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 1133 - 1189 (56 years)
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| Name |
Henry II |
| Suffix |
King of England |
| Birth |
5 Mar 1133 |
Le Mans, France  [1] |
| Christening |
25 Mar 1133 |
Le Mans, France [2] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
6 Jul 1189 |
Chinon Castle, France [1, 3, 4] |
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| Burial |
7 Jul 1189 |
Fontevraud Abbey, France [1, 2, 4] |
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| Person ID |
I36604 |
The Hennessee Family |
| Last Modified |
9 Dec 2016 |
| Father |
Sir Geoffrey "Le Bon" Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, b. 24 Sep 1113, Anjou, France d. 7 Sep 1151, Chateau-Du-Loir, Eure-Et-Loire, France (Age 37 years) |
| Mother |
Matilda of England, Queen of England, b. 7 Feb 1102, London, Middlesex, England d. 10 Sep 1167, Notre Dame, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France (Age 65 years) |
| Marriage |
3 Apr 1127 |
Le Massachusetts, Sarthe, France [5] |
- The marriage was meant to seal a peace between England/Normandy and Anjou. She was eleven years older than Geoffrey, and very proud of her status as an Empress (as opposed to being a mere Countess). Their marriage was a stormy one with frequent long separations, but she bore him three sons and survived him.
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| Family ID |
F13811 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 1 |
Eleanore de Aquitaine, Queen of England, b. 1123, Chateau de Belin, Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France d. 31 Mar 1204, Poitiers, France (Age 81 years) |
| Marriage |
18 May 1152 |
Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France [6] |
- thier marriage turned sour after Henry's affair with Rosamund Clifford...
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| Residence (Family) |
England |
| Children |
| | 1. Richard of England, I, King of England, b. 8 Sep 1157, Beaumont Palace, Oxford, England d. 6 Apr 1199, Limousin, France (Age 41 years) |
| | 2. Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile, b. 13 Oct 1162, Domfront Castle, Normandy, France d. 31 Oct 1214, Burgos, Spain (Age 52 years) |
| | 3. John I, King of England, b. 24 Dec 1166, Beaumont Palace, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England d. 19 Oct 1216, Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire, England (Age 49 years) |
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| Family ID |
F13745 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
30 Apr 2023 |
| Family 2 |
Annabel Balliol, b. 18 May 1153, Bernard Castle, Gainford, Durham, England d. 31 Mar 1204, Chinon Castle, France (Age 50 years) |
| Marriage |
5 Jun 1169 [7] |
| Family ID |
F13815 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
30 Apr 2023 |
| Family 3 |
Lady Ida de Tosny, Countess of Norfolk, b. <1160, Flamstead, Hertfordshire, England d. Aft 1185 (Age ~ 25 years) |
| _MARRIED |
N |
| _MSTAT |
Partners |
| Not married |
- she was mother of one of his illegitimate sons, William Longespâee, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, (b c. 1176-March 7, 1226)
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| Children |
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| Family ID |
F13837 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
30 Apr 2023 |
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| Notes |
- Henry founded the Plantagenet Dynasty...
Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (French: Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress or Henry Plantagenet, ruled as Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Nantes, King of England and Lord of Ireland; at various times, he also controlled Wales, Scotland and Brittany. Henry was the son of Geoffrey of Anjou and Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England. He became actively involved by the age of 14 in his mother's efforts to claim the throne of England, then occupied by Stephen of Blois, and was made Duke of Normandy at 17. He inherited Anjou in 1151 and shortly afterwards married Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Louis VII of France had recently been annulled. Stephen agreed to a peace treaty after Henry's military expedition to England in 1153, and Henry inherited the kingdom on Stephen's death a year later.
Henry was an energetic and sometimes ruthless ruler, driven by a desire to restore the lands and privileges of his grandfather Henry I. During the early years of his reign the younger Henry restored the royal administration in England, re-established hegemony over Wales and gained full control over his lands in Anjou, Maine and Touraine. Henry's desire to reform the relationship with the Church led to conflict with his former friend Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. This controversy lasted for much of the 1160s and resulted in Becket's murder in 1170. Henry soon came into conflict with Louis VII and the two rulers fought what has been termed a "cold war" over several decades. Henry expanded his empire, often at Louis' expense, taking Brittany and pushing east into central France and south into Toulouse; despite numerous peace conferences and treaties, no lasting agreement was reached. By 1172, he controlled England, large parts of Wales, the eastern half of Ireland and the western half of France, an area that would later come to be called the Angevin Empire.
