Gone Medieval - King Henry II

Episode Date: March 22, 2024

One of the pivotal figures in Medieval history, King Henry II centralised royal power, instituted legal reforms and established common law. His marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine expanded his influence, as he became the ruler of a far-reaching European empire. But his demise was just as dramatic as his ascendancy.In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis tells the story of Henry’s rise to power and his fall brought about by his catastrophic relationship with Thomas Becket and his feud with his sons, including the future Richard the Lionheart and King John.This episode was edited and mixed by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code MEDIEVAL - sign up here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From long-loss Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to tales of murder, power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond. Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Jarniger, and some of the world's leading historians as we bring history's most fascinating stories to life, only on history hit. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries

with a brand-new release every week exploring everything from the ancient world, to World War II. Just visit historyhit.com forward slash subscribe. Welcome to this episode of Gone Medieval. I'm Matt Lewis. This is one of those explainer episodes where you get to listen to me go on and on about one of my favourite subjects. So sorry in advance. This time it's King Henry II of England, the founder of the Plantagenet Dynasty and the toy boy to Eleanor of Aquitaine. This came from a listener suggestion by Chris Thomas, who sent us a little voice note to explain why he wanted to hear something

on this monarch. Hi Matt, my name's Chris and I'm from Brisbane, Australia. You did an episode about Henry I first a few months back, which I loved, and it made me think it would be great to hear a show about Henry II, who in my view is England's greatest king, though I know you'll disagree with me on that one, and I think he's one of the greatest kings in medieval Europe. I'd love to explore his remarkable story about his brilliant legal reforms. He's often turbulent marriage and clashes with those close to him, like his power-hungry children, and of course his best friend Thomas Beckett. Henry's legacy of starting the Plantagenet dynasty is exceptional, and I feel he isn't as well-known or acknowledged as much as other medieval rulers. But as you hear, he's up there with the best of them.

Henry's life story would make a brilliant film or Netflix series. We're going to go one better today, a dedicated gone medieval episode. Thanks for covering his extraordinary story. History has often remembered Henry II as a gifted ruler. cursed with an inability to let go of power combined with sons who were variously stupid, cruel, ambitious and much less capable than their father. In the case of the youngest, John, he was all of those things at once. But is this a fair reflection of Henry and his achievements? Now, we can't cover all of Henry's life and reign in one episode,

so this will be some of his highlights. And let's see what you think of him by the end of this episode, as we explore the life of Henry II. Henry was born on the 5th of March 1133. His father was Geoffrey Count of Anjou. His mother was Empress Matilda. She continued to use her imperial title after the death of her first husband, the Holy Roman Emperor, and because of this, he's frequently called Henry Fitz Empress,

fits meaning son of. Matilda was 11 years older than Geoffrey, and they'd been married in 1128, as part of her father, Henry I's efforts to defuse the threat to his crown from his nephew in the aftermath of the loss of Henry's only legitimate son in the White Ship disaster. When that nephew died almost immediately after the wedding,

Matilda left Geoffrey and went back to her dad. She didn't want to be the wife to a lowly count and a 15-year-old boy to boot, but Henry promptly sent her back. The couple then seemed to come to terms. Their first son was born in 1133 and named Henry, probably for his grandfather, whom it was hoped he would succeed in England. Our Henry's grandparents included a king of England, a princess of Scotland and a king of Jerusalem.

He could trace his descent from William the Conqueror, Malcolm the 3rd of Scotland, the old Anglo-Saxon royal house of Wessex, including Alpherson, the Great, and even a demonic countess of Anjou. It was a he seemed determined to live up to his pedigree from a young age. When Henry I died in 1135, Empress Matilda didn't succeed her father as planned. She was pregnant with her third son, William, who would follow Geoffrey, and that may have stopped her moving as fast as her cousin Stephen did. He was swiftly crowned king, and within a few years, Matilda began the fight for her father's crown. No expense was spared on little Henry's education.

