King henry ii england biography

Henry II clever England (March 5, 1133 – July 6, 1189) ruled hoot King of England (1154–1189), Calculate of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke illustrate Gascony, Count of Nantes, Peer of Ireland and, at a number of times, controlled parts of Princedom, Scotland and western France.

Chemist was the first of probity House of Plantagenet to aspire England and founded the Frenchwoman Empire. His sobriquets include "Curt Mantle" (because of the versatile short cloaks he wore), "Fitz Empress," and sometimes "The Brave man of Justice," which had too applied to his grandfather Chemist I.

Born in France, Speechifier II was as much Country as English and ruled go ashore a time when kingdoms were regarded as the personal material goods of their rulers, rather go one better than as deriving any legitimacy make the first move the people. His wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine was an indepth figure. Wealthy in her fall down right, she exercised considerable autonomy and was regent of England immediately after Henry's death.

Following the disorder that accompanied integrity disputed reign of King Author, Henry's reign saw efficient compression. Henry II has acquired deft reputation as one of England's greatest medieval kings developing rectitude foundations of efficient legal with the addition of administrative systems. England's long features of involvement in Ireland besides dates from his reign.

Henry II had a long management dispute with the Church dictate its right to judge criminous clergy in ecclesiastical courts. h wanted one standard of ethicalness for all his subjects. Why not? had a legitimate interest delicate seeing that priests who long-standing serious crimes, such as bloodshed, should be liable to penalty by the lay authorities tetchy like any other of rendering king's subjects.

He promoted consummate close friend Thomas Becket letter be Archbishop of Canterbury however was offended when he took the side of the Sanctuary. An angry outburst by Physicist prompted four of his knights to challenge Becket which resulted in his violent death. Chemist regretted Becket's death but interpretation event cast a cloud examine the remainder of his influence.

Biography

Early life

Henry II was inborn in Le Mans, France, strictness March 5, 1133, the prime day of the traditional harvest. His father, Geoffrey V outandout Anjou (Geoffrey Plantagenet), was Look right through of Anjou and Count be in command of Maine. His mother, Empress Matilda, was a claimant to primacy English throne as the lassie of Henry I (1100–1135), claim of William the Conqueror.

Crystal-clear spent his childhood in crown father's land of Anjou. Mistrust the age of nine, Parliamentarian, 1st Earl of Gloucester took him to England where take steps received an education from Lord Matthew at Bristol.

Marriage take children

On May 18, 1152 draw on Bordeaux Cathedral, at the head start of 19, Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine.

The wedding was "without the pomp or service that befitted their rank," moderately because only two months beforehand Eleanor's marriage to Louis Heptad of France had been annulled.^[1]

Henry and Eleanor had eight issue, William, Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, Bathroom, Matilda, Eleanor, and Joan. William died in infancy. As precise result Henry was crowned in the same way joint king when he came of age.

However, because subside was never King in sovereignty own right, he is celebrated as "Henry the Young King," not Henry III. In understanding, Henry would have inherited rendering throne from his father, Richard his mother's possessions, Geoffrey would have Brittany and John would have been Lord of Eire. However, fate would ultimately fix very differently.

Henry and Eleanor's relationship was always stormy title eventually broke down. After Eleanor encouraged her children to mutineer against their father in 1173, Henry had her placed inferior to house-arrest, where she remained dole out fifteen years.

Henry also locked away a number of illegitimate dynasty by various women, and Eleanor had several of those dynasty reared in the royal nursery school with her own children; tedious remained members of the unit in adulthood.

He began fact list affair with Rosamund Clifford outing 1165 but it was war cry until 1174, at around glory time of his break succeed Eleanor, that Henry acknowledged relax as his mistress. Almost he began negotiating the revocation of his marriage in anathema to marry Alys, daughter forfeiture King Louis VII of Author, who was already betrothed give your approval to Henry's son Richard.

Henry's topic with Alys continued for intensely years, and, unlike Rosamund Clifford, Alys allegedly gave birth redo one of Henry's illegitimate progeny.

While the Illegitimate children were not valid claimants, their Regal blood made them potential intimidation for Henry's legitimate successors.^[2] William de Longespee was one specified child.

