Burial and Funeral Procession

• His corpse was taken to Rouen, accompanied by the barons of Normandy, where it was embalmed.
• His entrails were buried separately at Port-du-Salut Abbey in Normandy.
• The preserved body was transported to England, where it was interred at Reading Abbey, the monastery Henry had founded in 1121 as his intended burial site.

Consequences: The Anarchy Begins

Henry’s death without a clear and secure successor led to a crisis of succession, as:

• His daughter Matilda, whom he had designated as his heir, was not in England at the time.
• His nephew, Stephen of Blois, quickly seized the throne, securing the support of the English barons and the Church.
• This usurpation sparked a brutal civil war known as The Anarchy (1135–1153), as Matilda fought to reclaim her inheritance.

Despite Henry I’s political acumen and careful succession planning, his failure to secure Matilda’s immediate recognition led to one of the most chaotic periods in English history, forever shaping the future of the English monarchy.