His first visit to England came in November 1142 at the age of nine. Empress Matilda sent her half-brother Robert Earl of Gloucester to France to ask Geoffrey for help in England. The extent of Geoffrey's aid was their little son. Over the next year or so, his Uncle Robert continued his education. Henry studied under Adelaide of Bath, a philosopher immersed in Arabic scientific knowledge who travelled extensively through Italy, Syria and Palestine before returning to Bath. On the continent, he was tutored by William of Konsh, the preeminent Norman scholar of his day. The courtier, Walter Map, would later remark of Henry that he was inferior to no man in bodily activity,

lacking nothing which befits a gentleman. Well-learned for all the demands of social intercourse and practical affairs, having knowledge of all the languages which are spoken from the Bay of Biscay to the Jordan, but making use of only Latin and French. Many of Henry's enemies would make the mistake of underestimating him. The next time Henry became prominent was when he launched his very first invasion of England in 1147. That's right, no longer was he a nine-year-old on a school trip.

This time, he was 14 and ready for world domination. News spread like wildfire across England, the grandson of Henry I, talked of by some as the rightful heir to the throne, had landed with a vast army. Their blitz of the realm only slowed. by the vast quantities of treasure that encumbered them, and with which Henry would reward anyone who supported him. Like almost any 14-year-old, Henry had overplayed his hand.

Nerves quickly turned to laughter. It soon became clear that Henry had come with a few nights and no money. An attack on Cricklay Castle was swatted away, and another on nearby Perton Castle caused no concern either. Growing hungry and lacking. pay, Henry's men began to dissolve away. In an effort to rescue some honour, he visited his mother and asked her for some money so that they might leave with their heads held high. The lack of parental consent for this excursion is shown in Matilda's refusal to help.

Henry then went to his uncle Robert to ask for money, but met with another rebuff. Kids, eh? Always off invading kingdoms without letting you know when they'll be back. Firmly on the naughty step, it's easy to imagine the teenage drop that followed. In an interesting move, Henry next contacted Stephen, the man whose crown he'd come to take, and asked for funds to pay his men. Contemporaries were shocked when Stephen agreed to help. It had benefits for the king. He saw the nuisance of these men leave England. He could demonstrate how weak his rival was. But also, I think, it established a well of respect that would bring more benefits later on.

For Henry, it was probably embarrassing, but he'd learned valuable lessons about the dangers of failing to prepare for a military campaign properly. It was a mistake he would never make again in his life. In the years that followed, Matilda took a back seat in the struggle for England, promoting her son's cause instead. He spent time on the continent with his father, who was painstakingly going about the conquest of Normandy while Stephen was distracted in England. Just after his 16th birthday, Henry decided it was time that he was knighted. The obvious person to confer the honour was his father. A more prestigious candidate was Louis V. 7th of France, though he was in the Holy Land at the time. Anyway, why would Henry make it easy?

He decided he wanted to be knighted by his great uncle, King David of Scotland. He therefore went to England again, stomped the length of Stephen's kingdom and met David at Carlisle on the 22nd of May 1149 to be made a night. The teenager was almost caught by Stephen on his way back south, but managed to get away. He was nothing, if not brash. Before his 17th birthday, his father Geoffrey handed Henry the conquered Duchy of Normandy.

In 1151, when Louis had returned from Crusade, Henry visited Paris with his father to be invested by the king. It was here he first caught a glimpse of Louis. Louis' wife, the Queen of France, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Did sparks fly as their eyes locked. She was nine years older than him and newly returned from the Holy Land. He was 18, buzzing with the electricity of ambition and on the up. Eleanor's husband must have looked like a wet fish in comparison. Perhaps some spotted that the royal marriage was in trouble by this point. Now, a knight and Duke of Normandy, Henry immediately issued.

summons to a muster at Lysieu, set for the 14th of September 1151, as he turned his attentions once again on England. A week into the preparations, shocking news arrived. Henry's father had died unexpectedly at the age of just 38. Henry was forced to abandon his preparations and head south to deal with his father's death, which made him count of Anjou, Maine and Toreen, to add to his growing portfolio. On the 6th of April 1152, Henry was back at Leisure to prepare again for a full-scale invasion of England. He might have thought nothing could distract him

from his cause this time, but he was wrong. A month earlier, the marriage of King Louis and Queen Eleanor had been annulled. On her way back to Aquitaine, two attempts were made to abduct and forcibly marry the incredibly valuable newly single Duchess. The second attempt had been by Henry's little brother, Geoffrey. Clearly, some bare-faced cheek ran in the family.

