Assisted Suicide

If there's anything I know less about than Augustine (see my blog of a few days ago) it's ancient British history. My reading about Augustine, however, led, interestingly enough, to Henry 1 (of England), whom I knew of only in passing -- again due to my political science days at the University of Calgary and the good (ahem) King's influence on creating what today is bureaucracy (that is rule by other than the ruler while the ruler is away -- in them days killin' and/or enjoying the property in Normandy instead of England) and a central accountancy and bank for government. Kind of a Sarbanes/Oxley Act for Kings...

Anyway, those sorts of fact are never what makes history real fun. Henry -- who was the youngest son of someone we all know, William the Conqueror -- it turns out had a bit of a violent streak in him (not completely unheard of I'm sure in the early 12th C.)

Of particular delight (in a sadist moment I was, I'm afraid) Henry had dragged to the top of a tower at Rouen (Hank was King of Normandy too) a traitor (Conan, of all names, the traitor was named) where Henry, the King, gave Conan a good view of the land he, Conan, had tried to, um, acquire by arms from Henry. After the touristy look about, Henry nudged Conan off the tower so's he fell to his death.

Wonder where examples of state violence (e.g. war) would be these days if leaders had to take on such a hands on approach -- ah, assuming the maintenance of such a system didn't result in us having to choose leaders up only to the task of brutish (but in the name of good goverment) acts. After all, the need to attend to only matters of fiscal management has resulted in us choosing people up to only the tasks of budgeting. Clearly Henry could multi-task, whilst today, not so much of that from leadership.

And oh, Henry also had two of his Granddaughters' eyes put out -- something to do with maintaining peace (through sound alliances) in the Kingdom.