Henry the II ( Plantagenet ) King of England Western Civilization I History 101

Essay by leorob007 June 2005

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II. Table of Contents

I. Cover sheet

II. Table of Contents Page 1

III. Statement of Purpose Page 2

IV. King Henry II of England Pages 3 - 10

V. Summation Page 11

VI. Picture Page 12

VII. Quotations Page 13

VIII. Bibliography Page 14

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III. Statement of Purpose

To demonstrate my capabilities of exploring history on Henry II King of England and present a descriptive essay on these events for an improvement on my grade score average.

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IV. Henry II King of England

King Henry II was born on March 5th, 1133 at Le Mans to Empress Matilda and her second husband Geoffry of Anjou. He ruled from 1155 to 1189. Henry the II already ruled Normandy, Anjou, Maine, and Aquitaine when he succeeded in 1154 to the throne as heir to King Stephen. He was married in 1151 to Eleanor of Aquintaine, divorced wife of Louis VII of France, from whom he took the title of Duke of Aquitaine.

Their children included William, Matilda, Eleanor, Henry, Richard, Geoffry, John, and Joan. Henry II died at Chinon in 1189 and was buried in the Abbey of Fontrevault.

Henry the II was the first of the Plantagenet line of kings. He was the grandson of Henry the I and his father Geoffry of Anjou was also known as Geoffry Plantagenet from the sprig of broom (planta genista) he used as a badge. King Henry the II and his immediate successors are known as the Angevin Kings, but the House came to be known by the family name of Plantagenet.

The Angevins were notorious for their energy, their turbulane, and their terrible rages. They were said to be descended from the witch Melusine, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaulx said of them "From the Devil they came and to the...