At Lisear, Henry received a letter from Eleanor, asking him if he'd like to come south and marry her. In a scene I'd like to imagine being similar to a cartoon cat on a slippery floor, Henry dropped everything and sped to Bordeaux, where on the 18th of May, he and Eleanor will. married. Adding Duke of Aquitaine in right of his wife to his list of titles, Henry was back in Barfleur on the northern coast by late June, determined to make it to England this time. In his rush, Henry might have missed the huge, clanging alarm bell that would haunt him for the rest

of his life. Obtaining Aquitaine must have felt like an easy win. The biggest duchy in France had just fallen into his lap, doubling the size of his domain. in an instant. He had control of the western half of France, from the Normandy coast to the Pyrenees Mountains. His problem was that this was more territory than Louis controlled himself. Not only had Henry married Louis's former wife without the permission of their overlord, but he'd also amassed land holdings that looked like a threat to Louis. To top it off, he was about to try and make himself a king. Louis was not happy. And I mean, that's an understatement, and this wasn't the end of his outrage. Eleanor would very soon give birth to the couple's first child, a short-lived son named William.

Louis had abandoned his marriage to Eleanor largely because they'd had two daughters, but not the male heir that Louis desperately needed. Everyone knew that that was Eleanor's fault. Of course, it couldn't be Louie's. So having a son with Henry was personally, professionally and dynastically embarrassing for Louis. And kings don't tend to like being embarrassed. All he needed was the chance for revenge. For a third time, Henry's plans to make a move on England were scuppered by concerns to his south. This time, Stephen's son Eustace joined Louis in an assault on the southern borders of Normandy. Rather than confront Louis his feudal.

overlord for the lands he held, Henry drove hard into the Norman Vexan, a disputed region held by Louis since 1144. The French king panicked and pulled out of Normandy immediately. Henry's own brother Geoffrey then tried to take advantage of the chaos by initiating a revolt in Anjou, but Henry swiftly put it down. In early January 1153, the 19-year-old Duke Henry finally landed in England at the fourth attempt. There followed a series of stalemates. Henry and King Stephen's armies arrayed on opposite sides of the River Avon

near Malmesbury but withdrew, blaming heavy rain and swollen rivers. You can picture them waving fists at each other and shouting, Oh, if this river wasn't here, you'd be in real trouble. Henry then stomped around the Midlands, making some gains, and it was striking that some of the barons of England

began to defect to his cause. By the end of July, Henry was ready to seek a confrontation again and lowered Stephen to Wallingford, which had been under siege but held out for his mother for years. The barons were increasingly unwilling to fight or to prolong the troubles. Strikingly, Henry and Stephen had a private conference on a spit of land in the middle of a river. No one recorded what was said, but the two clearly felt comfortable shedding their retinues to chat. I wonder whether this moment and the considered efforts to be able to be able to be able to chat. not to engage in battle with the result of Stephen's earlier kindness to Henry.

The impasse was broken when Stephen's son Eustace died unexpectedly. Stephen's other son, William, made it known that he had no interest in being king. Stephen was then able to broker an agreement with Henry, under which he adopted his rival as his son and named him heir to England. A year later, Stephen died while Henry was on the continent. No rival emerged, and on the 19th of December 1154, Henry was crowned alongside Eleanor at Westminster Abbey. One of the easiest ways to understand Henry's approach to his early kingship in England is to appreciate that his guiding aim was to hold all of the rights that his grandfather Henry I had held.

He had plenty of luck, both in Stephen's relatively quick passing and the death of David in Scotland, who was succeeded by a miner, allowing Henry to take back land that David had seized during Stephen's fraught rain. Many commentators hoped for a peaceful period. One chronicler wrote that the ravening wolves fled or were turned to sheep. Swords were beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. None learned war anymore.

