Chapter VI

THE LAST WARS OF WILLIAM RUFUS. 1097-1099.

1097-1100 Character of the last years of William Rufus; his
designs on France 165-167

1097-1098 Beginning of the wars between France and Maine 167

Nov. 1097 William crosses the sea 167

Comparison of France and Maine; Philip and Helias;
advantage of the kingly dignity 168-170

Lewis son of Philip 170

Jan. 1098 Beginning of the war of Maine 170

§ 1. _The Beginning of the French War._ 1097-1098.

1092 King Philip; his adulterous marriage with Bertrada
of Montfort 171-172

Opposition of Ivo and Hugh of Lyons; excommunication
of Philip and Bertrada 173-174

Sons of Philip and Bertrada; she schemes against
Lewis 174

Philip invests Lewis with the Vexin 175

1097 William’s grounds of offence; he demands the cession
of the Vexin; his demand is refused 175-176

November William crosses to Normandy; excesses of his 11-30 followers in England 176-177

William and Lewis; difficulties of Lewis; fate of
the captives on each side 178-179

French traitors; Guy of the Rock; description of
Roche Guyon 179-182

Policy of Robert of Meulan; he receives William’s
troops; importance and description of Meulan 182-184

Prospects of William; failure of his plans 184-185

The castle of Chaumont-en-Vexin 185-186

1096 The castle of Gisors; its first defences
strengthened by Robert of Bellême 186-188

Castles of Trye and Boury 188-189

National feeling in the French Vexin 189-190

Prisoners on both sides; Gilbert of Laigle; Simon
of Montfort 190

§ 2. _The First War of Maine._ 1098.

November, Dates of the French war 191 1097-1098

Jan.-Aug. War of Maine 191 1098

1089 Robert suspects the loyalty of Maine; he asks help
of Fulk of Anjou; marriage of Fulk and Bertrada 191-194

1090 Movements in Maine; Hugh son of Azo sent for 194-195

Character of Helias of La Flèche; his descent;
his castles; he accepts the succession of Hugh 195-197

1090 Revolt of Maine; Hugh received at Le Mans 197-200

Bishop Howel imprisoned by Helias 197-199

Release of Howel; his dealings with Robert 199-200

Disputes between Hugh and Howel; disputes of
Howel with his chapter; he goes to England 201

June 28, 1090 Return of Howel; unpopularity of Hugh 202

February, Helias buys the county of Hugh 202-203 1091

1091-1098 First reign of Helias; peace of the land 203-204

October 17, Translation of Saint Julian 204 1093

November, Visit of Pope Urban to Le Mans 205 1095

1095-1097 Sickness of Howel 205

1095-1096 Helias takes the cross; estimate of his conduct 205-207

Aug. 1096 William in Normandy; danger to Maine; negotiations
of Helias with Robert 207

Interview of William and Helias; mutual challenge
and defiance 208-210

1096-1097 William delays his attack 210

July 29, Death of Howel; disputed election to the bishopric 210-211 1097

1097-1126 Hildebert Bishop of Le Mans 211-212

Claims of the Norman dukes over the bishopric;
anger of Rufus at the election of Hildebert 211-213

Nov. 1097 William in Normandy; his designs on Maine 213

Robert of Bellême attacks Maine; Helias strengthens
Dangeul; geographical character of the war 213-214

Jan. 1098 Robert of Bellême invites the King; guerrilla
warfare of Helias 214-215

William leaves Maine; Robert of Bellême continues
the war; castles held by him 216-219

Nature of the country and of the war; comparison
of Maine and England 219-221

Helias defeats Robert at Saônes; cruelty of Robert 221-223

April 28, 1098 Second victory of Helias; he is taken prisoner
near Danguel 223-224

Helias surrendered to the king; contrast between
William Rufus and Robert of Bellême 224-225

Hildebert and the council at Le Mans 225-226

William at Rouen; a great levy ordered; numbers
of the army 226-228

June, The army meets at Alençon; invasion of Maine; 1098 truce with Ralph of Fresnay 228-230

Dealings with the nobles of Maine 230-231

May 5 Fulk of Anjou at Le Mans; he leaves Geoffrey in
command 231-232

March of William Rufus; he approaches Le Mans by
Coulaines; he ravages Coulaines 232-234

Sally from the city; Rufus goes away; the siege of
Le Mans raised 234-236

Ballon betrayed to Rufus; occupied by Robert of
Bellême, and besieged by Fulk 235-236

July 20 William relieves Ballon; his treatment of the
captive knights 236-237

August Fulk goes back to Le Mans; convention between
William and Fulk; Le Mans to be surrendered and
Helias set free 237-238

Submission of Le Mans; William’s entry 238-241

William leaves Le Mans; general submission of
Maine 241

Meeting of William and Helias at Rouen; the offers
of Helias rejected; his defiance 242-243

Helias set free; illustration of the King’s
character 244-245

§ 3. _The End of the French War. September-December_, 1098.

