Transcript Henry II and the Angevin Empire2mb

Henry II
‘Curtmantle’
King of England
Duke of
Normandy, Anjou, Maine,
Tourraine, Gascony and
Aquitaine, Count of Poitou
1154-1189
Duke of Britanny 1169-89
The
Angevin
Empire in
1170
Characteristics of The Angevin Empire
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The Angevin Empire was the largest political entity in western
Europe since the Carolingians.
It was never referred to as such by contemporaries however, being
a loose confederation of territories with no common system of law
or taxation. There was not even a capital, the centre of government
being wherever the king and his court happened to be. There was
however a common central government, the Chancery under the
control of the Chancellor and his clerks who moved about with the
court.
In such a loose structure, an energetic and resourceful king was
essential as his own actions, diplomacy and choice of servants
would determine the survival of the empire. Henry II was such a
man, as was his son Richard III. His youngest son John was not
however, and the dependency of the empire on the personal
qualities of its king is shown by its rapid disintegration under the
latter’s rule.
Although it was much smaller than its contented dominions,
England had to be the political priority of the empire’s rulers. Not
only was its tax base and military resources better organised than
elsewhere, but alone of the Angevin realms it was a monarchy, its
crown giving the rulers parity with the Kings of France whom,
although infinitely poorer, were the nominal suzerain.
Character of Henry II
• His chief characteristic was energy, his omnipresence
in areas of crisis explains how he consolidated his hold
on the empire, according to the French King, ‘Now in
Ireland, now in England, now in Normandy, he must fly
rather than travel by horse or ship!’
• He was also a talented statesman, effective in war but
not bellicose and a patron of the arts.
• He also had a strong sense of justice and was
determined to restore the rule of law to war-ravaged
England.
• His weakness was his temper – when contradicted he
could relapse into ungovernable rage hence the family
nickname ‘the Devil’s Brood’.
• His other problem was his family – his later years
would be dominated by the pretensions of his sons, all
of whom save John rebelled against him seeking
independent authority at one time or another whilst
from 1166 Henry’s affair with his lover Rosamund
Clifford destroyed his marriage to Eleanor who joined
his sons in plotting against him, indeed she was
imprisoned for 16 years for treason.
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Henry’s early reign
Henry inherited the English throne peacefully in 1154, having ruled
extensive French lands for years he was already an experienced ruler.
His first action was to complete the securing of England from renewed
anarchy through the expulsion of mercenaries, the destruction of
remaining adulterine castles and the restoration of all Crown lands. This
process was complete within a year of his accession.
His choice of ministers reflected his desire for unity – Angevins Nigel
Bishop of Ely and Thomas Becket worked with ex-Blessivins Robert Earl of
Leicester and Richard de Lucy. They were able ministers chosen on merit
as well as loyalty and made the governing of the Angevin empire
possible.
Henry avoided unnecessary confrontation from the beginning – he
regained control of the Norman province of Vexin off the French king
Louis VII via the marriage of his daughter Margaret to the Dauphin Henri
rather than conquer it. Louis VII was a simple man and repeatedly
politically outmanoeuvred by Henry and his chief negotiator Becket – a
combination of a judicious marriage of the heir of Brittany Constance to
Henry ‘s son Geoffrey gained him the Duchy in 1169 completing his
control of western France.
His attempt to extend his domain over the Duchy of Toulouse in 1159 was
less successful, his attempt to take the city of Toulouse was a costly
failure and the heavy taxes and ‘gifts; he demanded from secular and
spiritual tenants in chief alike bred widespread resentment. Thus ended
the ‘honeymoon’ period of his early reign.
Apogee 1159-73
• Henry’s realm was never secure, there was
almost constant revolt in both Brittany and
Aquitaine where his overlordship was never fully
accepted by the nobility.
• However the heart of Henry’s realm was largely
obedient during this period and his alliance with
the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa
plus schisms within the papacy gave him
domination of western European politics.
England blossomed within the Angevin empire,
some 49 new towns being created.
• In the midst of this period he made the fateful
decision to appoint Becket as Archbishop of
Canterbury in 1162.