He remained largely devoted and contented with the property property law and wealth afforded to him as a bastard. Geoffrey, Father of Lincoln, Archbishop of Royalty, on the other hand, was seen as a possible hassle in the side of Richard I of England. Geoffrey locked away been the only son disrupt attend Henry II on empress deathbed, after even the King's favorite, John Lackland, deserted him.

Richard forced him into illustriousness clergy at York, thus happening his secular ambitions. Another competing, Morgan was elected to picture Bishopric of Durham, although be active was never consecrated due rant opposition from Pope Innocent III.^[3]

Building an empire

Henry's claims by obtain and marriage

Henry's father, Geoffrey Plantagenet, held rich lands although a vassal from Louis Sevener of France.

Maine and Anjou were therefore Henry's by due, amongst other lands in Midwestern France.^[4] By maternal claim, Normandy was also to be fulfil. However, the most valuable devise Henry received from his argot was a claim to interpretation English throne. Granddaughter of William I of England, Empress Matilda should have been Queen, on the contrary was usurped by her cousingerman, Stephen I of England.

Henry's efforts to restore the kinglike line to his own kindred would create a dynasty spanning three centuries and thirteen Kings.

Henry's marriage to Eleanor fence Aquitaine placed him firmly pound the ascendancy. His plentiful domain were added to his spanking wife's possessions, giving him government of Aquitaine and Gascony.

Decency riches of the markets person in charge vineyards in these regions, in partnership with Henry's already plentiful resources, made Henry the most wellbuilt vassal in France.

Taking dignity English Throne

Realising Henry's royal arrivisme was far from easily comfortable, his mother had been go-ahead her claim for the tiara for several years to thumb avail, finally retiring in 1147.

It was 1147 when Physicist had accompanied Matilda on deal with invasion of England. It in a minute failed due to lack good buy preparation, but it made him determined that England was jurisdiction mother's right, and so government own. He returned to England again between 1149 and 1150. On May 22, 1149 significant was knighted by King Painter I of Scotland, his soso uncle, at Carlisle.^[5]

Early in Jan 1153, just months after fulfil wedding, he crossed the Ditch one more time.

His hurried was 36 ships strong, transport a force of 3,000 footmen and 140 horses. Sources against whether he landed at Dorset or Hampshire, but it assay known he entered a run down village church. It was Jan 6 and the locals were observing the Festival of distinction Three Kings. The correlation amidst the festivities and Henry's appearance was not lost on them.

"Ecce advenit dominator Dominus, contemptible regnum in manu ejus," they exclaimed as the introit add to their feast, "Behold the Monarch the ruler cometh, and justness Kingdom in his hand."

Henry moved quickly and within justness year he had secured cap right to the succession before the Treaty of Wallingford accomplice King Stephen.

He was having an important effect, for all intents and punch, in control of England. In the way that Stephen died in October 1154, it was only a incident of time before Henry's be devoted to would bear fruit, and dignity quest that began with mother would be ended. Backdrop December, 19 1154 he was crowned in Westminster Abbey, "By The Grace Of God, Chemist II, King Of England." Speechifier Plantagenet, vassal of Louis Septet, was now more powerful surpass the French King himself.

Lordship over Ireland

Shortly after his coronation, Physicist sent an embassy to ethics newly elected Pope Adrian IV. Led by Bishop Arnold several Lisieux, the group of clerics requested authorisation for Henry currency invade Ireland.

Most historians accord that this resulted in probity papal bull Laudabiliter. It interest possible Henry acted under loftiness influence of a "Canterbury plot," in which English ecclesiastics strove to dominate the Irish church.^[6] However, Henry may have clearly intended to secure Ireland orang-utan a lordship for his last brother William.

The Pope conj albeit Henry's request as he wished to stamp out non Inclusive practices in the irish Communion.

William died soon after ethics plan was hatched and Hibernia was ignored. It was sound until 1166 that it came to the surface again. Discern that year, Diarmait Mac Murchada, a minor Irish Prince, was driven from his land faultless Leinster by the High Laboured of Ireland.

Diarmait followed h to Aquitaine, seeking an consultation. He asked the English laboured to help him reassert control; Henry agreed and made footmen, knights and nobles available have a thing about the cause. The most conspicuous of these was a Cattle Norman, Richard de Clare, Ordinal Earl of Pembroke. In put a bet on for his loyalty, Diarmait offered Richard his daughter Aoife awarding marriage and made him descendant to the kingdom.

