The Restoration of Royal Authority, 1154-1166

Question 1

Who was Hugh Bigod

Answer 1

Earl of Norfolk

Question 2

Who was Gilbert Foliot

Answer 2

Bishop of Hereford and later London

Question 3

When did Stephen I die

Answer 3

25 October 1154

Question 4

Where and when was Henry II crowned King of England?

Answer 4

Westminster Abby, 19 December 1154

Question 5

What did Henry’s charter declare shortly after his accession?

Answer 5

That all concessions made to barons between his grandfather’s death in 1135 and his accession invalid

Question 6

How did Henry compromise with barons in England in his reign?

Answer 6

Henry would grant the same lands back to barons who surrendered their lands and titles to Henry, and accepted Henry as their feudal lord

Question 7

How old was Henry when he ascended the throne?

Answer 7

21

Question 8

What was Henry’s first step in demilitarising England?

Answer 8

Ordering expulsion of all Flemish mercenaries in the country

Question 9

What had Winchester determined regarding adulterine castles

Answer 9

They should be demolished, regardless of the allegiance of the nobles which built and held them

Question 10

What year did Henry commence his military campaign to decommission civil war earldoms and adulterine castles

Answer 10

1155, and continued for 2 years

Question 11

What 3 barons continued to defy royal authority after 1155’s Great Council?

Answer 11

William of Aumale, Roger FitzMiles, Hugh of Mortimor

Question 12

What action did henry take against William of Aumale?

Answer 12

In Febraury 1155, he led a host northward to York, resulting in Williams’ surrender of Scarborough castle

Question 13

Who persuaded Roger FitzMiles to surrender his adulterine castles

Answer 13

Gilbert Foliot, Roger’s cousin

Question 14

When did Hugh of Mortimor submit his castles to Henry?

Answer 14

In July 1155, after Henry had laid siege to his castles

Question 15

How did Henry weaken the House of Blois in 1155?

Answer 15

He seized six castles belonging to Henry of Blois, Stephen’s brother

Question 16

Who did Henry appoint as his chief justiciars after his accession?

Answer 16

Robert of Beaumont and Richard of Luci

Question 17

When had Henry’s co-chief justiciars defected to the Angevins from Stephen?

Answer 17

1153

Question 18

Assess how Robert of Beaumont and Richard of Luci served Henry II

Answer 18

They were loyal and productive; building alliances between the crown and tenants-in-chief. They were also central in the revival of the Exchequer, judicial reform and providing Henry troops for French campaigns

Question 19

When and why did Richard of Luci become sole chief justiciar

Answer 19

After death of Robert, 1168

Question 20

How did Richard of Luci help the crown in 1173-4

Answer 20

Played crucial role in defeating a baronial revolt in these two years

Question 21

Who was Nigel, Bishop of Ely

Answer 21

Henry’s High Treasurer, nephew of Robert of Beaumont

Question 22

Assess the effectiveness of Nigel as High Treasurer

Answer 22

His extensive knowledge of the Exchequer under Henry I enabled him to restore the office rapidly and by 1156 royal finances were being recorded in pipe rolls

Question 23

Who replaced Nigel as high treasurer and when?

Answer 23

His son, Richard FitzNeal in 1164

Question 24

Assess how Richard FitzNeal served the crown

Answer 24

In 1177 he wrote a treatise of the practises of the English Exchequer and ultimately helped bring about economic stability in England

Question 25

What was the Chancellor’s job?

Answer 25

He controlled the chancery, the king’s writing office and acted as the king’s private secretary

Question 26

Who did Henry appoint as his Chancellor

Answer 26

Thomas Beckett

Question 27

Assess Becket’s role as Chancellor

Answer 27

he quickly established a close friendship with Henry as a skilled advisor and diplomat. He was central in Henry’s foreign policy, acting on his behalf to the court of Louis VII. In 1159, he commanded an Angevin army during Henry’s campaign in Toulose

Question 28

When did Henry nominate Beckett archbishop of Canterbury?

Answer 28

1162

Question 29

List Henry’s 6 financial reforms

Answer 29

Restoration of the county farm
Revival of the geld tax
Restoration of feudal hierarchy
Cartae Baronum - inspection of tenants-in-chief (vassals)
Increased afforestation
Recoinage and centralisation of royal mints

Question 30

What is the term for the feudal obligations of vassals to supply the crown with knight service

Answer 30

Servitium debitum

Question 31

What is the term for the reversion of land back to the crown after its landholder had died

Answer 31

Escheat

Question 32

In the first decade of his reign, name 3 efforts Henry made to recover royal demesne

Answer 32

Reclaimed land taken by barons through purpresture
Seizure of land through escheat
Reform amongst sheriffs - in 1155 he replaced 21 of England’s sheriffs

Question 33

Assess Henry’s efforts to recover county farm

Answer 33

Ineffective, as pipe rolls suggest revenues remained stagnant at £5,000 per annum for the first four years of his reign - Henry was compelled to find alternate sources of income

Question 34

What was the geld?

Answer 34

Was an ancient taxation levied by saxon kings, which became a general land tax under William I

Question 35

When did Henry revive the geld and to what effect?

