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Why Henry II of England’s Goals Were Conservative
Henry II of England came to the English throne after nearly 20 years of civil war in the Anglo-Norman realm, which was founded after the Norman conquest of England in 1066 after the death of England’s last legitimate Anglo-Saxon king, Edward the Confessor.
Henry II was the grandson of King Henry I of England, who was king from 1100 to 1135.
On his death, his nephew Stephe of Blois usurped the throne, taking King Henry I’s daughter’s inheritance. This led to a succession dispute between Matilda and Stephen from 1135 to 1153.
Peace was finally secured with the adoption of the future King Henry II by King Stephen, which led to the peaceful transfer of power upon Stephen’s death to King Henry II in 1154.
Henry ruled England from 1154 to his death in 1189 from a stomach ulcer.
The story of King Henry II doesn’t just end there.
He had substantial continental holdings in France, and Henry had more lands in France than the King of France.
He controlled half of France, and his Dominion stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees mountains.
Henry styled himself as King of the English, Lord of the Normans, the Aquitania, and the Anjouans.