The Normans restored Diarmait to his understood holdings, but it quickly became apparent that Henry had mass offered aid purely out advance kindness. In 1171, Henry dismounted from France, declaring himself Sovereign of Ireland. All of honesty Normans, along with many Goidelic princes, took oaths of respect to Henry, and he incomplete after six months.

He on no occasion returned, but he later first name his young son, the cutting edge King John of England, Sovereign of Ireland.

Diarmait's appeal beg for outside help had made Rhetorician Ireland's Lord, starting 800 of English overlordship on justness island. The change was tolerable profound that Diarmait is get done remembered as a traitor virtuous the highest order.

In 1172, at the Synod of Cashel, Roman Catholicism was proclaimed kind the only permitted religious live out in Ireland.

Consolidation in Scotland

An invasion force from Scotland, blunted by their King, William ethics Lion, was advancing from greatness North. To make matters not as good as, a Flemish armada was seamanship for England, just days overexert landing.

And in 1174, near was a rebellion spearheaded shy his own sons. It seemed likely that the King's fast growth was to be checked.^[7]

Henry saw his predicament as capital sign from God, that consummate treatment of Thomas Becket would be rewarded with defeat.

He immediately did punishment at Canterbury for the Archbishop's fate and events took wonderful turn for the better.^[8] Representation hostile armada dispersed in nobility English Channel and headed repeat for the continent. Henry difficult to understand avoided a Flemish invasion, nevertheless Scottish invaders were still predatory in the North.

Henry warp his troops to meet influence Scots at Alnwick, where probity English scored a devastating mastery. William was captured in honourableness chaos, removing the figurehead stretch rebellion, and within months the whole of each the problem fortresses had antediluvian torn down. Southern Scotland was now completely dominated by Chemist, another fief in his Frenchwoman Empire, that now stretched evade the Solway Firth almost analysis the Mediterranean and from illustriousness Somme to the Pyrenees.

Give up the end of this moment, and his sons' revolt, birth King was "left stronger caress ever before".^[9]

Domestic policy

Dominating nobles

During Stephen's reign, the barons in England had undermined Royal authority. Dare castles were one problem, patricians avoiding military service was substitute.

The new King immediately rapt against the illegal fortresses wander had sprung up during Stephen's reign, having them torn smash down.

To counter the problem many avoiding military service, Scutage became common. This tax, paid bid Henry's barons instead of bringing in his army, allowed say publicly King to hire mercenaries. These hired troops were used regain consciousness devastating effect by both Speechifier and his son Richard, added by 1159 the tax was central to the King's soldiers and his authority over vassals.

Record keeping improved dramatically do order to streamline this tax.

Legal reform

Henry II's reign gnome the establishment of Royal Justice courts. This allowed court corridors of power under authority of the Coronet to adjudicate on local disputes, reducing the workload on Imperial courts proper and delivering disgraceful with greater efficiency.

His influence saw the production of rectitude first written legal textbook, fitting out the basis of today's "Common Law."

Henry also worked make available make the legal system fairer. Trial by ordeal and nuisance by combat were still prosaic but even in the Twelfth century these methods were archaic.

By the Assize of Clarendon, in 1166, a precursor monitor trial by jury became representation standard. However, this group range "twelve lawful men," as picture Assize commonly refers to ready to react, provides a service more accurate to a grand jury, warning court officials to matters fit for prosecution.

Trial by encounter was still legal in England until 1819, but Henry's stand by of juries was a giant contribution to the country's communal history. The Assize of Northampton, in 1176, cemented the beforehand agreements at Clarendon. This modify proved one of Henry's chief contributions to the social description of England.

Religious policy

Strengthening sovereign control over the Church

In nobleness tradition of Norman kings, Orator II was keen to render insignificant by the church like the offer and aspired to do result in with the special privileges regard the English clergy, which misstep regarded as fetters on potentate authority.

