The crisis of Royal Authority, 1166–1174

Question 1

What is apolisitic succession

Answer 1

Following from Peter, the Bishop of Rome (pope) as christs representative

Question 2

What was the structure of the Secular Church

Answer 2

Pope

College of Cardinals - advisors to pope

Archbishop - head of an ecclesiastical province

Bishop - head of a diocese

Priests - head of a parish

Question 3

What the Regula(r) Church

Answer 3

regula = rule

aimed to recreate the ‘40 days in the desert’

based on the 3 Benedictine vows; ‘poverty, chastitiy and obedience’

Question 4

What did the Regular Church do

Answer 4

• prayer
• hospitality
• follow monastic life

Question 5

What did Priests do

Answer 5

Mass, Administer 7 sacraments

Question 6

What did (Arch)bishops do

Answer 6

• Administer a(n) (arch)diocese
• ordain priests
  
  • oversee courts, investigate herecy

Question 7

What did the Pope do

Answer 7

• Vicar of Christ
• Final aribter in ecclesiastical justice
• Ruler of papal states
  
  • elected from college of cardinals

Question 8

What is the 2 Swords Letter

Answer 8

A letter from Pope Gelasious to Emperor Anastasius demonstrating the superiority of religious power

Question 9

What was the Gregorian Reforms (1050)

Answer 9

A series of reforms intiated by Pope Greogry VII to attack corruption and insist on religious supremacy

Question 10

Who were the instigators of the Gregorian Reforms started in 1050

Answer 10

Gregory VII (dates) – attacked simony and clerical marriage, insisted on supremacy of the Church. Led to Investiture Contest.

Innocent III (dates) – Most powerful pope of the Middle Ages. Tighter regulation of the Church (Fourth Lateran Council 1215); calls Fourth Crusade.

Question 11

What was the Lay Investitute Crisis

Answer 11

Laymen investing churchmen with their powers of office:

• lay investitute could influence church power
• laymen had more power than church

Question 12

How was the Lay Investitue Crisis solved (quasi-solution)

Answer 12

Concordant of Worms 1122: Church would invest clergy with symbols of their office but monarchs can still attend and thus influence elections

Question 13

What was Phillip de Brois accused of and the case

Answer 13

accused of murder, then acquited, but when a royal officer insisted on retrying it

Phillip de broi refused and poured abused on him, he was retried but acquited again (by Becket) but gave him a sentence of scourging

Question 14

What was Henry II’s reaction to the case of Phillip de Brois

Answer 14

• Henry was disatisfied

said ‘ By God’s eyes’ and ‘you shall make oath to me that you gave a just judgement and spared the man not because he was a clerk’

motivated him to introduce justice of his grandfather

Question 15

What was the History of the Investitute Crisis in England

Answer 15

Henry I Concordat of London 1107 sees Henry renounce the right to invest English bishops

Question 16

What was the context of Henry’s wish to control the Church

Answer 16

• Determinted to exercise the same control his grandfather did:

1. Controlling appointments of prelates
2. Controlling communications between the Church and the Papacy

Question 17

Why could Henry not immediately try to control the growth of Church reform

Answer 17

He was indebted to Theobald of Bec who supported him against Stephen

Question 18

How did Henry take advantage of Theobald of Bec’s death

Answer 18

• Reissued decrees of the Council of Lillebonne (1080) that established firm controls over the norman church
  
  • Pushed for Thomas Becket to be elected as Archbishop of Canterbury

Question 19

How did Henry and Becket sour over principle

Answer 19

• Henry refused the freedoms of criminous clerks; 1/6 of the people could claim to be a clerk
  
  • Becket was a staunch supporter of spirtual matters and nothing to do with spiritual authority

Question 20

How was Henry and Beckets relationship prior to his election as Archbishop of Canterbury

Answer 20

Becket had acted for henry as Chancellor to raise money from the Church, perform diplomacy in France and had Henry the Young King in his own household

