4. King Henry I of England was so worried about his brother Robert Cuthose that he invaded his brother’s lands and then imprisoned him for more than 40 years
William the Conqueror was a wise and cautious man. After his successful invasion of 1066, he had control of two kingdoms, England and Normandy. He also had several sons and daughters and spent a considerable amount of time wondering who his heir should be. In line with tradition, his eldest son, Robert Curthose, looked the most likely candidate. But the king knew that Robert and his younger brother Henry did not get along at all. Fearful that giving Richard the crown upon his own death would lead to outright war between the two siblings, he chose a third path. So, in 1087, another son, William II – also known a William Rufus – was crowned king.
Just 13 years into his reign, however, William II died suddenly. He was hit by an arrow while out hunting. Some say it was an accident. Other contemporary sources, as well as many historians since, claimed otherwise. Either way, it was Henry who took advantage of the event to lay claim to the crown. He was named King Henry I of England and Normandy in the year 1100. His elder brother Richard retained the title Duke of Normandy. He was far from happy, however, and made no effort to hide his belief that he should be the rightful king.
Surprisingly, the sibling rivalry just bubbled under for a few years. Robert carried on complaining but stayed across the sea in Normandy. By 1105, however, Henry had had enough. What’s more, he was hearing bad things about his brother, above all that he was drunk and lazy and that the people of Normandy no longer respected him. So, he invaded Normandy. The two brothers met at the Battle of Tinchebray in September 1106. Henry came out on top. But rather than having his big brother killed, he took him prisoner and brought him back to Britain. Richard was imprisoned in an English castle and then in Cardiff Castle, spending an incredible 46 years behind bars. He died an old man, still a prisoner, in his Welsh cell, in 1134. His little brother would rule for another year and he died of natural causes.