The course of the Great Rebellion Flashcards
(22 cards)
What were the core causes of the Great Rebellion (1173–74)?
Family tension, lack of power granted to Henry II’s sons, Eleanor’s estrangement from Henry, and opportunistic baronial and foreign support. Centralization of royal power alienated many.
What titles did Henry II’s sons hold at the time of the rebellion?
Henry the Young King was crowned co-king in 1170, Richard was Duke of Aquitaine (1172), and Geoffrey was betrothed to Constance of Brittany.
How did Eleanor of Aquitaine contribute to the rebellion?
She supported her sons’ grievances and attempted to join them in France disguised as a man in 1173, but was caught and imprisoned for the next 15 years.
Why was the grant of castles to John in early 1173 so provocative?
Chinon, Loudun, and Mirebeau were expected to go to Young Henry. Their grant to 6-year-old John sparked Young Henry’s flight to the French court in March 1173.
Which external rulers supported the rebellion, and what were they promised?
Louis VII of France, William the Lion of Scotland, and the Counts of Flanders, Blois, and Boulogne—each was promised lands and rewards by the Young King if the rebellion succeeded.
Which English nobles supported the rebellion?
Hugh Bigod (Earl of Norfolk), Robert de Beaumont (Earl of Leicester), and William de Ferrers (Derby).
How did the rebellion begin militarily in Normandy in May 1173?
Louis VII and the Young King invaded from the east and south, capturing Aumale and Driencourt. Henry II defeated Louis’s vanguard at Verneuil.
Who led the rebel effort in East Anglia in 1173?
Robert de Beaumont (Leicester) and Hugh Bigod (Norfolk), joined by Flemish mercenaries.
What happened at the Battle of Fornham (1173)?
Loyalist forces under Richard de Lucy and Humphrey de Bohun routed rebel troops, killing over 300 Flemings and capturing the Earl of Leicester and his wife.
What role did William the Lion play in the rebellion?
He invaded northern England twice—in summer 1173 and spring 1174—raiding Carlisle, Prudhoe, and York.
What was the rebel strategy in 1174 involving Henry’s movements?
Rebels and French hoped to lure Henry II back to England, allowing Louis VII to seize Rouen.
What religious act did Henry II perform on his return to England?
On 12 July 1174, he completed a barefoot pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral and was scourged by monks at Becket’s shrine.
What decisive event occurred at Alnwick on 13 July 1174?
William the Lion was captured by Ranulf de Glanvill, breaking the rebellion’s northern momentum.
What happened when Henry returned to Rouen in August 1174?
He relieved the siege of Rouen and defeated Louis VII’s camp, ending hopes of a rebel victory.
What were the terms of the Treaty of Montlouis (September 1174)?
Young Henry gave up Chinon, Loudun, and Mirebeau but was granted two Norman castles and 15,000 Angevin pounds annually.
How were rebel barons treated under Montlouis?
With leniency: most were fined, imprisoned briefly, and had their castles slighted, but retained their lands.
What were the terms of the Treaty of Falaise (December 1174)?
William the Lion recognized Henry II as overlord and surrendered five castles.
What deal did Henry II make with the Count of Flanders in 1174?
Henry paid Philip of Flanders an annual subsidy to ensure future neutrality.
How did the English Church respond to the rebellion?
The Church largely remained loyal to Henry II, never supporting the rebels.
What were the long-term consequences of the rebellion?
Familial divisions persisted. Young Henry rebelled again and died in 1183; Richard and Geoffrey rebelled in 1189.
How did contemporaries view Henry II after the rebellion?
As triumphant and divinely favored, with his prestige reaching new heights across Europe.
