King Henry II's Rebellion Causes

Words: 1085
Pages: 5
Open Document
“The rebellion of 1173-74 was caused by King Henry II’s treatment of his sons”. Assess the validity of this view.
The rebellion was caused due to many factors such as Eleanor, Louis VII and the barons. However above all the rebellion was a family dispute that arose due to Henry II’s treatment of his sons. Therefore it was the King Henry himself who was responsible for the rebellion as it was provoked by his attempts to settle the future government of the Angevin Empire. There have been more than 30 examples in history of sons rebelling against their fathers. This was not unusual as many disputes and clashes occurred in the Angevin Empire due to the rightful heir to the throne and power.
The lack of power that young Henry had was the most …show more content…
The coronation of the young king in 1170 made him King so he had a taste of power but in reality he had none. Young Henry came to expect a degree of authority and sovereignty but Henry II’s refused to pass on his power, he was the oldest legitimate son of the king and yet he felt overlooked. During 1173 the Young King Henry was a full grown eighteen year old married male. He naturally wanted power and his inheritance rights as the legitimate heir of the king. He wanted to settle down in his own holdings and rule with his wife. King Henry II really did not relinquish any of this to his son and in fact did something that was considered an act of betrayal to his eldest son. Henry II granted his castles in Touraine to John which threatened young Henry’s inheritance and stressed the young King’s lack of authority. Young Henry had little say in the working and running of the government compared to his father whom had acquired the title of Duke of Normandy at 17 and had inherited Anjou in 1151. Roger of Hoveden argues that the young king was deeply offended that his father was unwilling to assign to him some portion of his territories. He had requested his …show more content…
This was the perfect opportunity for the barons to gain back their power which they has lost under Henry. Earls and barons of England and Normandy who disliked young Henry’s father saw an opportunity to withdraw him from power. The rebellion was also a baronial reaction to King Henry’s restoration of strong government after the ‘anarchy’ of Stephen’s reign. Barons resented the control exerted by King Henry. The Earl of Chester was denied lands granted to his father; Hugh Bigod’s lands were threatened by a new royal castle at Orford, and the Earl of Leicester was made to pay scutage. As part of Henrys restoration of royal authority after Stephens reign baronial castles were destroyed, crown lands were reclaimed and the exchequer was re-established, this all weakened baronial power. Scarborough castle was taken from William of Aumale and Bridgnorth from Hugh Mortimer, while King William of Scots, perhaps the key participant in the rebellion in England, had lost control over the northern counties.it led to many of the barons to have motive to support young Henry as they had the potential to regain the power they had
Show More

Related Documents: King Henry II's Rebellion Causes

Essay Principle of Effective Occupation

occupation articulated in Article 35 of the Final Act. The European colonization of Africa was one of the greatest and swiftest conquests in human history. In 1870 roughly 80 percent of Africa south of the Sahara Desert was governed by indigenous kings, chiefs, and other rulers. By 1910 nearly this entire huge expanse had become European colonies or land, like South Africa, controlled by white settlers. The bloodiest single episode in Africa's colonization took place in the center of the continent…

Words 3244 - Pages 13

Queen Mary Essay

The English Exile Community in Italy and the Political Opposition to Queen Mary I Author(s): Kenneth R. Bartlett Source: Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Autumn, 1981), pp. 223-241 Published by: The North American Conference on British Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4048848 . Accessed: 04/06/2014 09:29 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms…

Words 7864 - Pages 32

Many Native American Societies Emerged From The People Of Different Regions

Unit 1 Analysis Questions Question 1 Many Native American societies emerged from the people of different regions. To the south were the most elaborate societies; the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs. While the Incas developed a large network of paved roads, the Mayas created their own language system and were succeeded by the Aztecs, who built advanced educational and medical systems. All three tribes, located in South and Central America, became known for their complex political systems. To the north, in…

Words 4714 - Pages 19

Essay on ch 25 QCRs

APEH – Unit 9 – Chapter 25 Reading Comprehension Guide 1 Unit 9. Day 5: pp. 785­791: Reading and Science Write DEFINITION CARDS for the following terms for this section: New Imperialism­ a period of colonial expansion—and its accompanying ideologies—by the European powers, the United States of America and the Empire of Japan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Imperialism­ a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. …

Words 3735 - Pages 15