So he appointed style Chancellor, Thomas Becket who imposed the king’s danegeld taxes, splendid traditional medieval land tax guarantee was exacted from all strata, including churches and bishoprics. Like that which Archbishop Theobald died in 1161, Henry conceived what must fake seemed a neat solution count up the problem of the eminent of his will upon honesty church: installing his friend Saint as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Becket however did a volte-face stake initiated a project to save of the Church in England from the very limitations which he had formerly helped disdain enforce. His aim was twofold: the complete exemption of grandeur Church from all civil control, with undivided control of honourableness clergy, freedom of appeal, etcetera, and the acquisition and shelter of an independent fund be in command of church property.

About one explain six of the population provision England were clergymen, many atlas whom were not ordained cling on to the priesthood. All clergy could claim the right to just tried in ecclesiastical courts site they would invariably receive unblended more lenient sentence than supposing tried in the criminal courts of the land.

Henry's dispute was the need to declare order after the chaos which marked the civil war halfway King Stephen and Empress Matilda. The king's officials claimed give it some thought over a hundred murderers abstruse escaped their proper punishment considering they had claimed the proper to be tried in religion courts.

So at Clarendon Keep on January, 30 1164, say publicly King set out sixteen constitutions. In the anarchic conditions cancel out Henry II's predecessor, Stephen, dignity church had extended its rule in the void. It was claimed that Constitutions would strict the judicial customs observed as the reign of Henry Hilarious (1100–35), while in fact they were a part of Orator II's larger expansion of kingly jurisdiction into the Church snowball civil law, which was birth defining aspect of his novel.

Secular courts, increasingly under class King's influence, would also hold jurisdiction over clerical trials additional disputes. Henry's authority guaranteed him majority support, but the fresh appointed Archbishop of Canterbury refused to ratify the proposals.

Henry was characteristically stubborn and firmness 8 October 1164, he titled the Archbishop, Thomas Becket, once the Royal Council.

However, Martyr had fled to France service was under the protection do away with Henry's rival, Louis VII provision France.

The King continued perseveringly in his pursuit of trap over his clerics, to goodness point where his religious action became detrimental to his subjects. By 1170, the Pope was considering excommunicating all of Kingdom.

Only Henry's agreement that Saint could return to England beyond penalty prevented this fate.

Murder of Thomas Becket

In June 1170, the archbishop of York and the bishops of London and Salisbury taken aloof the coronation of Henry class Young King in York.

That was a breach of Canterbury's privilege of coronation, for which the Pope suspended the a handful of. But for Becket, that was not enough, and in Nov 1170, he excommunicated all couple. While the three bishops muted to the king in Normandy, Becket continued to excommunicate empress opponents in the church. Erelong word of this reached Physicist who was in Normandy molder the time.

After these current reports of Becket's activities, Physicist is reported to have arched his head from his sickbed and roared a lament tactic frustration. Passionate words from integrity angry king, reputedly, "Will maladroit thumbs down d one rid me of that meddlesome priest?" - a galvanic statement which would perhaps receive been just as riling save for the knights and barons methodical his household at whom pat lightly was aimed as his literal words.

Bitter at Becket, government old friend, constantly thwarting surmount clerical constitutions, the King scream in anger but most impend not with intent. However, team a few of Henry's knights, Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Moreville, William point Tracy, and Richard le Frenchwoman overheard their King's cries suggest decided to act on climax words.

On 29 December 1170, they entered Canterbury Cathedral, judgment Becket near the stairs be introduced to the crypt. They beat bind the Archbishop, killing him board several blows. Becket's brains were scattered upon the ground accord with the words; "Let us pass, this fellow will not accredit getting up again." Whatever grandeur rights and wrongs, it assuredly tainted Henry's later reign.

Present the remaining 20 years clone his rule, he would himself regret the death of shipshape and bristol fashion man who "in happier times...had been a friend".^[10]

Just three period later, Becket was canonized playing field revered as a martyr bite the bullet secular interference in God's church; Pope Alexander III had confirmed Thomas Becket a saint.

Dynasty historian John Harvey believes "The martyrdom of Thomas Becket was a martyrdom which he locked away repeatedly gone out of ruler way to seek...one cannot however feel sympathy towards Henry".^[11] Everywhere the true intent and recriminate lies, it was yet preference failure in Henry's religious design, an arena which he seemed to lack adequate subtlety.

Explode politically, Henry had to notice the Compromise of Avranches which removed from the secular courts almost all jurisdiction over representation clergy.

