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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can recall that Henry II formed the Angevin Empire upon his accession to the throne but that many of these territories were lost under King John's reign.

      Key learning points

      1. The Norman conquest meant that there was a strong cultural connection between England and France.
      2. After the Anarchy, Henry II formed the Angevin Empire when he became king.
      3. In 1171 Henry II invaded Ireland and became known as 'overlord of Ireland'.
      4. During the reign of King John, most of the continental territory of the Angevin Empire was lost.
      5. The loss of territories in France under King John contributed to the First Barons' War and Magna Carta.

      Keywords

      • Angevin Empire - territories in England, Wales, Ireland and France held by Henry II and his descendants in the 12th and 13th centuries

      • Magna Carta - a document signed in 1215 containing a series of promises that limited the monarch and guaranteed some political rights

      Common misconception

      Richard the Lionheart was one of the greatest English kings.

      Although he was king of England and was born in England, Richard almost certainly did not consider himself English. He never learnt the language and only spent a maximum of 6 months in England during his 10 year reign; he didn't like the weather.

      Teacher tip

      Get students into the habit of thinking about how each of the people and events they study in this unit can link to the factors for their Q4.

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

      Depiction or discussion of serious crime

      Supervision

      Adult supervision required

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      was crowned as the king of England on 6th January 1066.

      Correct Answer: Harold Godwinson, harold godwinson

      Q2.
      William of Normandy's invasion of England began when he landed his army at...

      Hastings
      Correct answer: Pevensey
      York
      Stamford Bridge
      Battle

      Q3.
      When he became king, William almost all of the Anglo-Saxon landholders with Normans.

      Correct Answer: replaced, swapped

      Q4.
      Under Norman rule, all the land was owned by the...

      Correct answer: king
      earls
      knights
      peasants

      Q5.
      was the only Anglo-Saxon cathedral not to be knocked down and rebuilt by the Normans.

      Correct Answer: Westminster Abbey, westminster abbey

      Q6.
      Which of these words used today derive from Anglo-Norman?

      Correct answer: mansion
      Correct answer: pork
      Correct answer: justice
      swine
      sheep

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Under the reign of William the Conqueror, England and __________ developed close cultural connections.

      Correct answer: Normandy
      Gascony
      France
      Burgundy

      Q2.
      The Angevin Empire was the empire of which monarch?

      William I
      William II
      Henry I
      Correct answer: Henry II

      Q3.
      Henry II worked to restore English lands lost to...

      Correct Answer: Scotland, scotland, the Scots, the scots

      Q4.
      When Henry II landed in Ireland in October 1171, he was declared the ' of Ireland' by the Irish kings.

      Correct Answer: overlord, Overlord

      Q5.
      Henry II struggled to maintain the Angevin Empire due to its...

      Correct Answer: size, Size

      Q6.
      By the end of King John's reign, the only place outside of the British Isles that remained under his control was...

      Normandy
      Correct answer: Gascony
      Brittany
      Poitou

      To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Angevin Empire, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...