Henry the Young King, 1155-1183

by Matthew Strickland

  Henry the Young King, son of Henry II,

  image and perceptions: referred to as Henry III, (i), (ii), (iii); omission from regnal list of English kings, (i), (ii); as rex junior, (i); Henricus junior, (i), (ii); awareness by contemporaries of ambiguity of regal status, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); ambivalent attitude of Henry II’s curiales to, (i), (ii); criticized for rebellion by contemporaries, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); as a second Absalom, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); death seen as the vengeance of God, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); rebellions seen as tool of divine retribution on Henry II, (i); seen by nobles of Aquitaine as defender against the tyranny of Richard, (i), (ii), (iii); widespread grief at death of, (i), (ii), (iii); as ‘the Lion’, (i); compared to to Judas Maccabeus, (i); and to classical and epic heroes, (i), (ii); as role model for Otto IV and Henry III, (i); reputation eclipsed by that of Richard the Lionheart, (i); depiction of reworked in favour of Richard, (i); erroneously given father’s epithet ‘Curtmantle’, (i); depiction in the Novellino, (i); as re giovane in Dante’s Inferno, (i); character and personality: good looks, (i), (ii), (iii); charm and eloquence, (i), (ii); graciousness, (i), (ii); as epitome of chivalric qualities, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi); generosity and largesse of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); influenced by Becket’s lifestyle as chancellor, (i); as patron of knights and of ‘youth’, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); as reviver of chivalry, (i), (ii); love of hunting and of falcons, (i), (ii); as showcase for Angevin wealth and power, (i), (ii); lavish expenditure in the tournament, (i); incurs heavy debts, (i); courtly entertainments, (i); and Arthurian romances, (i), (ii); conscious of elevated status, (i); love for Thomas Becket, (i), (ii), (iii); (i); attachment to uncle William, (i); relations with wife Margaret, (i); no known mistresses, (i); close friendship with William Marshal, (i), (ii); distress over accusations against Marshal, (i); insistence on undivided loyalty from ministers, (i); harsh treatment of Adam of Churchdown, (i), (ii); fear of shipwreck, (i); piety of, (i), (ii); devotion to St James, (i), (ii), (iii); pilgrimages to Becket’s shrine, (i), (ii); founds altar to St Thomas at Barfleur, (i); invokes St Thomas in war of 1173–74, (i); vision of St Thomas and St Eustace on deathbed, (i); desire to take the cross, (i), (ii); piety and contrition during final illness, (i); 1155–70: birth and baptism, (i); recognized as heir, (i); upbringing in early childhood, (i); illness, (i); betrothal to Margaret, daughter of Louis VII, (i), (ii); performs homage to Louis for Normandy. 1160, (i); marriage, 1160, (i); in household of Thomas Becket, (i), (ii); education, (i); first training in arms and horsemanship, (i); bishops’ concern for education of, (i); extent of literacy, (i); Walter Map among tutors of, (i); instructed in curialitas, (i); training in martial sports and equestrian games, (i); planned coronation, 1162, (i); envisaged as regent of England aided by Becket, (i); receives homage of magnates and clergy, 1162, (i); presides over Becket’s election and consecration as archbishop, (i); supposedly quitclaims Becket’s secular obligations, (i); coronation postponed, (i); welcomes father on arrival in England, 1163, (i); witnesses drafting of Constitutions of Clarendon, 1164, (i); distress at Becket’s disgrace and flight, (i); associated with Henry II’s rule, (i); jointly renews Anglo-Flemish treaty, 1163, (i); receives homage of Welsh rulers and of Malcolm IV at Woodstock, (i); attends translation of Edward the Confessor at Westminster, 1163, (i); instructed in workings of government by William FitzJohn, (i); based in southern England, 1165–6, (i); at Poitiers for Christmas court, 1166, (i); homages to recorded in Cartae Baronum, 1166, (i); gifts a stag to papal legates at Domfront, 1169, (i); England Normandy and Greater Anjou settled on at Montmirail, 1169, (i); performs homage to Louis for Anjou, Maine and Brittany, (i); receives homage of brother Geoffrey for Brittany, (i); made seneschal of France, (i); serves Louis at table, (i); performs homage to Philip, (i); suggested as proxy for Henry II in giving kiss of peace to Becket, 1170, (i); knighting of, (i); coronation of, (i); magnates perform homage to, (i); regency, 1170–72: as regent of England, (i); tutores appointed by father assist in government, (i), (ii); government at work, (i); glimpse of court, (i), (ii); principal residences, (i); household officers, (i); William Marshal appointed tutor in arms, (i); his other household