Henry II was the first king of the Plantagenet dynasty. He inherited lands from his father and increased his holdings through marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry had numerous conflicts with church leaders like Thomas Becket and rebellions from his sons and wife over the succession to the throne. Despite these challenges, Henry established English common law and was a powerful ruler until his death in 1189.

1. King Henry II:
The First of the Plantagenet Kings
By Somer Stanfield

2. Birth & Early Years
Birth: March 5, 1133 in Le Mans,
France
Parents were Geoffrey Plantagenet
(Count of Anjou) and Matilda
(daughter of Henry I and
granddaughter of William the
Conqueror)
Was well educated by various
scholars in notable schools, and by
renowned tutors in France and
England, throughout his life
Geoffrey Plantagenet

3. The Civil War: Stephen and Matilda
Matilda, Henry II’s mother,
was appointed heir by Henry I.
Many nobles swore to make sure
she took the throne after he died,
but Stephen, Matilda’s nephew,
took the throne in December
1135 with the nobles’ support,
due to the fact that they desired a
weak leader.
Matilda invaded in 1139,
started the Civil War
Stephen, King of England

4. The Civil War: Stephen and Matilda
Henry II came to England in 1142
and left a year later. His father
captured Normandy during this
time.
In 1147 and 1149. Henry
attempted to help with his mother’s
efforts but failed. The Treaty of
Wallingford was made and stated
that Henry would take the crown
after Stephen’s death.
A year later, in 1154 at
Westminster Abbey, Henry took the
crown following Stephen’s death,
ending the civil war.
Henry II

5. Marriage & Inheritance
Henry’s father died in early
1151, leaving him his lands and
his title
 In May 1152, Henry II wed
Eleanor of Aquitaine (ex-wife of
Louis VIII of France)
The marriage doubled the
amount of land he owned and
greatly increased his wealth
Had eight children
Eleanor of Aquitaine

6. Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was appointed
Chancellor of England and became
Henry II’s good friend
In 1162, Henry made Thomas the
Archbishop of Canterbury to give
himself more control over the courts
of the church
Becket and Henry had a fight a
year later over church law, and
Becket was exiled to France
In 1169, Thomas came back, but he
was murdered by Henry a year later.
Thomas Becket

7. Children of Henry II

8. Family Rebellion
Henry and Eleanor had a good
marriage , until it was soured by
his promiscuity.
In 1173, Eleanor encouraged her
sons to stage a revolt against their
father during 1173-1174.
Henry II crushed the rebellion,
put his wife under house arrest,
and made it so his son Henry (the
young king) would gain half the
throne later that year and that the
rest would be divided by Henry’s
brothers, Richard I and John.
Richard I

9. Family Rebellion
Henry the Young King and Richard I
fought over territory, leading Richard to
form an alliance with his father against
Henry, causing him to destroy much of
Aquitaine.
After the death of the Young King in
1183, Henry II was forced to redistribute
his land. Subsequently, Richard I became
next in line for the throne.
Richard swore allegiance to Phillip
Augustus, King of France, in 1186, after
his father refused to let him marry
Princess Alice of France.
The feud between Henry II and Richard
I did not end until 1201, when John
decided to join Richard. Phillip Augustus

10. Accomplishments
Gained Scotland and was
paid homage by William, the
King of Scotland
Was the first of the
Plantagenet Kings
Set the basis for English
Common Law
Implemented trial by jury
because he considered church
courts to be inadequate
Lands of Henry II

11. Family Rebellion
Richard and Phillip Augustus
defeated Henry II on July 4, 1189.
They forced him to sign a treaty that
appointed Richard as heir to the
throne, approved his marriage to
Alice, forced Henry to pay homage to
Phillip, and gave castles to Phillip as
well.
Henry II died on July 6, 1189, due
to blood poisoning. He was buried at
Fontevraud Abbey in France.
His supposed last words were
“Shame, shame on a conquered king.”
Henry was succeeded by Richard I,
who would later be succeeded by
John.
Henry II & his sons

12. Sources
Information Sources
http://www.historyinanhour.com/20
12/08/10/empress-matilda-summary/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/histor
ic_figures/becket_thomas.shtml
http://www.britannia.com/history/
monarchs/mon26.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/britis
h/middle_ages/henryii_law_01.shtml
http://britishstudies.pbworks.com/
w/page/15133693/The%20Plantagen
ets%20I
http://henrytheyoungking.blogspot.
com/2013/04/whos-who-all-those-who-
mattered-to.html
NCVPS Medieval Studies Unit 7
Reading Material
Image Sources
http://www.heraldicjewelry.com/blog/archiv
es/06-2014
http://www.historyinanhour.com/2012/08/10
/empress-matilda-summary/
http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/ele
anor-of-aquitaine-harmony-and-happiness-of-courtly-
love
http://www.shakespeareandhistory.com/king
-henry-ii.php
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/4224
612303/
http://henrytheyoungking.blogspot.com/201
3/04/whos-who-all-those-who-mattered-to.
html
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/crusad
ers-and-kings-the-contrast-between-richard-the-
lionheart-and-philip-augustus
http://britishstudies.pbworks.com/w/page/15
133693/The%20Plantagenets%20I
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistor
y/british_history/magna_carta/