It sounds idyllic, but could Henry, live up to his own hype. Now King of England, Henry oversaw a vast set of territories that ran from Hadrian's Wall in the north to the Pyrenees Mountains in the south. He claimed lordship over Scotland and Ireland and Toulouse, which extended his theoretical reach even further. This collection of lands is usually referred to as the Angevin Empire. Angevin refers to the family's origins in Anjou. The term empire is perhaps perhaps not entirely accurate. Henry never made any effort to regularise laws and control structures across his territories. He left local customs in place and allowed each region to maintain its

individual identity. Henry also delegated effectively, particularly to his mother and his wife. Empress Matilda represented her son in Normandy until her death in 1167. Eleanor was frequently regent in England, enjou and anywhere else she was needed. It was this that allowed Henry to be such an effective ruler over such a wide area. It's also at odds with the later charge that he was unwilling to release his grip on power. Throughout his reign, Henry would face almost unending problems all across his lands. He developed a reputation for always being able to move fast, for being able to get to the sight of trouble quickly and for taking castles faster than anyone thought was possible.

This latter ability, in turn, led to castles surrendering at his mere approach because they knew they couldn't hold out against him. He put in plenty of work up front and then let his reputation do the heavy lifting. One striking thing about Henry was that, for all his power and authority, he had no time for the trappings of kingship. As King, his favourite entertainer was Rolandus Lepetus. He was a flatchalist, whose name in English is, well, Roland the fatter. Roland was required to attend Henry's Christmas Court each year

and perform one jump, one whistle and one fart, which was a huge source of amusement to the king. In return, Roland received 30 acres of land in Suffolk. Henry then was a man with a fondness for silliness and a sense of humour. It's also proof, I guess, that fart jokes are timeless. In 1159, just five years after their coronation, Henry and Eleanor held a crown-wearing ceremony at Worcester Cathedral during Easter. Waring crowns at key festivals like Easter and Christmas had become a tradition of Norman kingship. At the end of this ceremony, Henry placed his crown on the high altar and swore never

to wear one again. And as far as we know, he never did. This aspect of Henry's nature contributed to the rise of one of the most famous figures of his reign. Thomas Beckett was a clerk in the household of the Archbishop of Canterbury. When Henry became king, the Archbishop recommended Beckett as Chancellor, the highest office in the King's government. Beckett proved to be invaluable. He was immensely capable, but was also very happy to do what Henry couldn't be bothered to. When Henry began negotiations with Louis for a marriage between their children,

he sent Beckett to undertake the talks. The Chancellor put on such a display entering Paris that everyone thought the king must be ridiculously rich if this was just his minister. Beckett would throw lavish feasts, and Henry would turn up halfway through from the hunt, ride his horse into the middle of the hall, jump down, vault the table,

and sit with his dirty riding boots on Beckett's table. They had an odd, unlikely relationship that might be described as something like friendship, but the effectiveness of the work they did together is remarkable. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 1161, Henry had what he thought was a brilliant idea. His mom actually wrote to him and told him not to do it, but he didn't listen. Since the time of Henry's grandfather, the church had been battling with secular rulers about where the lines of power should be drawn. Henry's desire to regain all his grandfather had held extended to an increased control of the church.

He hit on the idea of making his able friend the next Archbishop of Canterbury so that Beckett could gift him the powers he desired. Beckett pleaded not to be made Archbishop. He was in his early 40s. He was unmarried, rich and powerful. Becoming Archbishop would mean never marrying or having children. He might live in luxury, but if he gave Henry what he wanted, he'd have no power left. He'd be put out to pasture in the prime of his life. Despite his resistance, Henry insisted, and in June 1162, he was consecrated as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.

In October 1163, Henry bowled a gentle ball for Beckett to smash out of the park. There was a new form of highway crime running rampant in England. Gangs would rob, even kill, and if court would claim to be priests. That would mean they fell under the jurisdiction of the church, which was notoriously less fierce in its punishments than the king. There was suspicion the men lied to avoid punishment, and Henry wanted the secular courts to have jurisdiction until the status of these men as priests was proven.

