Henry II
Lived: 1035-1102
Head of the House of Burgundy: 1079-1102
Duke of Burgundy: 1079-1102
Henry was the second born, and by 1079, the only surviving son of Duke Robert the Old. He was the second Henry to rule Burgundy following the reign of his now deceased uncle (who gave the Duchy to Robert in exchange for securing the French throne) and the second Head of the Burgundian dynasty. It seemed to be a family trait for members of the House of Burgundy to be extraordinarily long lived by Medieval standards and Henry was no exception, living to the age of 68 just has his father had done. Like his father during his younger days Henry had pretensions beyond Burgundy and vigorously pursued power through his two decade reign.
Burgundy – Ducal Lands
Red – County of Macon
Rose – Counties Backing Macon
The system of elective monarchy introduced by Robert in the closing years of his life quickly proved problematic for Henry. The Southern Counties decided not to line up behind Henry's chosen successor (his eldest son Eudes) or even any member of the ruling House but instead united in the support of Count Guy of Macon. United the three Counts could outvote Henry in the election, even after Auxerre (the most Northerly County of Burgundy) was granted to Eudes. The solution was simple – the South had to be disciplined by force of arms. From 1081 until 1083 Henry waged a brutal war against the Southern Counties. After initial defeats Guy was largely abandoned but fought on until he was finally captured in his last remaining bastion. Guy was subsequenly banished from the Duchy and his lands in wealthy Macon (the County that contained Cluny – the centre of the ongoing reform movement within the Roman Church).
Whilst force of arms had forced the Counts to abandon hopes of removing the Burgundian dynasty from the Ducal throne it did not prevent them from pursuing and independent course within the elective system. Whilst Henry and Eudes himself placed their support with Eudes, the eldest, the Southern Counts backed Henry's youngest son and Chancellor of Burgundy – Renaud. The future succession was to remain finally balanced between the warlike Eudes and the more diplomatic Renaud for the rest of their father's reign.
After a period of peace in Burgundy and France as a whole the outbreak of war between England and France over the Norman Vexin in 1088 marked the beginning of an exended period of violence in the Kingdom of France that was to last for almost continuously for 50 years to come.
Burgundy – Duchy of Burgundy
Light Blue – Duchy of Champagne-Orleans
Light Green – Duchy of Berry-Anjou
Orange – County of Amien
Cross – Rheims
The over the County of Sens between 1089 and 1090 marks the greatest point of Henry's reign. With the assistance of a core of Breton mercenaries he faced down tow power Dukes in Champagne-Orleans and Berry-Anjou as well as the County of Amien and decisively won. The draining of troops from these provinces to fight in the war with England undoubtedly assisted the Burgundian cause, yet the victory was still impressive. The seizure of Sens for Eudes marked the first extension of the House of Burgundy beyond the Duchy's borders, a statement of the family's ambitions to expand their power in France.
As Burgundy continued to consolidate its enemies weakened. In 1093 the powerful Duchy of Champagne-Orleans shattered into four parts as the Duke's three sons and one powerful Prince-Bishop in Rheims battled for control over their father's legacy – by 1096 the war had ended with the legacy split between two equal Duchies. In 1092 King Hugh of France was excommunicated by the Pope. Two years later he agreed to lead a massive effort to save the rapidly collapsing Christian Kingdoms of Spain through an invasion of the Taifa states of Andalusia – thus beginning an almost endless conflict between the Taifa and France (later also the German Emperor) lasting throughout the 12th century.
With the French King tied down in the Spanish March and suffering horrific losses Duke Henry sniffed an opportunity for greatness – invading the Royal Demesne in early 1095 with the aim of placing himself on the French throne. Although successfully taking Orleans (just South of Paris) by the end of the year successive and crushing defeats on the field of battle by royal troops returned North from Spain convinced Henry that his dream was unattainable and in the Summer of 1096 a truce was agreed with Henry also promising to keep his armies on the field and send them to the war effort in Spain. This particular condition lasted only a few months with the Burgundian troops withdrawing after briefly being involved in the siege of Barcelona (lost to the Muslims barely 3 years before).
The final noteworthy act of the now world weary Duke was a brief war with the now truncated Duchy of Champagne (backed by Berry-Anjou but none of the previous coalition) which was swiftly won resulting in the Prince-Bishopric of Rheims becoming a Burgundian vassal with a new Bishop (Henry's largely ignored and incompetent middle son Robert) on the ecclesiastical throne.
The remaining years of the Duke's life were spent locked up in his court of Dijon, cajoling the electors of Burgundy to support Eudes rather than Renaud. By his death Henry had suceeded emphatically with Eudes being unanimously elected ahead of his brother on the understanding that Renaud would be his chosen successor.
Henry had significantly expanded the power and influence of the Duchy. Now able to rank amongst the most powerful landholders of France the House of Burgundy's rightful claimants to the French throne could be taken more seriously – especially with the Capet's insistence on continuing its endless wars in Spain and against the English at the expense their vassals alienating many of the most powerful lords.