Henry I wasn’t supposed to be king. As the youngest son of William the Conqueror, he was expected to pursue a life of learning—not power. But when opportunity knocked in 1100 after his brother’s sudden death, Henry seized the crown with remarkable speed. Known for his sharp mind and political skill, he issued reforms, defeated rivals, and ruled longer than any king since the Conquest.

Nicholas Owen, a Jesuit martyr, built secret priest holes to hide clergy in Tudor England—his genius saved lives, but cost him his own.