She married him on
condition that he grant a charter of rights undoing some practices
of the past reigns of William I and William II. Peace was also
furthered by the fact that Henry I had been born in England and
English was his native tongue. The private wars of lords were now
replaced by less serious mock battles.
Henry was a shrewd judge of character and of the course of events,
cautious before taking action, but decisive in carrying out his
plans. He was faithful and generous to his friends. He showed a
strong practical element of calculation and foresight. Although
illiterate, he was intelligent and a good administrator. He had an
efficient intelligence gathering network and an uncanny knack of
detecting hidden plans before they became conspiratorial action.
He made many able men of inferior social position nobles, thus
creating a class of career judges and administrators in opposition
to the extant hereditary aristocracy. He loved books and built a
palace at Oxford to which he invited scholars for lively
discussion.
Queen Matilda served as regent of the kingdom in Henry's absence,
as William's queen had for him. Both queens received special
coronation apart from their husbands; they held considerable
estates which they administered through their own officers, and
were frequently composed of escheated honors. Matilda was learned
and a literary patron. She founded an important literary and
scholastic center.
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