Barfleur - Harbour

Barfleur (pop. ~600) is one of the "Plus beaux villages de France" ( "most beautiful villages of France"). In medieval times Barfleur was an important harbour and shipbuilding site with a population of about 9000.

In 1120 the "White Ship" went down outside the harbour. Only two persons survived. Those who drowned included Prince William Adelin, the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I of England, his half-sister Matilda FitzRoy, his half-brother Richard and numerous English nobles.

According to a chronicler Prince William Adelin had suplied wine in great abundance to the about 300 people on board. Many of them may have been drunk, when the ship left the harbour.

A result of Prince William Adelin's death was the period known as "the Anarchy". The disaster had left Henry I with only one legitimate child, a second daughter named Matilda. Henry I had forced his barons to swear an oath to support Matilda as his heir, but a woman had never ruled in England. Matilda was unpopular because she was married to Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, who was not liked by the Norman nobles.

One of Henry I's male nephews, Stephen of Blois, usurped Matilda. Stephen had allegedly planned to travel on the White Ship but had disembarked just before it sailed.

After Henry I's death, Matilda and her husband launched a long and devastating war against Stephen and his allies for control of the English throne. The Anarchy dragged from 1135 to 1153 with devastating effect.