Maine

And William then decides he's gonna actually help Robert.

You know, Robert is trying to subdue the County of Maine just to the south of Normandy, and William's like, "Well, you know what? I'm here with an army.

Boys on tour.

Let's go and sort out Maine." And all of a sudden he's backing Robert and he's helping him in all of these fights.

Um, at this point they also agree that if, if either or both of them die without a son, that they will be each other's heir.

So if Robert dies without a son, William gets Normandy.

You know, Robert has given up in Normandy and begged him for, for peace.

They've beaten his younger brother, Henry.

The hills of the west continue those of Brittany, the plains of the east merge in those of Picardy.

The watershed of the south marks no clear-cut boundary from Maine and Perche.

The valleys of the Seine and the Eure lead straight to the Ile-de-France, separated from Normandy only by those border fortresses of the Havre and the Vexin, which are the perpetual battleground of Norman history, Normandy's Alsace-Lorraine.

Within these limits lie two distinct physiographic areas, one of the lower portion of the Paris Basin, the other a western region which belongs with Brittany and the west of France.

In its stately cathedral with the ancient tombs of the Norman dukes, in the glorious nave of its great abbey church the florid Gothic of Saint-Maclou, the richly carved perpendicular of its Palace of Justice and its splendid facades of the French Renaissance, historic also in those unbuilt spots which mark the landing of the Northmen and the burning of Joan of Arc.

Lower Normandy shows greater variety, comprising the hilly country of the Bocage, the so-called Norman Switzerland, the plain of Caen and the pasturelands of the Bessin and the wide sweep of the Atlantic coastline from the promontory of La Hague to the shifting sands of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.

It is a country of green fields and orchards and sunken lanes, of dank parks and mouldering châteaux, of deserted mills and ancient parish churches, of quaint timbered houses and long village streets, of silent streams, small ports and pebbly beaches, the whole merging ultimately in the neighbouring lands of Brittany and Maine.

Its typical places are Falaise, Vire and Argentan, with their ancient castles of the Norman dukes, Bayeux and Coutances, the foundations of whose soaring cathedrals carry us back to the princely prelates of the conquest, provincial capitals of the old regime like Valognes or the new like Saint-Lô, and best of all the crowning glories of the marvel of Mont Saint-Michel.

We will limit ourselves to the remark that this region, which has become so celebrated for its fine race of horses, represents an ellipse of about 25 leagues long and by nearly 20 broad.

This ellipse is bounded on the north by Normandy, on the west also by Normandy and by Maine, on the east by the portion of Beauce, including Chartrain and Dunois, on the south by the Vendromois, three portions of the ancient Orléanais.

At the present time, enclosed in the centre of the four departments, Orne, Eure-et-Loire, Loire-et-Cher, and Sarthe, the territory of Perche comprises the following divisions.

First, the district of Mortagne, department of Orne.

These are historical facts which have their importance.

Like chronicles, it is true, exist for other provinces.

For Limousin, for Nerive, for Auvergne, the land of noble horses, also for Brittany and Maine.

But in the latter, not the least sign of Eastern blood is perceptible.

Well, he's hoping it will make Normandy safe.

Anjou borders Normandy to the south and also has rule over the neighbouring county of Maine.

So you've got the southern borders secure, which is a major boon, of course.

You've still got France and potentially Flanders as threats, but it's much more secure with Anjou.

So, 17, William Adeline is now fully acknowledged as the heir to England and Normandy.

He's proven himself in battle.

He's taken a wife by whom he will secure Normandy and Maine, and Anjou, ultimately.

And he's ready to make his mark on the world.

In the year of his marriage, his father died.

