HII's accession

Question 1

1133

Answer 1

H2 born

Question 2

1135

Answer 2

H1 dies- Stephen quickly nabs the throne, looks as if there is going to be peace

Question 3

1135-1153

Answer 3

The Anarchy- Empress Matilda (sometimes Maude) against Stephen of Blois

Question 4

1142-1144

Answer 4

H2 visits England for the first time, then studies in Bristol

Question 5

1147

Answer 5

H2 goes to England, this time with mercenaries, mostly unsuccessful bar distinguishing himself somewhat

Question 6

1149

Answer 6

H2’s third trip to England, made a knight by his uncle, makes a failed attack on York, helped in Devizes

Question 7

1150

Answer 7

Invested by his father by Duke of Normandy

Question 8

1151

Answer 8

Death of H2’s father, Geoffrey V, who had taught him politics, business, war and riding

Question 9

H2 priorities in 1154 (6 things)

Answer 9

1 gain the throne
2 ensure stability after The Anarchy by strengthening the crown
3 protect his authority in Normandy whilst away
4 find a wife to bear an heir
5 prove himself as capable to potentially rebellious barons
6 maintain advantageous relations with France

Question 10

January 1153

Answer 10

Henry attacks Malmesbury, Wiltishire, plunders and butchers as it was weakened by various sieges
King Stephen goes to meet Henry
Awful weather demoralises Stephen’s men- wonder if God disapproved
Stephen’s troops refuse to fight

Question 11

Early 1153

Answer 11

H2 recognises England is “war-weary” Jones
Sends some Brabançons home to Flanders
Negotiates with the English magnates- gains their support by proving he could protect both their Norman and English estates as Duke of Normandy
Robert, earl of Leicester then perfect HII follower from then on- Stephen couldn’t secure his Norman lands

Question 12

Spring 1153

Answer 12

H2 tours Bristol, Gloucester and then the Midlands
asserts “good leadership, not good generalship” Jones
holds court around the country, dispenses charters giving land and legal rights to magnates, showed respect for judicial process where public authority was non-existent made peaceful overtures to Stephen

Question 13

July 1153

Answer 13

Henry and Stephen meet at Wallingford, sense of an end near

Question 14

July-August 1153

Answer 14

Henry and Stephen meet again at Wallingford, barons on both side refuse to fight as they realise that victory for either side would cause “mass land confiscations and continued bitter division in the realm” Jones
There Stephen and Henry have a peace talk across a stream, H2 is to be recognised as Stephen’s legal heir to the Crown and familial relations start to be mended

Question 15

Why were King Stephen and Henry Plantagenet forced to make peace in 1153? (8 main reasons)

Answer 15

Bishop Henry of Winchester
Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury
Robert earl of Leicester
magnates' lands in Normandy
Malmesbury January 1153
H2's tour of the midlands spring 1153
Wallingford July-August 1153
The Anarchy 1135-53

Question 16

Bishop Henry of Winchester (Henry of Blois) as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 16

brother of Stephen, a powerful magnate
helps negotiations between H2 and Stephen in spring 1153
civil war is not good for the church- priories and monasteries looted

Question 17

Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 17

instrumental figure of power and authority- has a mitre, paleum and ring, has spiritual authority
most senior cleric in England but also holds Canterbury from the king as a vassal
refused to crown Stephen’s son Eustace

Question 18

Robert earl of Leicester as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 18

elite of Anglo-Norman nobility- powerful, influential and well educated
territory in heart of the midlands for Henry and in Normandy
very loyal to Stephen then Henry

Question 19

Magnates’ lands in Normandy as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 19

powerful barons don’t want split loyalties between an English king and a Norman duke
owing fealty to two waring overlords politically and economically undesirable as civil war means there is a fight for control over estates

Question 20

Malmesbury, January 1153 as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 20

brutality of the conflict demoralises troops- refuse to

bad weather seen as a sign from God

Question 21

H2’s tour of the midlands spring 1153 as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 21

making overtures to magnates and barons who think there will be a weak crown
like a royal progress advertising himself as someone to whom everyone can unite

Question 22

Wallingford July-August 1153 as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 22

general refusal on both sides to fight
Stephen and H2 talk across a stream
men are war-weary
clear that continual war untenable

Question 23

The Anarchy 1135-53 as a reason for the 1153 peace

Answer 23

nobility refuses to fight by the end because of threat to their estates
Stephen motivated to find a solution due to damages to royal income

Question 24

November 1153

Answer 24

Treaty of Winchester

Question 25

Positives of the Treaty of Winchester, 1153 for H2 (6)

Answer 25

1 nominates H2 as Stephen’s heir
2 grants recognition of the Church, thanks to Theobald a/b of C, unlike Stephen’s son, Eustace
3 William of Blois (Stephen’s younger son) pays homage to H2
4 all of Stephen’s magnates pay homage to H2
5 Richard de Luci swears to hand over the Tower of London and Windsor to H2 on Stephen’s death
6 Stephen and H2 both swear to uphold the treaty

Question 26

Negatives of the Treaty of Winchester, 1153 for H2 (4)

Answer 26

1 H2 has to wait and trust that magnates will obey the terms, including members of Henry’s family like Henry of Blois
2 Hugh Bigot of Norfolk, an over-mighty baron, is granted the third penny of all claims to royal justice
3 It could limit H2’s power to enforce his power on his accession
4 Some of the royal demesne remains alienated e.g. William of Blois gets control of Norfolk

Question 27

How had “over-mighty” barons reduced the power and authority of the crown under King Stephen?

Answer 27

specific “over-mighty subjects” (R.J.A. White) had caused trouble by claiming too much authority and independence e.g. William le Gros (de Aumale) basically has authority in Yorkshire

Question 28

The character of H2

Answer 28

strong-willed
bad tempered
a good rider and soldier

Question 29

May 1152

Answer 29

H2 marries Eleanor in Poitiers, eight weeks after the annulment of her marriage to Louis VII of France, giving the couple together a huge swathe of Western France, far larger than the French royal domain

Question 30

August 1153

Answer 30

Stephen’s son and heir, Eustace, conveniently dies