henry ii Flashcards
introduction
Henry II became King of England in 1154 after nearly twenty years of civil war between his mother Matilda and cousin Stephen. Henry II’s ascension to the throne had been agreed at
the Treaty of Winchester the year before and as a result, Henry was first King to claim the throne unchallenged for over 100 years.
civil war ku 1
Some land was devastated because of fighting during the Civil War, for example 1143-44 Geoffrey de Mandeville, a powerful noble who supported Stephen and Matilda at separate times became an outlaw and laid waste to the Fens and carried out raids on local regions. In 1147, Coventry and surroundings were laid waste by king Stephen, destroying the land.
civil war a- 1
Therefore, the civil war was the most important reason Henry had to increase royal power, because powerful nobles were wreaking havoc with their violent behaviour, this threatened the peace of the country and Henry’s authority as king.
civil war A+
However, it can be argued that the civil war was not the most important reason why Henry increased royal power. This period was described by historians at the time as “The Anarchy” a term used to describe the chaos and disruption caused by nearly two decades of fighting. However, modern historians now disagree with this term. Many believe the term is an over- exaggeration, historians believe many parts of the country were not effected in this way and were able to effectively function despite the conflict evident in the kingdom. Therefore it is possible, the country was not as chaotic as some historians have previously believed.
law and order ku 1
There were many different courts in existence prior to Henry’s reign; these included the hundred court, the Shire court, Church courts, manor courts. It was difficult to know which court dealt with which criminal issue. The legal process was not efficient and as a result too few people were put on trial.
law and order a-1
Therefore, law and order was very important as a reason why Henry increased royal power because Henry wanted to ensure there was a uniform approach to justice throughout the kingdom. This would make it easier for Henry to control in different parts of the country. It would also put an end to corruption, which easily occurred because not everyone was following the King’s laws.
law and order a+
However, it can be argued that Law and Order was not that important. The Assize of Clarendon and Northampton were both introduced several years after Henry became king. This would suggest that Henry did not feel he needed to establish royal justice immediately in order to cement his position as king. In fact, both Assizes were introduced straight after personal conflict. Clarendon appeared after Henry’s quarrel with his best friend, Thomas Beckett and Northampton after the Great Rebellion led by Henry’s sons and wife. It could be argued that both Assizes had little to do with law and order and more to do with a response to Henry’s personal problems.
economy ku 1
Henry inherited an inefficient exchequer which had failed to consistently collect taxes and revenue for the monarchy during the civil war. There were few records kept of the amount of money barons and sheriffs owed to the crown which meant it was difficult for Henry to collect all the money he was due. The lack of disorder regarding the economy was problematic for a king with such an extensive empire.
economy a-1
Therefore, the economy was a fairly important reason for the increase of royal power because Henry needed to have control of his revenue so that he could effectively run his kingdom. This was especially important as Henry had lands in France as well as Wales and England and he needed to be able to pay for mercenaries and to repair defences.
cost of warfare ku 1
War was expensive, scutage, the payment of a fine in lieu of 40 days knights service was often not enough to pay for mercenaries to protect the empire. Henry also had to pay for the repair of castles and fortifications which were damaged in battle.
cost of warfare a-1
Therefore Henry had to increase royal power because he needed to have the finances available to fund his army, so that they were ready, if needed, for battle and also, so he could protect his empire by ensuring it was fully repaired and restored and not easy for a rebellious noble to attack .
cost of warfare evaluation
to increase royal power. All medieval governments had to prepare for war. This required sustained financial support. Fighting wars was expensive: hiring mercenaries, horses, weapons, fleets, all drained Henry’s finances. Henry needed money to fund the defence and expansion of his kingdom.
conclusion
The economy was fairly important because the exchequer had been poorly run during Stephen’s reign and as a result Henry did not know if he was paid the correct amount of taxes. Although some historians dispute this and claim that Henry had plenty of money through the duchy of Aquitaine and increased trade. By comparison law and order was a very important because the law was not the same throughout Henry’s empire and this led to corruption, which increased the power of local sheriffs and nobles. Although some historians have argued law and order was not important because it took Henry over a decade to introduce his first Assize. In contrast the cost of warfare was somewhat important because Henry needed finances to fund a field army and to repair and protect his extensive empire. Overall, it can be argued that although every factor was important to Henry II, none of the factors were more pressing or more important than the impact of the civil war, which was the most important
reason because Henry had to deal with nobles who had increased their wealth and power over nearly two decades and who directly threated the authority and power of the king.