As Beckett cleared his throat, Henry must have thought his plans were all falling into place. Thomas firmly announced that he would, in no way, surrender any of the rights of the church. Henry spent Christmas 1163 at Berkhamstead, a manner he'd taken back from Thomas in an overt display of his displeasure. In the new year, Henry moved to Clarendon, a hunting lodge in the new forest, and there he summoned the church's leaders to him. He laid before them the constitutions of Clarendon, in which he claimed rights he could prove had previously been enjoyed by kings of England. When Henry had made his demands, Beckett rose, and to the horror of his colleagues,

accepted the king's arguments. Henry must have smiled as things got back on track. Then Beckett gave a well-timed, but. He accepted Henry's demands, saving their orders and the honour of God and of the Holy Church in all respects. Basically, that's a nice point you've got there, But we're going to ignore it.

In October 1164, Henry summoned Beckett to appear before him at Northampton. He accused the Archbishop of mismanagement as Chancellor. Beckett pointed out that Henry had expressly forgiven him any actions as Chancellor as part of making him Archbishop. Henry's temper was at a peak when friends of the Archbishop advised him that he should leave because his life was at risk. Beckett fled to the continent and began years of ever. exile. Henry was furious and drove anyone even distantly related to the Archbishop out of England.

For six years, Beckett opposed and provoked Henry at every opportunity. He found easy support from Louis in France, keen to disrupt the threat Henry posed to him. The Pope was currently living in France too, so his dependence on Louis and the need to support the church's powers meant the Pope also backed Beckett. Over the years, though, their patience wore thin. Beckett would arrive at peace conferences and cause a scene so that nothing could be agreed. Henry's oldest son and Louis's daughter were married, and Henry wanted his son crowned, a French capetian tradition that helped secure the succession.

He had the ceremony done by the Archbishop of York, at the time when York and Canterbury were still bitterly vying for supremacy and influence. England. Beckett was outraged and demanded reparation. I wonder whether the moment was staged by Henry, Louis and the Pope in an effort to force Beckett to come to a resolution. Finally, peace was agreed and Beckett returned to England just before Christmas 1170. Henry remained in Normandy. As soon as Beckett landed, he went to Canterbury and set about excommunicating Henry's supporters. It was news of this that's supposed to have sent Henry into another rage at Berleroi. His outburst was taken by four knights as an instruction to kill the archbishop.

Often reported as, will no man rid me of this turbulent priest, the most contemporary version of his words translate from Latin, as what miserable drones and traitors have I nurtured and promoted in my household who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low. low-born cleric. The four knights headed to Canterbury, confronted Beckett inside the cathedral, and ended up cutting him down, slicing the top of his scalp off. As they left, one of the clergy who'd helped the knights stamped on Beckett's neck, causing his brains to spill all over the

cathedral floor. Henry's reputation was in tatters. His enemies, led by Louis, made hay, demanding punishment that fit the crime. Henry denied intent. Henry denied intention. to order Beckett's death. He went to island to extend the authority of the Roman Church, as well as to enforce his control of the island, in an effort both to absent himself from the heat of the attention and to ingratiate himself with the church. By the time he returned, Henry had managed to secure forgiveness from the Pope. He suffered a rebellion that saw an alliance of enemies move against him from France to Scotland,

and even his own sons, more of them in a moment. As Henry travelled from Normandy to England to face down the problems, he adjusted his journey to visit Canterbury. As he rode into sight of the cathedral, he dismounted and walked the rest of the way. His feet were bleeding by the time he arrived. Henry prostrated himself at the shrine of his former friend and prayed. He was reduced to tears and spent all night on his knees, ordering the monks of Canterbury to whip him with birch rods.

His penance done, Henry moved on to London, where news arrived that the King of Scotland had been captured and the revolt had fallen apart. The capture was said to have happened as Henry prayed at Beckett's tomb and so was taken as a signal that God was firmly back in Henry's corner. Alongside this, Henry had effectively seen off another threat to his authority. Over the years that followed, Henry became viewed as the senior European figure.

He was desirable as an ally. His daughter Matilda became Duchess of Saxony. Eleanor was Queen of Castile and Joan, Queen of Sicily. Rulers sought Henry out to mediate disputes. In 1185, Heraclius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited England. The leading religious figure in the Holy Land, he came on an important mission. He met Henry at Reading, where he related news of the failing health of the Leper King Baldwin IV, who, unbeknownst to Heraclius, had died while he'd been away.