Answer 35

In 1155, but its revenue was only 60% of what was calculated possible and thus did not satisfy administrative efforts. Was reattempted in 1161, but was thereafter abandoned

Question 36

What was the cartae baronum and when was it introduced by Henry

Answer 36

In 1166, it was an inspection and recording of his vassals’ lands and households

Question 37

Assess Henry’s cartae boronum as a financial reform

Answer 37

Was successful, as it led to an increase in scutage payments

Question 38

What did the Forest Laws do?

Answer 38

Prohibit hunting in royal forests and felling

Question 39

How much of england did Henry make royal forest by the end of his reign

Answer 39

Between one-third and one-quarter

Question 40

Assess Henry’s reform of increased afforestation

Answer 40

It was successful as it proved a lucrative source of income, yet many of his subjects resented it

Question 41

2 factors of henry’s reform of coinage

Answer 41

By 1158, the number of mints operating in england fell from 47 to 29
In 1158 he dismissed a number of minters and also introduced a new silver penny

Question 42

Assess the impact of Henry’s coinage reforms

Answer 42

Not entirely successful, as the new moneyers he admitted still engaged in coin clipping and counterfeiting, to the extent that he had to order a second purge in 1160
Henry was not able to full restore the currency’s integrity until the latter part of his reign

Question 43

Assess the overall impact of Henry’s financial reforms

Answer 43

By the late 1150s, royal income per annum had risen to £10,000 as opposed from £7,000. The relative success of his reforms were vital in the restoration of royal authority, due to the resultant economic superiority of the crown over barons

Question 44

Define clergy

Answer 44

All members of religious orders (not just priests), exempt from secular courts

Question 45

What was a papal legate?

Answer 45

A representative of the Pope, empowered to act on his behalf

Question 46

Outline the main political roles of the church upon Henry’s accession

Answer 46

The Church had played an important role in securing Henry II’s accession, as Pope Innocent II’s successors (especially Celestine II and Eugenius II) had favoured Angevin cause and Archbishop Theobold of Bec refused to crown Eustace, son of Stephen, in 1152
However, the Church had become far more autonomous over Stephen’s reign than under Henry I, which Henry FitzEmpress deemed dangerous for royal authority. As such, Henry was determined to assert greater control over the Church

Question 47

Who was Theobold of Bec?

Answer 47

Archbishop of Canterbury upon Henry’s accession, who had helped to secure his succession

Question 48

Why did ecclesiastical courts pose a problem for Henry upon his accession?

Answer 48

Matters involving the clergy could be referred to these courts, which tended to be more lenient than the king’s. This caused resentment toward the king. The most famous example is that of Philip of Brois, accused of murdering a knight and then, after being acquitted, insulted a royal justice who sought to reopen the case. Henry II thus threatened severe consequences, yet Becket protected Philip and merely fined, flogged and exiled him, which Henry deemed too lenient

Question 49

Outline the importance of the Church in finance and the economy

Answer 49

The Church was very wealthy, holding over a quarter of all land in England. Henry II sought to exploit the Church for its wealth for his own ends, imposing scutage (payment instead of military service) even on prelates. There was a scutage in 1156, connected to the king’s actions against Geoffrey FitzEmpress, and also in 1159 to fund his Toulouse campaign

Question 50

3 points re Henry’s relations with France through this period

Answer 50

Henry II was outwardly respectful to Louis VII, yet often boasted of his wealth and power, for example in 1158 Becket was sent to represent the Henry, making ostentatious displays of his own wealth granted by the king
Relations with France remained cordial from 1154-59: in 1158 Louis agreed to marry his daughter Margaret to young Henry
Yet the campaign in Toulouse of 1159 undermined the peace, as Louis had to place himself in the city to block the invasion. Henry tricked Louis, utilising Alexander III’s papal dispensation allowing the marriage of Margaret to Henry much earlier and younger than expected, crucial due to Margaret’s dowry of the Vexin. A peace was negotiated in 1161 yet remained a pretence of peace

Question 51

Outline the significance of the lordship of Ireland during this period

Answer 51

The Church supported an Angevin invasion of Ireland, where the forms of worship differed from the Latin church. Henry discussed an invasion at the council at Winchester in sept 1155, yet turned into nothing as Henry’s attention shifted to other areas. Further, his youngest and favoured brother William died childless in 1164 so the pressure to find him territory disappeared

Question 52

Outline the significance of Normandy through this period

Answer 52

Between 1154 and 1166, the problem in this duchy revolved around defence. The Vexin had been ceded by Geoffrey of Anjou, which was vital territory and necessary for the integrity and defence of the duchy, as well as the prospect of invading Paris. Henry acquired it through Margaret of France’s dowry when she married young Henry in Nov 1160

Question 53

Outline the significance of Aquitaine and Gascony through this period

Answer 53

In 1152 Henry had marries Eleanor of Aquitaine, bringing him control of southern France. However, powers for the Duke of Aquitaine were difficult to exercise as many of its lords saw the self as independent and attempts to extend power from Poitou were resisted.
In June 1159, motivated by his claim to it through traditional dukes of Aquitaine, Henry led a large army into Toulouse, which was resisted by Raymond V and King Louis, who placed himself in the city so Henry was unable to assault it. Henry nonetheless retained pressure on Toulouse through the period
Gascony was technically a part of the duchy of Aquitaine yet was less desirable to Henry, with a history of separate development