Question 21

How did Becket and Henrys conflict progress in 1163

Answer 21

• Becket surrendered chancellorship and publicly refused to pay sheriff’s aid in July 1163 at the council of Woodstock
• Becket only swore a partial oath ‘saving their order’ at the Council of Westminster in October 1163
  
  • Henry removed all of Beckets estates, Young Henry from his house
  • Sought papal legateship for his enemies such as Roger, Archbishop of York

Question 22

How did Becket and Henry’s conflict progress in 1164

Answer 22

• At Council of Clarendon in January, Henry demanded the bishops to uphold the consitutions to which Becket eventually surrendered only to refuse and send it to Alexander II
• After which the doors to Woodstock were shut in his face
• Henry trumped up charges at the council of Norhampton about financial misconduct
  
  • Becket fled to the continent and Henry seixed all of his churches while forbading all papal appeals

Question 23

How did Becket and Henry’s conflict progress in 1164

Answer 23

• At Council of Clarendon in January, Henry demanded the bishops to uphold the consitutions to which Becket eventually surrendered only to refuse and send it to Alexander II
• After which the doors to Woodstock were shut in his face
• Henry trumped up charges at the council of Norhampton about financial misconduct
  
  • Becket fled to the continent and Henry seixed all of his churches while forbading all papal appeals

Question 24

How did Becket and Henrys conflict change in 1165-6

Answer 24

• Pope quashes Becket’s sentence and asks for negotiations through Gilbert Foliot
• Henry threatens Pope to support the anti-pope Pascal
• Pope asks Louis VII to protect Becket

1166

• English Church Council writes to Alexander denouncing Becket
  
  • Becket condems Consitutions of Clarendon and excommunicates enemies

Question 25

How did the conflict between Henry and Becket evolve from 1167-9

Answer 25

1167

• Henry offers compromise on Clarendon, Becket refuses

1168

• Pope instructs Henry to restore Becket’s authority in England by March 1169 and Becket told he can return

1169

• Becket attends Montmirail and throws himself on the king’s mercy but later insists on the ‘dignity of the Church’ forcing Henry to leave angrily
  
  • Beckets authority restored and he excommunicates Gilbert Foliot and other royal officials

Question 26

How did the conflict between Henry and Becket change in 1170

Answer 26

• Roger of York coronates Henry ‘the Young King’ against traditions
• Becket threatens to place England under an interdict
• Meets with Henry at Freteval and is allowed to return with no conclusion on the Constitutions
• Becket excommunicates the bishops involved in the coronation
  
  • Henry hears of Beckets actions and explodes leading to his death

Question 27

What did Henry II’s appeals to the Pope about Becket involve

Answer 27

• Sent ambassadors to Pope Alexander III that htinted if he failed to support him then he might recognise the authority of his rival, the antipope Paschal III
  e. g. May 1165 Richard of Ilchester even swore allegiance to Paschal
• June 1166, Gilbert Foliot led an English church council in London that send a joint letter from the bishops to Alexander III asserting how reasonable Henry II had been and how unjustly Becket was acting

Question 28

What was Beckets attitude to the Constitutions of Clarendon

Answer 28

• In 1166 he formally denounced them and excommunicating his enemies
• His opposition to many of Englands customs such as criminous clerks and excommunication was a major stumbling block in reconciliation
  
  • In November 1167 Henry offered a compromise which the papal legates accepted but Becket refused

Question 29

How did the interventions of Pope Alexander II prolong the Becket conflict

Answer 29

• Played an important role in prolonging the conflict as he was a reformer but couldn’t risk alienating Henry II in fear of him recognising the rival claimants to the papacy
  
  • The Pope’s interventions meant neither had a dominant position

e.g. refusing constitutions of clarendon but agreeing to make Roger of York a papal legate

Promising to restore Beckets power in 1169 but pardoning those he excommunicated in 1170