Baldwin's heir was a seven-year-old boy, and under the glare of Saladin, the Holy Land simply couldn't take a minority. Heraclius was accompanied by the Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitaller. Together, they presented Henry with the Royal Standard of the Kingdom of the Kingdom. of Jerusalem, the keys to the Holy Sepulchre, the keys to the Tower of David, and the keys to the gates of the city of Jerusalem. They laid each of these at Henry's feet and asked him to accept the throne of Jerusalem. Henry's paternal grandfather had travelled to become King of Jerusalem. Aldwin IV had shared the same grandfather. Henry had a family connection to the crown. He was clearly seen as the senior member of the family, but also probably as the only person competent enough to save the Holy Land.

Despite the immense honour and to the dismay of some of his subjects, Henry politely refused. In the midst of all of this, Henry's greatest and most persistent problems came in the form of his sons. The relationships were complex and the events often hard to piece together with certainty. We can't work through all of the ups and the ups and the relationships. and downs here, so I'll unsutifully plug my book on Henry II at Eleanor of Aquitaine if you'd like more detail. This is the briefest overview of where it all went wrong. The chronicler, William of Newburgh, described the problems Henry suffered with his oldest son, Henry the young king, in these terms. When the prince grew to the age of manhood, he was impatient to obtain with the oath and name,

the reality of the oath and name. And, at least to reign jointly with his father, though he ought to have right to rule alone. For having been crowned, the reign of his father had, as it were, expired. At least it was so whispered to him by certain persons. This fairly neatly sums up the whole problem. Henry the Young King was born in 1555. The next son was Richard born in 1157. Jeffrey followed in 1158, and John arrived.

arrived in 1166. Each in their turn played a role in destroying Henry's reign. And more than that, his life. Henry the young king was married to Margaret, the daughter of King Louis of France, from his second marriage. Richard was betrothed to Margaret's sister Alice, but no wedding had taken place. Geoffrey had married Constance, Duchess of Brittany, to bring that province under enjave in control. In 1173, Henry II was negotiating a match for his youngest son, John, with the daughter of the Count of Morienne. As part of the deal, it was agreed John would receive the castles of Shinnon, Ludin, and Mirabeau, the traditional holdings of a younger son of enjou. Henry the young king exploded, refusing to accept the arrangement and insisting his father

had no right to dispose of the castles without his son's permission. Where did this come from? Well, the poison that had taken hold in Henry the young king's mind had been poured into his ear by his father-in-law, Louis V. The King of France's fear of Henry II led him to seek a way to destroy the threat. Louis's weapon of choice was Henry's son, and the oldest was the biggest weapon of them all. The young king was a face.

tournament night. He included the great William Marshall amongst his men. He'd been raised for a time in Thomas Beckett's household, so may have blamed his father for his mentor's death. The notion that Henry II couldn't let go of power really centres on his oldest son and, I think, on a misconception. Louis himself had been a junior king, crowned in his own father's lifetime. It was a move designed to ensure a smooth transition of power. Nothing more than that. Louis gained no power from that position. Yet when his son-in-law visited, Louis expressed his amazement that young Henry wasn't ruling in England. Hadn't, he asked mischievously, Henry the Second's reign ended when his successor had been crowned? Hadn't his father effectively retired?

Why did the young king have no power? Like a fool, the young king fell for it. His eruption during the marriage negotiations for John was just the moment he'd been waiting for. When father and son found themselves unable to be in the same room without shouting at each other, young Henry stomped off to Paris. Louis, of course, welcomed him with open arms and a heavy dose of sympathy. The French king called a council and called a council and called caused his nobles to pledge to support Henry in driving his father from his realm.

