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Year 7

How successful was Henry II as king?

I can explain how successful Henry II was as king.

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New
New
Year 7

How successful was Henry II as king?

I can explain how successful Henry II was as king.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A successful medieval king needed to have certain qualities to enable them to effectively rule.
  2. Henry’s reign demonstrated success.
  3. Henry’s reign demonstrated failure.
  4. Historians often disagree whether a king can be seen as a successful ruler.
  5. Henry reasserted his royal authority in various ways.

Common misconception

That the role of the medieval monarch is comparable with today's monarchy.

A medieval king was judged by his ability on the battlefield. Success in battle was the best way for a king to become powerful.

Keywords

  • Reasserted - reasserted means doing something to show that you still have power

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

  • Interpretation - interpretation an explanation or opinion of what something means.

Set up a class debate: one group will support the notion that Henry II was a successful king, the other group will oppose the notion.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Contains conflict or violence.

Supervision

Adult supervision suggested.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key words with the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:succession,the order in which people inherit a position

the order in which people inherit a position

Correct Answer:revolt,to rebel or take violent action against a ruler

to rebel or take violent action against a ruler

Correct Answer:regent,a person who rules a country, because the monarch is absent

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

Q2.
Why did Henry II begin thinking about the division of his lands before his death?
he had no sons to inherit his lands
Correct answer: he wanted to secure peace amongst his sons
he wanted to prevent his sons from inheriting anything
Q3.
How did the sons react to their inheritance from their father, Henry II?
Correct answer: they wanted power immediately
they were content with their shares
they were patient and willing to wait for power
they were pleased with the arrangement
Q4.
What extreme step did Eleanor of Aquitaine encourage her sons to take?
joining forces with Henry's allies
joining the Church
Correct answer: joining up with Henry's enemies in a revolt against their father
pursue peaceful negotiations with Henry II
Q5.
What happened to Eleanor of Aquitaine after the revolt failed in 1174?
she was executed
Correct answer: she was imprisoned
she went into hiding
Q6.
What was the main issue that plagued Henry II's succession planning?
the Anarchy
Church reform
Correct answer: family rebellion

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key words with the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:reasserted,doing something to show that you still have power

doing something to show that you still have power

Correct Answer:royal authority,the ability of a monarch to control the people

the ability of a monarch to control the people

Correct Answer:interpretation,an explanation or opinion of what something means

an explanation or opinion of what something means

Q2.
How did Henry II successfully show authority over the Angevin Empire?
he built a smaller empire and took more control of England
Correct answer: he took back lands and expanded his empire
he withdrew from those lands and made peace
Q3.
Why was being skillful in warfare considered important for the success of a medieval king?
it showed the king based his life on Christian teachings
Correct answer: it showed the king could defend his lands and people
it showed the king was merciful to his opponents
Q4.
How did Henry II successfully reassert royal authority? Select two correct answers.
he successfully maintained support from the Pope for his entire reign
his authority over succession planning resulted in no rebellions
Correct answer: the Assizes centralised his control over the law
Correct answer: the Constitutions of Clarendon gave him control over the Church
Q5.
Why was succession planning important to being a successful medieval king?
to establish control in religious matters
to gain popularity among the common people
Correct answer: to prevent multiple claimants fighting over the throne
Q6.
Why do historians often have different interpretations about the same medieval king?
because it is very hard to understand writing from medieval times
Correct answer: 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

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