Question 30

How did the interventions of Gilbert Foliot prolong the Becket crisis

Answer 30

• Seems Foliot viewed the situation as a result of the broken relationship between Henry and Becket and Beckets desire for respect
• 1165 he led an English Church Council that called on the Pope to act against Becket
• Also wrote an open letter called Multiplicem that levelled a devastating personal attack on Becket
  
  • Without Foliot and Roger of York’s support, it would’ve been very hard for Henry II to continue to make his case

Question 31

How did the Interventions of Becket’s allies prolong the Becket conflict

Answer 31

• Louis VII of France provided him with safe refuge
  
  • Herbert of Bosham taught Becket theology and urged him to continue his fight against Henry II, this strengthened his resolve and commitment

Question 32

What was the intial reaction to the murder of Becket

Answer 32

• Louis VII of France and Theobald of Blois wrote to condemn the English King and demand justice
• William of Sens placed all of Henry II’s continental territories under interdict
  
  • Only public submission by the king to the pope’s judgement did they avert the laying of an interdict upon England

Question 33

What did Henry do till 1172 when he returned to England

Answer 33

• He conquered Ireland and reformed it to show he was a loyal servant of the papacy
  
  • By this time the Pope had lifted the excommunications on Henry’s bishops
    
    • Agreed to the Compromise of Avranches

Question 34

What was the Compromise of Avranches of 1172

Answer 34

• Paid to maintain 200 knights templat to defend Jerusalem and was to take the cross himself and set off in one yuear
• Agreed to abolish the Constiutions of Clarendon
  
  • Henry was explicitly forbidden to block appeal to Rome and he agreed that with the exception of treason the secular courts did not have juridiction over the clergy

Question 35

What concilitary actions did Henry perform in 1173 and 1174 for the Church

Answer 35

• Accepted canonisation of Becket in 1173
  
  • in July 1174 made public penance at Canterbury where he was scourged by the bishops and monks

Question 36

What was the English Concordant of 1176

Answer 36

1. Clerks wouldn’t be brought before Royal Courts (except for forest offences/ failing to perform a lay service for a lay fief)
2. Clerks wouldn’t be forced to engage in judicial dues
3. Those who killed Clerks would have their family disinherited and capital punishment
4. Henry would no longer keep Church Land vacant for more than a year, excluding a clear and urgent need

Question 37

What did the affect of the English Concordant of 1176 and the Compromise of Avranches of 1174 acheive

Answer 37

• Gave the impression that Henry had conceded much to the Church

Question 38

What suggests that the Compromise of Avranches of 1174 and the English Concordant of 1176 wasn’t punitive as orignially thought

Answer 38

• Exceptions from immunity from royal persecution meant Henry II kept much of the legal jurisdiction he had been seeking as he was able to define ‘exceptional circumstances’
  e. g. Archbishop of York remained vacant from 1181-1189
• In 1178 Alexander allowed Henry’s royal courts to decide wether disputed property was held by secular or ecclesiastical tenure (in effect legalising the 9th clause in the Constiutions of Clarendon)
• Ensured his supporters was elefcted as bishops

e.g. ‘e.g. I order you to hold a free election but forbid you to elect anyone save Richard of Ilchester, my clerk’

Question 39

What did Carpenter say about Thomas Becket?

Answer 39

’ ‘Becket had done no more than destroy the written definitions he himself had provoked’

Question 40

What was the context to the invasions of Ireland in 1169/71

Answer 40

• Motivation to get Land for John
  
  • Adrivan IV had supported an invasion through his papal bull Laudabiliter

-Henry initially tried to restrain the nobles who had invaded Ireland by imposing an embargo on

Anglo-Irish shipping and ordered his vassals back to England

Question 41

Describe the invasion of Ireland in 1169

Answer 41

• Dermot MacMurrough the King of Leinster was driven out and sought Henry’s assitance
• Henry premitted him to recruit an invasion force including Earl of Pembroke Richard FitzGilbert de Clare (Strongbow) who was to marry hsi daughter and the inheritance of Leinstwe
  
