reasserted means doing something to show that you still have power

royal authority is the power or ability of a monarch to control or demand obedience from the people.

interpretation an explanation or opinion of what something means.

How successful was Henry II as king?

History

Henry II and the Angevin Empire

Henry II's legal reforms

Henry II's church reforms

The murder of Thomas Becket

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the end of Henry II's reign

In this unit, pupils have studied a successful period of royal consolidation. In 'The Wars of the Roses: what does it tell us about fifteenth-century England?', pupils will consider how periods of royal consolidation were not always durable in medieval England and explain how royal power proved volatile in the 15th century, experiencing both stability and instability.

In 'The Norman Conquest: how do we know about the impact of the Conquest on England?', pupils explained some of the ways William I consolidated his power in England. In this unit, pupils will think about some similar methods employed by Henry II and use this to evaluate the extent of royal consolidation.

In this unit, pupils learn about England and the Angevin Empire under Henry II's rule. They then use their knowledge of Henry's rule to evaluate the degree to which he was a successful king.

England under Henry II: how successfully did Henry reassert royal authority?

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

doing something to show that you still have power

the ability of a monarch to control the people

an explanation or opinion of what something means

Match the key words with the correct definitions.

he built a smaller empire and took more control of England

he took back lands and expanded his empire

he withdrew from those lands and made peace 

How did Henry II successfully show authority over the Angevin Empire? 

it showed the king based his life on Christian teachings

it showed the king could defend his lands and people 

it showed the king was merciful to his opponents

Why was being skillful in warfare considered important for the success of a medieval king?

he successfully maintained support from the Pope for his entire reign

his authority over succession planning resulted in no rebellions

the Assizes centralised his control over the law

the Constitutions of Clarendon gave him control over the Church

How did Henry II successfully reassert royal authority? Select **two** correct answers. 

to establish control in religious matters    

to gain popularity among the common people    

to prevent multiple claimants fighting over the throne 

Why was succession planning important to being a successful medieval king? 

because it is very hard to understand writing from medieval times

because their interpretation is dependent on which sources they focus on 

because their interpretation may focus on the same sources

because there aren’t any sources from medieval times

Why do historians often have different interpretations about the same medieval king?

the order in which people inherit a position 

to rebel or take violent action against a ruler

a person who rules a country, because the monarch is absent 

he wanted to secure peace amongst his sons 

he wanted to prevent his sons from inheriting anything

Why did Henry II begin thinking about the division of his lands before his death?

they were patient and willing to wait for power

How did the sons react to their inheritance from their father, Henry II?

joining up with Henry's enemies in a revolt against their father

pursue peaceful negotiations with Henry II

What extreme step did Eleanor of Aquitaine encourage her sons to take? 

What happened to Eleanor of Aquitaine after the revolt failed in 1174? 

What was the main issue that plagued Henry II's succession planning? 

How successful was Henry II as king?

Lesson outcome

Content guidance