Henry I, Count of Eu

Henry I, Count of Eu and Lord of Hastings (ca. 1075-12 July 1140), son of William II, Count of Eu, and his wife Helisende d'Avranches, sister of Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester. Count of Eu, Lord of Hastings. Henry descended from Richard I, Duke of Normandy. His father died in 1096, having revolted against the King William the Red. Defeated, underwent a trial by combat that he lost to Geoffrey Baynard. As a result, the king condemned him to blindness and emasculation. He survived only a short time with his wounds.

As the eldest son, Henry succeeded William as Count of Eu and Lord of Hastings. In 1101, he supported Duke Robert Curthose against his brother Henry Beauclerc who has just ravished the English throne. Robert left Tréport, the domain of the county of Eu, to invade England. Orderic Vitalis reports that in 1104, while still in Normandy, Henry submitted to the English king. He fought for the king at the Battle of Tinchebray in 1106, where Duke Robert was taken prisoner, to remain in captivity for the rest of his life.

Henry the joined to cause of William Clito, the son of Duke Robert, in the coalition composed of Baldwin VII of Flanders, Fulk V of Anjou, and Louis VI the Fat. In 1117, Henry and Hugh de Gournay were arrested at Rouen by Henry I. On the promise of good behavior and at the request of William de Warenne, they were released. Nevertheless, Henry and Hugh, joining with Stephen of Aumale, led a rebellion in the northeast and provided military support to Baldwin VI. The rebellion ended in September 1118 at the Battle of Bures-en-Brai, where Baldwin was mortally wounded. Henry returned to the side of King Henry I.