Who were England's closest 'friends' or 'allies' in the 12th

Question: Who were England's closest 'friends' or 'allies' in the 12th century !?

i didnt know whether to say 'britian mainland' as i dont know if wales, scotland etc were soveriegn or run by tribes of their own!.

but around that time, in europe, who were friends !? Germany !? France !? what was Spain and Italy's relationship like with England back then !?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Well, the Kings of England in the 12th c (which would have mainly been Henry I, Henry II, & Richard Lionheart,) were Normans!. They held a lot of land in Normandy and had ties through marriage to other French kingdoms such as Aquitaine!. (France had many small kingdoms back then)!. So these would have been their strongest allies,though not France as a whole!.
The Welsh & Scots were definitely NOT allies,and strongly resisted Norman expansion!. The number of great castles on the borders attest to troubled times between these countries!.
There were ties between England & Spain-Richard married Berengaria of Navarre (although she seemed to have been mostly a political pawn and saw little of her husband--as well as being the only English queen never to come to England!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

All the Royal families were in contact formally or informally!. It was slightly more complicated, for example France had Normandy,Anjou and Aquitaine within it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Seeing as it was such an early stage in 'world domination', as it were, it is hard to say who they were friends with!. They had no official friends or allies - they were just a nation like any other!.

Don't quote me on this, but they may have been closest (out of all the European nations) with France, as they were just across the Channel and the Conqueror of England (William) was French!. I am no expert, but that is my view until an expert says otherwise :)Www@QuestionHome@Com