Henry and Eleanor had eight children. As they grew up, tensions over the future inheritance of the empire began to emerge, encouraged by Louis and his son King Philip II. In 1173 Henry's heir apparent, "Young Henry", rebelled in protest; he was joined by his brothers Richard and Geoffrey and by their mother, Eleanor. France, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and Boulogne allied themselves with the rebels. The Great Revolt was only defeated by Henry's vigorous military action and talented local commanders, many of them "new men" appointed for their loyalty and administrative skills. Young Henry and Geoffrey revolted again in 1183, resulting in Young Henry's death. The Norman invasion of Ireland provided lands for his youngest son John, but Henry struggled to find ways to satisfy all his sons' desires for land and immediate power. Philip successfully played on Richard's fears that Henry would make John king, and a final rebellion broke out in 1189. Decisively defeated by Philip and Richard and suffering from a bleeding ulcer, Henry retreated to Chinon castle in Anjou, where he died.
Henry's empire quickly collapsed during the reign of his youngest son John. Many of the changes Henry introduced during his long rule, however, had long-term consequences. Henry's legal changes are generally considered to have laid the basis for the English Common Law, while his intervention in Brittany, Wales and Scotland shaped the development of their societies and governmental systems. Historical interpretations of Henry's reign have changed considerably over time. In the 18th century, scholars argued that Henry was a driving force in the creation of a genuinely English monarchy and, ultimately, a unified Britain. During the Victorian expansion of the British Empire, historians were keenly interested in the formation of Henry's own empire, but they also expressed concern over his private life and treatment of Becket. Late-20th-century historians have combined British and French historical accounts of Henry, challenging earlier Anglo-centric interpretations of his reign.
Who could forget Peter O'Toole's magnificient protrayal of Henry II in the 1968 movie production of "The Lion in Winter" and Katherine Hepburn's Eleanor of Aquitaine? ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_in_Winter_(1968_film)
end of biography [4]
- Source: 'The World Book Encyclopedia', 1968, p H178. 'Royalty for Commoners', Roderick W. Stuart, 1993, p 37-38. Reigned 1154-1189.
He ruled an empire that stretched from the Tweed to the Pyrenees. In spite of frequent hostitilties with the French King his own family and rebellious Barons (culminating in the great revolt of 1173-74) and his quarrel with Thomas Becket, Henry maintained control over his possessions until shortly before his death. His judicial and administrative reforms which increased Royal control and influence at the expense of the Barons were of great constitutional importance. Introduced trial by Jury. Duke of Normandy. Henry II 'Curt Mantel,' Duke of Normandy, Count of Maine and Anjou, King Of England became king in 1154.
At the height of his power, Henry ruled England and almost all western France. His marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most famous woman of the age, brought the duchy of Aquitaine under his control. Henry also claimed to rule Scotland, Wales, and eastern Ireland. Henry II carried on his grandfather's policy of limiting the power of the nobles. He also tried to make the Roman Catholic Church in England submit to his authority. This policy brought him into conflict with Thomas a Becket, Achbishop of Canterbury. Four of the king's knights murdered Becket while he was at vespers in his cathedral. Henry made Anglo-Saxon common law, rather than the revised Roman law, the supreme law of the land. He introduced trial by jury and circuit courts. In his later years, Henry's sons often rebelled against him. Two of them, Richard the Lion-Hearted and John, became the next two kings of England.
REF: "Falls the Shadow" Sharon Kay Penman: William the Conqueror requested a large number of Jews to move to England after his conquest. They spoke Norman & did well under his reign. They continued to thrive under William's grandson Henry II.
REF: British Monarchy Official Website: Henry II (reigned 1154-89)
ruled over an empire which stretched from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees. Married to Eleanor, the heiress of Aquitaine, the king spent only 13 years of his reign in England; the other 21 years were spent on the continent in his territories in what is now France. By 1158, Henry had restored to the crown some of the lands and royal power lost by Stephen. For example, locally chosen sheriffs were changed into royally appointed agents charged with enforcing the law and collecting taxes in the counties. Personally interested in government and law, Henry strengthened royal justice, making use of juries and re-introduced the sending of justices (judges) on regular tours of the country to try cases for the Crown. His legal reforms have led him to be seen as the founder of English Common Law. Henry's disagreements with his Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, over Church/State relations ended in Becket's murder in 1170. Family disputes almost wrecked the king's achievements and he died in 1189 at war with his sons.
Reigned 25 Oct 1154-1189. Invested As Duke Of Nomandy By His Parents In 1150.
Ruled An Empire That Stretched From The Tweed To The Pyrenees.
Numerous Quarrels With French King, & His Own Family.
Quarreled With Thomas Becket.
Beat Rebellious Barons (Culminating In The Great Revolt Of 1173-74).
Retained Control Of His Possessions Until Shortly Before His Death.
Important Judicial & Admin. Reforms Incr. Power Of King At The Expense Of Barons
Introduced Trial By Jury.
Count Of Anjou & Aquitaine. [10]
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