1097-1099 William on the Continent; extent of his conquest in
Maine; he begins, but does not finish 245

September He sets forth against France; the sign in the sky 27, 1098 246

He marches to Pontoise; position of the town and
castle; Pontoise his furthest point 247-248

Siege of Chaumont; castle not taken 248-249

Alliance between Normandy and Aquitaine; coming
of Duke William of Poitiers 249-250

Campaign to the west of Paris; valley of the Maudre;
the two Williams march against the Montfort
castles 250-252

The castles resist singly; Peter of Maule 252-253

The two Simons of Montfort; the castle of Montfort;
successful defence of the younger Simon 253-255

Christmas, William keeps Christmas in Normandy; truce with 1098-1099 France 255

Ill-success of the French war; illustrations of
William’s character 256

§ 4. _The Gemót of 1099._

April 10, Easter assembly 256 1099

May 19 Whitsun assembly in the new hall at Westminster 257

Buildings of William Rufus; they are reckoned
among the national grievances; probable abuses of
the law 257-260

Various grievances and natural phænomena 258

The wall round the tower, the bridge, and the hall;
growth of the greatness of London; relations of
London and Winchester 259-261

Westminster Hall; its two founders; its history 262-263

Object of the hall; personal pride of Rufus; the
Whitsun feast; the sword borne by the King of
Scots 263-264

Deaths of bishops and abbots; character and acts of
Walkelin of Winchester 265-266

April 8, The monks take possession of the new church of 1093 Winchester 266

1097-1098 Walkelin joint regent with Flambard; the King’s
demand for money 266-267

Jan. 3, Death of Walkelin 267
1098
Death of Turold of Peterborough and Robert of New
Minster 267

Abbot Baldwin of Saint Eadmund’s; rebuilding of
the church; the King forbids the dedication 267-269

April 30, Various details of Abbot Baldwin; translation of 1095 Saint Eadmund 268-270

Dec. 29, Death of Abbot Baldwin 270 1097 The bishopric of Durham granted to Randolf Flambard 271

June 5, Consecration of Flambard 271 1099

1099- Character of the appointment; Flambard’s episcopate 271-274 1128 His works at Durham and Norham 272

Later events of the year 1099 274

§ 5. _The Second War of Maine._
_April-September, 1099._

Aug. 1098- Helias withdraws to La Flèche; he strengthens the April, 1099 castles on the Loir 274-276

April, 1099 He attacks the castle held by the King 277

June He marches against Le Mans; battle at Pontlieue;
he recovers Le Mans 277-278

The castles still held for the King; the Normans
set fire to the city; comparison of Le Mans and
York 279-281

Vain operations against the castles; use of the
church towers; Robert of Bêlleme strengthens
Ballon 281-282

The news brought to William in the New Forest;
his ride to the coast 282-284

He crosses to Touques and rides to Bonneville; the
castle of Bonneville 284-287

His levy; he marches to Le Mans; Helias flees to
Château-du-Loir 287

William passes through Le Mans; he harries southern
Maine; Helias burns the castles 288-289

William besieges Mayet; observance of the Truce of
God; details of the siege; the siege raised 289-294

The land ravaged, but the campaign left unfinished 294-295

William at Le Mans; his good treatment of the
city; he drives out the canons 295-296

Sept. 1099 He goes back to England 296

Hildebert reconciled to the King; the King bids him
pull down the towers of Saint Julian’s; question
whether the order was carried out 297-300

1099 Revolt in Anglesey; return of Cadwgan and Gruffydd;
recovery of Anglesey and Ceredigion by the
Welsh 300-301

Nov. 3, The great tide in the Thames 302 1099

December 3 Death of Bishop Osmund of Salisbury 302