I. Early life
A. Birth
B. Family
C. Education
D. Marriage
II. Reign
A. Early difficulty
B. King’s personality
C. Government policies
D. Thomas Becket
III. Death
A. Achievements
B. Sons revolt
C. Successor
Henry II
Henry II was the first of eight Plantagenet kings. He neither ignored his island kingdom nor dragged it into continental trouble. Along with Alfred, Edward I, and Elizabeth I, Henry II ranks as one of the best British monarchs.
Henry II was born in Le Mans, France in 1133. Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, and Matilda, daughter of Henry I, were his parents. Henry’s younger brothers were Geoffrey and William (Bingham 22; Tabuteau 185).
Henry’s father gave Henry the best education possible at that time. Peter of Saintes, who was a well-known poet, was Henry’s first tutor. Adelard of Bath also taught Henry. William of Conches and Henry’s other previous tutors......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 1189
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |