On the 25th November 1120 Henry I was sailing from Normandy to England. Several ships sailed back to England that day, but for some reason his son's ship was delayed. It set sail in the dark and hit a rock killing all but one sailor on board. William of Malmesbury, the 12th century historian, wrote "No ship ever brought so much misery to England." Henry was left with two choices for his successor: his daughter, Matilda, or his nephew, Stephen.
Henry wanted his daughter Matilda to succeed him and rule as Queen of England, so in 1131 he forced his Barons to swear fealty to her at Northampton Castle. But when Henry I died in 1135, the Barons broke their oath and asked Stephen to be king. The Earl of Northampton, Simon de Senlis, was one of those who supported King Stephen during the civil war. In 1154 Matilda's son became King Henry II, ending 19 years of conflict.
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Northampton Castle train station is built on the site of the Norman Castle - look for clues of the castle's past.