In turn, young Henry shockingly swore never to be reconciled with his father without the permission of the King of France. He then began promising away bits of England to French lords and the King of Scotland. This was precisely what I think worried his father about him. Young Henry was 18 years old and utterly naive. Faced by this huge alliance, Henry withdrew from Normandy, counting on a trait of the Duchy that he understood well. The monk, Audric Battalus, detailed the Norman tendency to fight amongst themselves. He wrote that they were always gnawing themselves with their own teeth like the

beast allegorically represented in the apocalypse. The only people they fought more fiercely than themselves was anyone daring to invade their land. Such an army would face what Orderick described as the bitterness of their implacable hatred, which led them to prefer losing all their wealth in the conflagration than to save it while they bent their necks to a foreign power. Henry went to England. Young Henry, Louis and their allies assaulted Normandy, and they hit a brick wall. The Normans might have had to think about fighting for one or other of the Henry's,

but faced with a flat-out invasion, their instinct kicked in and they resisted furiously. When attrition had taken its toll on his opponents, Henry II roared into Normandy with 20,000 mercenaries and crushed the revolt. It was as part of this uprising that Henry made his journey to Beckett's tomb and appeared to receive divine blessing. His second and third sons, Richard and Geoffrey, had been keen to get involved in their brothers' uprising too. Henry granted both increased incomes and power to calm their rebellious natures. This was the beginning of a pattern of problems that became increasingly complex

and hard to control. Louis had seen a fault line he could exploit and he meant to use it to bring Henry down. In 1180, Louis I died. and was succeeded by his son from his third marriage, Philip II, who would become known as Philip Augustus. Philip was just 15 when he became king and turned to Henry for counsel and support, which the King of England willingly provided, cultivating a close relationship with the young man.

Once Philip found his feet, he turned again to his father's tricks and sought to destroy the man who had shown him such kindness. In 1183, young Henry indulged in another, in a long line of uprisings against his father. Henry II had instructed Richard and Geoffrey to give homage to their older brother. Geoffrey freely gave it for Brittany, but Richard refused. He said he understood that Aquitaine would be independent of the rest of the family's lands on their father's death. When Richard was finally convinced to do as he was told, young Henry refused to accept his brother's homage.

The king must have lowered his head into his hands again. Young Henry and Geoffrey went into Aquitaine, but rather than restore calm, they started a revolt. Henry II was forced to take an army to Limoges to seek a conference with his oldest son. As he approached the city, the garrison bombarded him with crossbow bolts. Henry's horse was struck in the head, apparently rearing up just as the bolt came close and saving the king from being hit square in the chest.

Over the weeks that followed, young Henry came before his father in apologetic tears, then went away and sparked trouble again, only to return to his father and beg forgiveness. The last time he left his father, young Henry attacked and looted the shrine of San Marcial, then another at Rocca Mador, one of the holiest sights in France. In what contemporaries saw as God's immediate judgment, the young man fell seriously ill. Young Henry sent word to his father that he was dying. The king prepared to rush to his son, but his advisers prevented him, certain it was some fresh treachery on the part of young Henry.

Reluctantly, the king agreed and instead sent a ring from his finger, as a token of his affection and forgiveness. When young Henry saw it, he understood that his own behaviour meant his father wasn't coming, though he also understood the ring meant his dad loved him dearly. As his strength failed,

young Henry made confession of his sins. He gave his cloak to William Marshall and asked him to take it to the Holy Land, a trip the young man had hoped to make, but now never would. He asked to be clothed in a hair shirt. He had a noose placed around his neck and ordered his men to drag him by it from his bed

to a pile of ash strewn on the floor. He had a stone placed beneath his head and one beneath his heels. On the 11th of June 1183, age 28, the only man crowned during his father's lifetime in English or British history died. In a moment that reminded, reminds us of the human relationships that bind the past together,

King Henry wasn't relieved at the passing of a troublesome rebel. Contemporaries describe him bursting into tears and collapsing on the floor when the news reached him. In that moment, he wasn't a king, just a grieving father. However much of a pain young Henry had been, Henry had doted on him and tried to make the best of his son's lack of political ability. One courtier Gerald of Wales wrote that, So great and so immoderate a grief oppressed his father by a sorrow beyond all comparison deep,

that, refusing all consolation and perplexed between two evils, he declared that he had far rather that his son had triumphed over him than that death should have triumphed over his son. Just three years later in 1186, Geoffrey fell. into the trap of the Capitian Kings too. Courted by Philip, he was in Paris, openly opposing his father when he reportedly fell from a horse during a tournament and died at the age of 27.