knights, (i); is informed by Henry II of his peace with Becket, 1170, (i); ordered to ensure restoration of Thomas’ possessions and hold inquest into extent of archiepiscopal lands in honour of Saltwood, (i); receives Herbert of Bosham in presence of advisors, (i); subsequently gives warmer reception, (i); receives John of Salisbury, (i); reaction to Becket’s serving of papal letters of suspension, (i); holds Christmas court, 1170, at Winchester, (i); receives gift of warhorses from Thomas, (i); advised by Ridel and Ilchester not to grant Becket an audience, (i); forbids Thomas to approach court, (i); hunts at Fordingbridge in the New Forest, (i); orders restoration of Thomas’ goods plundered by Ranulf de Broc, (i); sends William de Mandeville to Normandy to inform Henry II of situation, (i); grief at murder of Thomas, (i); attitude towards Becket’s actions, (i); relief that his men were not involved, (i); his chancellor Richard Barre among delegation to Alexander III, (i); crosses to Normandy, (i); supervises government of duchy during father’s absence in Ireland, (i); informed of Henry II’s success by letters, (i); spends time in southern England, (i); holds magnificent Christmas court, 1171, at Bur-le-Roi, (i); crosses with Henry II to Normandy, 1172, (i); visits Mont-Saint-Michel, (i); consents to Henry II’s settlement with papal legates at Avranches regarding Becket’s murder, (i); at Caen, pledges to abide by conditions agreed, (i); wears crown at Winchester at wife’s coronation, (i); presides over ecclesiastical council at Windsor, (i); undertakes pilgrimage to Canterbury, (i); his grief and contrition over Thomas’ death, (i); summoned to Normandy by Henry II, 1172, (i); visits Louis, (i); urged by him to demand lands from his father, (i); holds Christmas court, 1172, at Bonneville-sur-Touques, (i); travels with Henry II to summit at Montferrat, (i); receives homage of Raymond of Toulouse, (i); objects to grant of Chinon, Loudun and Mirebeau to John in the Maurienne agreement, (i); fears of arrest by father, (i); flight from Chinon to France, (i); conflict with Henry II and the War of 1173–74: grievances against father, (i), (ii); direct rule withheld from, (i); expectations of rule raised by coronation, (i); awareness of precedents of rule devolved to sons, (i); comparisons with Robert Curthose, (i), (ii); need to maintain queen in appropriate state, (i); denied control of wife’s dower, (i); pressured by supporters for reward, (i); father’s attempt to purge household of troublemakers, (i), (ii); criticism of his expenditure, (i); shame of dependent status as king, (i), (ii); contemporary sympathy with anomalous status, (i); incited to rebel by Queen Eleanor and Ralph de Faye, (i); and by King Louis, (i); baronial supporters of rebellion with Angevin lands, (i), (ii); and their motives, (i); ministers appointed by father return to Henry II, (i); forms coalition of allies, (i); aims and strategy, (i); success at Gournay, (i); knighted by William Marshal, (i); French forces and commanders at his disposal, (i); appeals to pope against election of bishops, (i); justifies rebellion to Alexander III, (i); offers to submit to papal arbitration, (i); denounces father’s abuses of the Church, (i); deploys forged writ, (i); promises to emend Constitutions of Clarendon, (i); clerical supporters at the Curia, (i); censured by Rotrou of Rouen, (i); takes Aumale, (i); besieges Drincourt, (i), (ii); sends William of Dive to aid garrison of Leicester, (i); joins Louis at siege of Verneuil, (i); as guarantor of Louis’ respite to citizens, (i); sends household knights to reinforce Breton rebels, (i); offered castles and revenues by Henry II at peace negotiations, (i); rejects father’s offer, (i); distress at defeat of Leicester, (i); launches winter campaign in New Year, 1174, but repulsed from Sées, (i); at Paris, swears oath to invade England in June, (i); sends advanced guard from Wissant, (i); solicits the support of London, (i); invasion plans, (i), (ii); main fleet delayed at Gravelines, (i); abandons invasion on news of William the Lion’s capture, (i); joins Louis’ siege of Rouen, (i); withdraws from siege on arrival of Henry II, (i); pledges not to aid Richard, (i); submits to Henry II, (i); reasons for fail
