The numerous King Henrys of England were a constant thorn in the side of the French. King Henry I (reigned 1100-1135) wrested Normandy back from his brother and began the consolidation of English power on the Continent. (The Norman Conquest of England in 1099 has proved to have been a double edged sword for France.) Henry II (reigned 1154-1189) was also the Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou. Although Louis VII of Frances fought his dominance, by the end of the reign of Henry II, he controlled more holdings in France than did the French monarchy.

Scholars generally agree that the word 'onery' derives from 'Henri', (pronounced on-ray) which is French for Henry. There is no consensus, however, on what this signified. Some believe the French developed an expression 'He is Henri' to indicate a person was difficult and quarrelsome, as was the French experience of the Henrys of England. Others believe the term derived from the rather randy reputation of several of the English Henrys. We all know of Henry VIII and his many wives. English scholars also know that Henry I was noted for the largest number of illegitimate children of any English king. The count ranges from 20 to 25 illegitimate issue from Henry I, depending on the source one cites.

Janie