Eleanor of Aquitaine and the end of Henry II's reign
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the later years of Henry II's reign and his handling of succession.
Key learning points
- Henry announced how his empire would be divided upon his death in an attempt to secure peace and stability.
- Henry’s sons did not want to wait for future power; they wanted power now.
- Henry's wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, conspired with their sons in revolt against Henry.
- Henry’s sons continued to rebel during the last years of his reign.
- Henry’s succession planning had been a disaster.
Keywords
Succession - succession is the process in which someone automatically inherits a position or property after someone else
Revolt - to revolt is to rebel or take violent action against a ruler
Conspire - to conspire is to secretly plot or plan together
Regent - a regent is a person who rules a country for a limited period, because the monarch is absent or too young, too ill
Heir - an heir is a person who expects to inherit the property or position of another when that person dies
Common misconception
Medieval queens had little influence.
Eleanor was an intelligent and powerful queen, acted as regent, and was a key conspirator of the revolt.
Teacher tip
A simple diagram can be worth a thousand words. Henry had many heirs, and there are many conspirators involved in the revolt against him. Map their names, and their connections, on a simple flow chart to ease cognitive load.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.True or false? Henry had his son Henry the Young King crowned king of England early to secure a peaceful succession.
Q2.What action did Thomas Becket take upon landing in Kent after his return to England?
Q3.True or false? Following the murder of Thomas Becket, the Pope excommunicated Becket.
Q4.What does Henry's public act of penance reveal about the power of the Church during the medieval period?
Q5.How did the Pope's support after 1172 affect Henry's position?
Q6.Match the key words with the correct definitions.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match Henry II's son with their correct inheritance.
Q2.What character trait did all of Henry II's sons inherit from their father?
Q3.Who conspired in the revolt against Henry II, along with Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sons?
Q4.What did Richard and John do after the deaths of Henry the Young King and Geoffrey?
Q5.What role did Eleanor of Aquitaine play after her release from prison?
Q6.How did Henry II react when he was forced to surrender to Richard from his deathbed?
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the end of Henry II's reign, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the end of Henry II's reign, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the England under Henry II: how successfully did Henry reassert royal authority? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.