User blog:Matthew Babe Stevenson/Historical references

These are my proposed additions to References to Historical Figures in Turtledove's Work.

Thomas Beckett
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In Frankos' St. Oswald's Niche, Jennet Walker establishes her credentials with Dr. Edwin Durrell by reciting an obsessively detailed oral essay on the Henry-Beckett feud.

Henry I of England
Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror, and the first male member of the family to be born in England. On William's death in 1087, Henry's elder brothers Robert Curthose and William Rufus inherited Normandy and England, respectively, but Henry was left landless. He purchased the County of Cotentin in western Normandy from Robert, but his brothers deposed him in 1091. He gradually rebuilt his power base in the Cotentin and allied himself with William against Robert.

Present when William died in a hunting accident in 1100, Henry seized the English throne, promising at his coronation to correct many of William's less popular policies. Robert, who invaded in 1101, disputed Henry's control of England. Henry finally defeated Robert at the Battle of Tinchebray and Robert imprisoned for the rest of his life.

Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler, Henry skillfully manipulated the barons in England and Normandy, established a royal exchequer and system of justices.

In Frankos' St. Oswald's Niche, the discovery of the York Tapestry prompts a historians' debate on how best to reevaluate the roles of Henry and other figures of Tinchebray, when the tapestry's depictions of their relative positions and actions during the battle do not match up with conventional history books.

Henry II of England
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In Frankos' St. Oswald's Niche, Jennet Walker establishes her credentials with Dr. Edwin Durrell by reciting an obsessively detailed oral essay on the Henry-Beckett feud.

Robert II of Normandy
Robert II (c. 1051 – 3 February 1134), sometimes called Robert Curthose ("short-stockinged"), succeeded his father William the Conqueror as Duke of Normandy in 1087 and reigned until 1106. Robert was also an unsuccessful claimant to the throne of the Kingdom of England. Robert's reign as duke is noted for the discord with his younger brothers William II and Henry I of England. Robert mortgaged his duchy to finance his participation in the First Crusade, where he was an important crusader commander. Eventually, his disagreements with Henry I led to his defeat at the Battle of Tinchebray (resulting in his lifelong captivity) and the absorption of Normandy as a possession of England.

In Frankos' St. Oswald's Niche, the discovery of the York Tapestry prompts a historians' debate on how best to reevaluate the roles of Robert and other figures of Tinchebray, when the tapestry's depictions of their relative positions and actions during the battle do not match up with conventional history books.

William of York
William Fitzherbert (late 11th century – 8 June 1154) was an English priest, and unusually, twice Archbishop of York, before and after his rival Henry Murdac. Born out of wedlock, he is thought to be a relative of King Stephen, who helped to secure his election to York after several candidates had failed to gain papal confirmation. William faced opposition from the Cistercians, who after the election of Pope Eugene III, had William deposed in favour of their champion Murdac. From 1147 until 1153, William worked to secure his restoration to York, which he finally achieved after the deaths of Murdac and Eugene. He did not hold the see long, dying shortly after his return, allegedly poisoned with the chalice he used to celebrate Mass. Miracles began to be reported at his tomb from 1177 onwards. He was canonised in 1227.

In Frankos' St. Oswald's Niche, Jennet Walker and other characters discuss Fitzherbert at length, and agree that he was an unlikely candidate for sainthood.