Henry reigned 1154-1189. He ruled an empire that stretched from the tweed to the Pyrenees. In spite of frequent hostilities with the French King his own family and rebellious Barons (culminating in the great revolt of 1173-74) and his quarrel with Thomas Becket, Henry maintained control over his possessions until shortly before his death. His judicial and administrative reforms which increased Royal control and influence at the expense of the Barons were of great constitutional importance. Introduced trial by jury.

Henry became Duke of Normandy in 1150, and in 1152, married Eleanor of Aquitaine, thus gaining vast territories in France.

In 1153 Henry invaded England and forced King Stephen to acknowledge him as his heir. As King Henry II of England, he restored order to war-ravaged England, subdued the barons, centralized the power of government in royalty, and strengthened royal courts.

When Henry II became King, England had many systems of law. Each manor and town had its own laws and courts as did the Catholic Church. Henry eventually brought England under one system of law, and he made the Royal Courts the most powerful courts in the land. Henry’s judges at first decided if people were innocent or guilty. Within a few years, these judges were choosing juries to help make those decisions. The laws that Henry enacted and the decisions made by his judges became known as “common law” because the laws were common to all of England.

Henry’s desire to increase royal authority brought him into conflict with Thomas A Becket, whom he had made Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. The quarrel, which focused largely on the jurisdiction of the church courts, came to a head when Henry issued the Constitutions of Calrendon in 1163, defining the relationship between church and state. Seven years later, Henry had Becket murdered, for which Henry was forced by public indignation to do penance.

During his reign, Henry gained northern counties from Scotland and increased his French holdings. He was also involved in family struggles. Encouraged by their mother and King Louis VII of France, his three oldest sons, Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey, rebelled against him in 1173. The rebellion collapsed, but at the time of Henry’s death in 1189, Richard and the youngest son, John, were in the course of another rebellion.

Henry II, King of England, 25 Oct 1154-1189, called Curt Mantel; b. 5 Mar. 1132/3; d. 6 Jul. 1189; m. 18 May 1153, Eleanor of Aquitaine (110-26), b. 1123; d. 3 Mar. 1204. (She had m. (1) Louis VII (102-25), King of France). (G. E. Cokayne’s (new revised) “Complete Peerage,” vols. I-XII pt. 2, 1910-1959 - V, 736; James Balfour Paul, “Scots Peerage,” 9 volumes, 1904-1914 - I, 1-2; “Century Cyclopedia of Names”).55