Relations with Becket
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Becket underwent a character transformation as Archbishop becoming excessively self-righteous and
determined to assert the independence of the Church. This including reclaiming tax revenues from
Canterbury and challenging the power of royal courts over clergy, and this at a time when Henry
regarded the universal application of law as essential to the restoration of order in England.
Henry and the nobility reaffirmed the legal supremacy of King over Church in the Constitution of
Clarendon of 1164. Becket initially agreed but latterly retracted his support. Openly defying Henry’s will
at the Council of Northampton some months later he refused to be bound by royal authority and fled to
the papal court.
For six years Becket remained exiled and Henry used Roger Du Pont L’Eveque Archbishop of York as his
senior clergyman; including crowning his eldest son Henry the Younger as ‘joint king’ in 1170 to promote
a peaceful succession.
This challenge to the see of Canterbury stung Becket into returning to England. He and Henry apparently
peacefully reconciled by Becket immediately excommunicated L’Eveuqe and the other bishops present
at the coronation.
It was at this news that Henry reportedly uttered the famous phrase ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent
priest?’
Aftermath of the Becket affair
• Although Henry did not order the murder of Becket, he
was guilty in the eyes of Christendom and this gave a
pretext for invasions of his lands from both France and
Scotland.
• It was for this reason rather than fear of papal
excommunication; Alexander III needed Henry’s
support in his struggle against the antipope; that
caused Henry’s famous act of contrition at Canterbury
in 1174. Afterwards both invasions were beaten.
• The only lasting result of the affair was the
entrenchment of ‘benefit of clergy’ in English law
where it would remain until the 1820s.
• Far more serious was the accession of Phillip II
‘Augustus’ in 1180 to the French throne, a truly
dynamic ruler who would turn the Plantagenets
against themselves.
The Leicester War 1173-74
• Henry had intended to divide his empire – Henry inheriting
England, Anjou and Normandy, Richard Aquitaine, Geoffrey
Brittany and John nothing – hence ‘Lackland’.
• In 1173 a rebellion backed by Louis VII and Eleanor
(captured before it began) was launched headed by Henry
and Richard. Their supporters rose on both sides of the
Channel but they lacked coordination and Henry II was able
to deal with them individually.
• Only at the end of the year did a coordinated assault
emerge when Robert ‘Whitehands’, Earl of Leicester and
support of Henry the young king invaded England at the
same time as William the Lion of Scotland. Both were
defeated by the Constable of England, William Bohun at the
Battles of Berwick and Fornham respectively whilst Henry II
dealt with rebellion in France.
• With the capture of Whitehands and the defeat of Louis,
Henry II was able reach a conciliation with his sons at the
treaty of Montlouis in Sept 1174, largely a return to the
status quo apart form providing lands for John in Ireland.
Aquitaine and the death of Henry the Young King 1174-85
• A restless peace settled over western
Europe during this period with Louis VII
effectively opting out of further war.
• Richard’s success in dealing with the
rebellious nobility of Aquitaine was the
dominant feature of the period, but in
1183 Henry and Geoffrey joined the
rebels fearing their brother’s rising
power. Shortly afterwards Henry died of
dysentery.
• Henry II now proposed shifting Richard
to Henry’s inheritance and replacing him
as Duke of Aquitaine with John. Richard
refused and successfully defied his
father.
Henry II’s last days
• In 1187 Richard took the crusading vow, however he refused to depart until his
father had confirmed his succession to the Angevin Empire. Geoffrey having
recently died in a jousting accident, Henry appeared to favour his youngest son
John.
• By 1188 an alliance had formed between the new French king Phillip Augustus
and Richard. The latter did fealty to the former and had his claim to the French
Angevin lands formally recognised in defaince of Henry II.
• Henry II attempted to regain control of his congenital possessions but he found
most of the nobility had defected to Richard. Isolated following the fall of the
city of Tours in July 1189 Henry II agreed to the humiliating Treaty of
Colombieres by which he endorsed Richard’s inheritance of the whole Angevin
Empire and the formal as opposed to titular acceptance of Phillip Augustus’
suzerainty of his lands in France as well as paying Phillip a substantial
indemnity. The effort killed him two days later.