  • They sailed off w/o Henry’s permission and captued Dublin by 1170, which troubled Henry that they would carve out their own kingdoms

Question 42

How did Henry stretch his royal authority to Ireland

Answer 42

• Intially imposed an embargo on Ireland and ordered his vassals back to England, who ignored him
  
  • in 1171 Henry crossed with his own invasion force of 500 knights, he then received submission from the Norman barons, prelates of the Irish Church and a number of minor Irish Kings

Question 43

How did Henry establish some Angevin control in Ireland

Answer 43

• Leinster was a barony held by Richard FitzGilbert
• Royal officials held key towns of Dublin Wexford and Waterford
  
  • Meath was gien to Hugh de Lacy to establish authority over the local king

Question 44

How did Henry’s control in Ireland weaken

Answer 44

In 1174, when beset by rebels in other parts of his territories, Henry recalled Strongbow, Hugh de Lacy and others, leaving his control of Ireland somewhat tenuous; this insecurity persisted for the immediate future

Question 45

What was Henry II original inheritance plan

Answer 45

• Young Henry to get his paternal inheritance; England, Normany Anjou
• Richard to possess maternal inheritance; Aquitaine
  
  • Geoffrey to acquire Brittany, upon marriage to the heiress of the previous duke

Question 46

What was the background of Henry the Young King to the Great Rebellion

Answer 46

• At Montmiral January 1169 it was agreed Young Henry and Richard would his french land directly from the French King and both perfomed homage, presenting each other as equal
  
  • Henry the Young King had no real power; he was skint with no lands and borrowed money from father-in-law to live in a certain degree of luxury for his wife

Question 47

What was the marriage treaty Henry II arranged for John

Answer 47

in 1172 between Count Humbert of Maurienne’s daughter and John

John at age 3 was given Chinon in Touraine, Mirebeau and Loudon in Poitou

humiliating Henry the Young King and the rest of his sons

Question 48

How did Henry encroach on Eleanor’s rights

Answer 48

Henry took homage from the Count of Toulouse in place of eleanor

Question 49

How does Young Henry respond to John being given Chinon, Mirebeau and Lonudon

Answer 49

He demands his inheritance, saying these claims arent supported not only by the barons of England and Normandy but by Louis VII of France

Question 50

How did Henry II contribute to causing the Great Rebellion

Answer 50

• Went beyond general intent by investin both Henry the Young King and Richard with their paternal and maternal inheritance respectively
• Let them swear allegiance to Louis but not him
• Embittered them by restricting access to any real power

e.g. In 1173 the Count of Toulouse erformed homage first to Henry II

Question 51

How did Eleanor of Acquitaine contribute to causing the Great Rebellion

Answer 51

• fustration in lacking political authority herself
  e. g. although she had been sent to Aquitaine to head a regency council, Henry II had intervened on several occasions in a humiliating way
• Likely she wouldve been encouraged in her actions by the independent-minded lords of Aquitaine who frequently regarded Henry II as a foreign oppressor

Question 52

How did Young Henrys character make the Old King reluctant to give him power

Answer 52

accounts of Young Henry do not suggest any real interest or ability with regard to government.

Charm was well known but interest restricted to tournaments and the concept of chivalry.

