311246340. St. David I , King of Scotland
David I (1124-53)
"Born about 1080, David was the sixth and youngest son of Malcolm III and St Margaret. He spent his youth at the Court of his brother-in-law Henry I of England and in about 1113-14 married Matilda, daughter of Waltheof, Earl of Huntingdon and widow of Simon de Senlis. As a result of the marriage, he held the Earldom of Northampton and the Honour of Huntingdon, with a legitimate claim to a large part of England.
David succeeded his brother Alexander as King of Scots in 1124. He was by then in his mid-40s, and was famous for his piety. Indeed, he was later criticised as being 'a sair sanct for the croun' [too pious to make a successful monarch] but in fact his generosity to the Church and his foundation of many abbeys including Holyrood, Melrose and Dryburgh, and sees such as Caithness, Dunblane and Aberdeen, had sound practical reasons too. The monks improved the country's economy by engaging in sheep farming, coal working and salt making.
David issued the first Scottish coinage; he also reorganised civil institutions and founded royal burghs (such as Stirling, Perth and Dunfermline). David extended feudal tenure by granting land to Anglo-Normans in return for feudal services, and appointed them as royal officials such as sheriffs and justiciars. David encouraged Anglo-French immigration.
In the 1130s, David met with resistance in Moray and the north; hitherto ruled by an independent dynasty, Moray was annexed and reorganised by David.When Henry I of England died in 1135, and the succession of his daughter Matilda was disputed by King Stephen, David I invaded England, ostensibly on behalf of his niece Matilda. However, he was also taking advantage of the confusion resulting from the civil war in England, and using the opportunity to try to extend his kingdom southwards. Although he was defeated at the Battle of the Standard, near Northallerton in Yorkshire on 22 August 1138, he continued his campaign until, in 1139, the Treaty of Durham confirmed his possession of Northumberland. In 1149 he persuaded Henry II, Matilda's son, to give him an undertaking that Scotland could retain Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland.
David's surviving son Earl Henry (named after Henry I of England) died in 1152. David died at Carlisle, Cumberland on 24 May 1153, aged about 73. He was buried in Dunfermline, where he had extended the church into an abbey in commemoration of his parents. Ailred of Rievaulx wrote 'who can estimate the good done to the world by this gentle, just, chaste and humble ruler, loved for his gentleness, feared for his justice..."
[http://www.royal.gov.uk/history/scotland]
311246530. Alfonso VI , Rey de Castilla y León
Soon after his father's death, Alfonso was involved in a struggle with his brothers over their kingdoms. García was soon captured by Alfonso and died in prision.
Despite may military victories by Sanch's general, Rodrigo Diaz (El Cid), during wich Alfonso sought refuge in muslim Toledo, Alfonso, with the help of his sister Urraca (with whom he was rumored to have an incestuous relationship), arranged for the assasination of Sancho in 1072 and united the kingdoms of León and Castilla. He was greatly inf;luenced by his French wives, particularly Contance de Borgogne. He introduced the Cluniac monastic order to Spain, Carolingian script, as well as many religious and artistic elements from the other side of the Pyrenees.
Posibly as a result of his brief exile in Toledo, Alfonso was determined to establish his rule over the muslim "taifa" kingdoms in the south. He waged a campaign to conquer Toledo, laying siege to the city in 1085. His recovery of an important city that had been in muslim hands since the eoght century enhanced Alfonso's prestige and emboldened Christian kings throughout Europe. Alfonso, however, preferred to regard himself as "Emperor of all the Spains" and retain a tenuous control over muslim Spain by exacting a high and burdensome tribute. Soon the muslims appealed to the Almoravids in North Africa, who invaded Spain and defeated Alfonso's army at Zallaqah on 23 October 1086. Alfonso rallied otehr Christian kings to mount a crusade agains the Almoravids and even reconciled with his former adversary Díaz. In spite of teh Cid's talents, the Almoravids won battle after battle, until the final blow came at Uclés inm 1108 with the death of Alfonso's only son and heir, Sancho. Yet, he arranged the marriage of his sister Urraca to an Aragonian, Alfonso I, el Batallador, so that the struggle against the Almoravids would continue.
© 1995-2001, Saul M. Montes-Bradley