By 1189, Richard was the cause of deepening trouble. Unlike his brothers, Richard was an effective leader of men. He had a lot in common with his father, even if he might not have wanted to admit it. In league with King Philip, Richard hounded his father. Henry was 56 by this point and suddenly his health began to fail. Henry reached Le Mans where he'd been born, the city he said he loved most in the whole world. As Richard and the French approached, the Seneschal ordered the suburbs to be burned,

a standard tactic to deny attackers cover and supplies. When the wind changed direction, the flames jumped into the city. Henry was forced to flee with 700 knights. He sat on his horse on a nearby hilltop and watched his beloved birthplace burn to the ground. Richard chased his father south through France. At one point he was ambushed by Henry's rearguard and faced a charge from William Marshall. Richard begged the knight not to kill him and Marshall moved at the last moment to instead run Richard's horse through. On the 4th of July 1189, Henry attended a conference with Richard and Philip.

He arrived on horseback so racked with illness that Philip offered to spread his own cloak on the floor, suddenly feeling sorry for the old man. Henry refused and remained in the saddle, his attendants working to keep him upright as he swayed on the blurry edges of consciousness. He listened to their demands and agreed to everything they wanted. As he gave Richard the kiss of peace, he reportedly growled in his son's ear, May the Lord never permit me to die until I have taken my due vengeance upon you. Part of the demands meant that Henry was not permitted to extract oaths of fealty from those who'd supported Richard's revolt.

When Henry asked for the list of those he mustn't take oaths from, his counsellors prevaricated, concerned they said that he was too ill for such business. Henry demanded the list. When they gave it to him, the name at the very top was John. The betrayal of all four of his sons was complete. Henry slipped in and out of consciousness over the next two days. On the 6th of July 1189, age 56, King Henry II of England,

Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Anjou, let slip his grip on life. life. He was buried at Fontaveau Abbey. When Richard visited his father's corpse as it lay in state, fresh blood was seen to run from Henry's nose. A sure sign contemporaries believed that the deceased's murderer was nearby. Richard had won and was now King Richard I. Philip picking up his father's cruel but effective game had won too. I think Henry II was one of the most remarkable and capable people ever to sit on the throne of England or Britain. He held together a vast array of lands and proved utterly irrepressible. I'd suggest he was also a doting father and

grandfather, which only makes it worse that his sons were so easily turned against him. He lived just long enough to see all four betray him, two dying in the process. For all his ability within a generation, the Angevin Empire was lost. Perhaps Henry's most enduring legacy is the dynasty he left behind. They became known as the Plantagenet family, a word derived from the flower his father Geoffrey used to wear as a badge. The sprig of broom plant is, in Latin, planter genista. The Plantagenet dynasty began in 1154 with Henry II and ruled until 1485,

a remarkable 331 years. Think about how dull medieval history might have been without the Plantagenets. You might notice his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has kept a low profile. We've previously done a few episodes on her, including an explainer. Suffice it to say that I don't believe

they really fell out in the way history remembers. I don't think she was his prisoner, but his partner in trying to disrupt the Capitian game. When their sons died, it was to Eleanor that Henry turned for solaceous. and comfort. I think there's space to re-evaluate the end of the relationship between Eleanor of Akritaine and King Henry II. One thing Henry never had to face was the loss of his queen. Sadly, Gone Medieval isn't so lucky. This episode is released on the day that our senior producer,

Elena, leaves history hit. There's an incredible team that puts these episodes together for you, and Elena is the undeniable queen of Gone Me. If you've enjoyed this podcast or the ancients or not just the Tudors over the last few years, then it's in no small part thanks to Elena. Elena, your drive, creativity and professionalism have made Gone Medieval what it is today. You're an absolute pleasure to work with and beyond that to call a friend. I'm sad for Gone Medieval, but I'm delighted for you. I wish you nothing but happiness as you embark on your next adventure.

In the words of St Augustine, the world is a book, and those who don't travel read only one page. I hope that you enjoy reading more. So, bon voyage boss, I really hate goodbyes, so how about we stick with au revoir? There'll be brand new episodes of Gone Medieval every Tuesday and Friday. You can get them a day early by subscribing to history hit. Make sure that you tune in next time for more from the greatest millennium. in human history.