Moreover land and wealth promised to French princes suggested a degree of political short-sightedness

“there were at least two hundred and more … who lived off the purse of the young King and were knights of his”.- The History of William Marshal

Question 53

Why did some English barons support the Great Rebellion

Answer 53

• Henrys strong control of the barons (carte baronum, destroying adulterine castles) embittered many
  e. g. Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk suffered from earlier defiance

Question 54

Why did some Norman barons support the Great Rebellion

Answer 54

Rebellious barons came from the border region as Henry had worked to reduce their power and independnce

e.g. Henry, Count of Eu, on the Norman border with Picardy

Question 55

Why did other French possessions of Henry II support the Great Rebellion

Answer 55

• Separatist Rebellions with many feeling no connection to Henry II and saw his sons as their local lords
  e. g. In Poitou Ralph de Faye, Eleanor of Acquitaine’s uncle, persudaded him to undertake the rebellion

Question 56

How did Louis VII contribute to the Great Rebellion

Answer 56

• Henry’s young sons needed Louis’ network of alliances to threaten their father
• Louis as feudal overlord was in the perfect position to encourage, sanction and direct their rebellion
• He both ended and started the war

Question 57

What was the course of the Great Rebellion from February 1173 till July (nothing in april + june)

Answer 57

February - John recieves 3 castles and Young Henry demands his inheritance

March - Young Henry, Richard and Geoffrey go to paris and Louis summons a council of French barons to pledge allegiance

e.g. William of Scotland promised Northumbria, Phillip of Flanders promised Kent

May- Phillip captures Aumale with Henry and Louis attacking Normandy. Bretons attack West Normandy

July - De Lucy attacks rebel town of Leicster but William the Lion prevents him from capturing the castle itself

Question 58

What was the course of the Great Rebellion from August 1173 to November 1173

Answer 58

August - Phillip of Flanders is captured. Henry II forces Louis VII’s army to retreat. Henry II uses mercenaries to attack the Bretons and captures Ralph de Fougeres

September- De Lucy is drives the Scottish Army back to the border , Earl Robert of Leicster lands in East Anglia

October : Robert of Leicster joins forces with Hug bigod, Loyalist forces catch up with them and Robert of Leicster is captured

November - Eleanor is captured

Question 59

What is the course of the Great Rebellion from April 1174 - Jun 1174

Answer 59

April - Rebels try to lure Hnery II to England, William of Scotland crosses the border and captures Nottingham

May - Henry II asserts his authority in Maine and Anjou and William fails to capture Carlisle. Phillip of Flanders preapre for an invasion of England and Flemings assist Hugh Bigod

June: Henry plans ot return to England; improves Norman defences

Question 60

What is the Course of the Great Rebellion from July 1174 - September 1174

Answer 60

July - Louis VII of France and Phillip of Flanders attack Normandy. Henry II makes a penitential visit to Canterbury (12 july) where he is publicly scourged to atone for his sins. Robert, de Stuteville, the sheriff of Yorkshire, captures the King of the Scots.

Great Rebellion in England ENDS

August - Louis and Phillip fail to capture Rouen and Henrys arrival on the 8th spells defeat. Louis breaks a truce on the 10th in a desparate attempt, the next day Henry drives off the French forces

September: Louis VII agrees to a truce on the 8th of september. Henry II concludes peace negoitations with all of his enemies at Montlouis (30th September)

Question 61

What was the peace treaty at Montlouis

Answer 61

• Young Henry given 2 castles in Normandy and an annual revenue of £15,000
• Richard was given 2 Poitevin castles and half the reveneus of Poitou
• Geoffrey given half the revenues of Brittany
  
  • However Henry drove home the point of loyalty by rewarding John the most; 2 castles in England, 2 castles in Normandy and 3 in Anjou, as well as revenues from the English and Norman echequers

Question 62

How did Henry deal with Eleanor after the Great Rebellion

Answer 62

she was locked up forever

Question 63

How did Henry deal with King William of Scotland after the Great Rebellion

Answer 63

He was forced to agree to the humiliating Treaty of Falaise in December 1174 with William acknowledging Henry’s overlordship of Scotland and to hand over 5 key scottish castles to be manned with an English garrison at his own expense

Question 64

How did Henry deal with rebellious barons immediately after the Great Rebellion

Answer 64

Hugh Bigod of Norfolk, Hugh of Chester and Robert of Leicester lost many of their castles but kept their lands and titles and were eventually released