still remains on the north side.   High on the tomb lies the superb gilt bronze effigy made by London goldsmith William Torel.  The slab on which the king lies and the pillows beneath his head are decorated with the lions of England. The Norman-French inscription remains around the edge. This can be translated as:

"Here lies Henry formerly King of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine, son of King John formerly King of England, to whom God grant mercy. Amen"

The wooden canopy was once gilt and painted but the grille which protected the tomb has gone. Tomb dimensions in metres: length 2.94. width 1.50. height 2.30.

Photographs of his tomb and effigy can be obtained from Westminster Abbey Library. An early glass shield with his arms is now in St Edmund's chapel window and a carved shield remains in the choir aisle together with those of other benefactors to the building work.