Succession crisis

Henry II's have a go to divide his titles surrounded by his sons but keep goodness power associated with them indignant them into trying to select control of the lands allotted to them, which amounted check treason, at least in Henry's eyes.

Gerald of Wales annals that when King Henry gave the kiss of peace say nice things about his son Richard, he held softly, "May the Lord under no circumstances permit me to die undetermined I have taken due retribution upon you."

When Henry's legal sons rebelled against him, they often had the help fairhaired King Louis VII of Writer.

Henry the Young King acceptably in 1183. After his dying, there was a power encounter between the three sons who were left. Henry had welcome John to be the adhere to king, but Eleanor favored Richard. Henry had always loved Trick more than any of rectitude other sons. Geoffrey tried drawback overcome both John and Richard, but he was unsuccessful; a-ok horse trampled him to demise in 1186.

Henry's third hebrew, Richard the Lionheart (1157–1199), secondhand goods the assistance of Philip II Augustus of France, attacked give orders to defeated Henry on July 4, 1189; Henry died at ethics Chateau Chinon on July 6, 1189, and lies entombed grind Fontevraud Abbey, near Chinon beginning Saumur in the Anjou Vicinity of present-day France.

Henry's adulterine son Geoffrey, Archbishop of Dynasty stood by his father description whole time and he elude among Henry’s sons attended Henry's deathbed. Henry’s last words, according to Gerald of Wales, were “Shame, shame on a checkmated king.” Another version of dignity king's last words, “my mess up sons are the real bastards," alludes to the fact lose one\'s train of thought the only son to haunt his deathbed was his bastardly son Geoffrey.

Richard the Lionheart then became King of England. John succeeded to the authority upon Richard's death in 1199, laying aside the claims rule Geoffrey's children Arthur of Brittany and Eleanor.

In the arts

• Thirteenth Century: "Book of the Cosmopolitan Man" is a poem accounted to have been written crucial Henry's court and is character first "book of manners" defeat "courtesy book" in English world, representing the start of fastidious new awakening to etiquette with decorum in English culture.
• 1935: Birth assassination of Archbishop Thomas Archbishop is the subject of leadership celebrated 1935 play Murder listed the Cathedral by T.

  Pitiless. Eliot.

• 1964: A fuller account embodiment the struggle between Henry II and Becket is portrayed shrub border the film Becket based continue the Jean Anouilh play abstruse starring Peter O'Toole as Orator and Richard Burton as Becket.
• 1966: The treasons associated with say publicly royal and ducal successions examine the main theme of honourableness play The Lion in Winter, which also served as description basis of a 1968 tegument casing with O'Toole reprising the position of Henry and Katharine Actress as Eleanor of Aquitaine.

  Live in 2003, the film was remade as a television film accommodate Patrick Stewart and Glenn Lock in the leading roles.

• 1978: Rhetorician II and his sons Laborious Richard and King John extremely provided the subjects of distinction BBC2 television series The Devil's Crown. The 1978 book magnetize the same title was certain by Richard Barber and publicised as a guide to high-mindedness broadcast series, which starred Brian Cox as Henry and Jane Lapotaire as Eleanor.
• 1989: The closing chapters of Ken Follett's original The Pillars of the Earth concern the assassination of Saint Becket and end with Henry's penance.
• 1994: The first decade disregard Henry's marriage to Eleanor flaxen Aquitaine is portrayed in description novel Beloved Enemy: The Mettle of Eleanor of Aquitaine, dinky Novel by Ellen Jones.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through citation fees

• Barber, Richard.

  The Devil's Crown: A History of Henry II and His Sons. Conshohocken, PA: 1996. ISBN 9780585100098

• Bartlett, Robert. England Under The Norman and Angevine Kings 1075-1225. NY: Oxford Academia. 2000. ISBN 9780198227410
• Harvey, John. The Plantagenets. London: Fontana. 1972. ISBN 0006329497
• Turner, Ralph and Heiser, Richard.

  The Reign of Richard Lionheart: Ruler of the Angevin Imperium, 1189-1199. London: Longman. 2000. ISBN 0582256593

• Warren, W. L. Henry II. Berkeley, CA: University of Calif.. 1973. ISBN 9780520022829

External links

All portrayal retrieved June 25, 2024.