Thus, in 1154, Henry found himself king of the English, with an overlordship of Wales and Scotland, duke of Normandy, count of Anjou and of Maine and Turin, and in the south, count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine, a title which, under different rights, gave sway over lands extending from the Creuse to the Adour and from Lyon to the Bay of Biscay.

england under his rule was part of a great continental empire henry's father geoffrey had been called plantagenet because he used to wear a sprig of broom plantagenista in his cap and the name has been given to his descendants who were so long in direct line to give kings to the english henry lost no time in setting about the work to which he was called in the charter he issued at his coronation he made no mention of stephen he professed from the first to be the heir of henry i and to intend the restoration of the firm government that his grandfather had set up his accession was welcomed by the people and their chroniclers as the beginning of a new age of peace and justice first he gave peace by removing the causes of war he drove out all the foreign mercenaries who under stephen had vexed the land with their manifold cruelties he forced all those who held crown lands or had seized royal towns to yield them up to him and he made no account of the grants which stephen in recklessness or in fear had lavished away he restored the coinage to its proper weight he set the law courts to work anew and himself assisted at their sittings again sheriffs were appointed to do justice and collect dues in the counties again justices were sent round to hear cases in the shire courts and now at length a harsh law of the conquerors was removed and by his grand assize henry the second ordered that suits concerning land should be decided not by wager of battle but by the inquest of twelve sworn freeholders who could witness to the facts henry was as fortunate abroad as at home his brother geoffrey who withstood him in anjou soon submitted and the king of scots did homage and yielded up the earldoms of northumberland and cumberland he was able to obtain the help of men who had learnt how to govern in the school of henry i and of others whom archbishop theobald had trained to be learned clerks and men of business chief among these was thomas becket archdeacon of canterbury who was in eleven fifty four appointed to the office of chancellor head of the king's clerks or secretaries a dignity reckoned second after the king in all his realms robert earl of leicester was given the high office of justiciar but soon the chancellor was found to be the king's real adviser and chief friend thomas becket was the son of a norman merchant who had settled in london and been port reeve of the city he had himself been trained in a knightly household and also in a business office and had studied in paris and boulogne He was learned in church law, and he had also a good knowledge of practical affairs.

Henry soon saw his great ability.

Imprimis, it is agreed between the French King Charles and William de la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry, King of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto René, King of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem, and crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.

Item, that the Duchy of Anjou and the County of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father

Lets the paper fall

Uncle, how now?

Uncle of Winchester, I pray read on

Reads

Item, it is further agreed between them that the Duchess of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father, and she sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry

They please us well.

The hills of the west continue those of Brittany, the plains of the east merge in those of Picardy.

The watershed of the south marks no clear-cut boundary from Maine and Perche.

The valleys of the Seine and the Eure lead straight to the Ile-de-France, separated from Normandy only by those border fortresses of the Havre and the Vexin, which are the perpetual battleground of Norman history, Normandy's Alsace-Lorraine.

Within these limits lie two distinct physiographic areas, one of the lower portion of the Paris Basin, the other a western region which belongs with Brittany and the west of France.

In its stately cathedral with the ancient tombs of the Norman dukes, in the glorious nave of its great abbey church, the florid Gothic of Saint-Maclou, the richly carved perpendicular of its Palace of Justice and its splendid facades of the French Renaissance, historic also in those unbuilt spots which mark the landing of the Northmen and the burning of Joan of Arc.

Lower Normandy shows greater variety, comprising the hilly country of the Bocage, the so-called Norman Switzerland, the plain of Caen and the pasturelands of the Bessin and the wide sweep of the Atlantic coastline from the promontory of La Hague to the shifting sands of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel.

It is a country of green fields and orchards and sunken lanes, of dank parks and mouldering châteaux, of deserted mills and ancient parish churches, of quaint timbered houses and long village streets, of silent streams, small ports and pebbly beaches, the whole merging ultimately in the neighbouring lands of Brittany and Maine.

Its typical places are Falaise, Vire and Argentan, with their ancient castles of the Norman dukes, Bayeux and Coutances, the foundations of whose soaring cathedrals carry us back to the princely prelates of the Conquest, provincial capitals of the old regime like Valognes or the new like Saint-Lô and best of all the crowning glories of the marvel of Mont-Saint-Michel.