ure of rebellion, (i); fears of retribution, (i); quitclaims allies of all obligations (i), (ii); at peace settlement at Montlouis, granted castles and revenues by Henry II, (i); rebuked by grant of castles and revenues to John, (i); promises to remit anger against father’s supporters, (i), (ii); swears to observe settlement, (i); extracts ransoms from his prisoners, (i); has debts settled by father, (i); fears arrest by Henry II, (i); begs father to accept his homage, (i); 1175–83: sails to England, 1175, (i); presides jointly with Henry II at council at Westminster, (i); public announcement of his submission and homage, (i); undertakes pilgrimage with father to Canterbury, (i); holds joint council at Gloucester, (i); and at Woodstock, (i); journeys north to Northampton then York with father, hearing judicial pleas and enforcing the Forest Law, (i); receives homage of William the Lion and Scottish nobles at York, (i); receives papal legate Hugo Pierleone, (i); holds joint Christmas court, 1175, at Windsor, (i); consents to assize issued at council of Northampton, 1176, (i); significance of his participation in re-establishing royal authority after the war, (i); wishes to leave England and escape his father’s supervision, (i); requests permission to undertake a pilgrimage to Compostella, (i); desire to win reputation by feats of arms in tournaments in France, (i); attends Henry II’s Easter court at Winchester, (i); visits Philip of Flanders and tourneys with him, (i); brings forces to aid Richard against rebels in Aquitaine, (i); withdraws from siege of Châteauneuf, (i); receives father’s enemies at his court, (i); tries his vice-chancellor Adam of Churchdown for treason for revealing his letters to Henry II, (i); has him beaten and imprisoned, (i); escorts sister Joanna from Normandy to Poitou, (i); holds Christmas court, 1176, with Margaret at Argentan, (i); leads expedition to take Châteauroux, 1177, (i); flight of Margaret to Louis’ court, (i); strained relations with Henry II, (i); loss of son William, born prematurely, (i); joins Henry II at Rouen, (i); attends peace conference with Louis at Ivry, (i); chancellor and members of household drowned in a shipwreck in the Channel, (i); leads army into Berry, (i); attends Henry II’s great Christmas court at Angers, 1177, (i); tourneys in northern France, (i); see also tournaments; attends consecration of church at Bec, 1178, (i); honourably received in England by Henry II, 1179, (i); progress in the West Country, (i); jointly presides over council at Windsor concerning reform of itinerant justices, (i); carries crown at coronation of Philip Augustus at Rheims, 1179, (i); serves him at coronation banquet, (i); leads great retinue at tournament at Lagny, (i), (ii); crosses to England to confer with Henry over power struggle at Capetian court, 1180, (i); at Reading, swears on relics to observe all father’s grants, (i); assists father in establish peace between Philip Augustus and Adela of Blois, (i); and between King Philip and Philip of Flanders, 1181, (i); made regent of Normandy during father’s absence in England, 1181, (i); leads army to aid King Philip against Philip of Flanders, (i); forces ravage lands of Sancerre, Burgundy and Champagne, (i); army draws up for battle against Count Philip at Crépy-en-Valois, but conflict averted, 1181, (i); helps broker peace between Count Philip and Philip Augustus, 1182, (i); summoned by father to aid in suppression of rebellion in Aquitaine, 1182, (i); nobles of Aquitaine look to as lord, (i); presents royal mantel to abbey of St Martial, Limoges, (i); joins Henry II and Richard at siege of Périgueux, (i); demands Normandy from father, (i); on refusal leaves for court of King Philip, (i); announces intention to take the cross, (i); is offered higher revenues by Henry II and provision for 100 knights in his household, (i), (ii); becomes estranged from William Marshal, (i), (ii); Christmas court, 1182, at Caen, (i); war in Aquitaine and death, 1183: enters into secret league with lords of Aquitaine against Richard, (i); quarrels with Richard over castle of Clairvaux, (i); reveals his league with the nobles of Aquitaine, (i); authorized by his father to take military action against Richard, (i); sends Margaret to court of Philip Augustus, (i); assembles large army at Limoges, (i); acts as intermediary between rebels in Limoges and Henry II, (i); fails to punish those who fire upon Henry II, (i); denies role in further aggression by Geoffrey, (i); criticized for inaction by Bertran de Born, (i); vows to take the cross, (i); troubled state of mind, (i); throws in lot with rebels in Limoges, (i); dissent within household, (i); strips St Martial’s of treasures to pay his routiers, (i); brings relief force to Angoulême, (i); challenges episcopal election of Walter of Coutances, (i); repulsed from the Cité in Limoges, (i); plunders Grandmont and other monasteries of the Limousin, (i); receives large reinforcements at Uzerche, (i); pilgrimage to Rocamadour, (i); contracts dysentery, (i); death at Martel, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); confession and acts of penance, (i); asks father’s forgiveness, (i); receives a ring from Henry II as symbol of pardon, (i), (ii); urges father to treat Eleanor and Margaret with mercy, (i); asks Henry to make restitution to plundered churches, (i); concern for provision for his knights and servants, (i); entrusts William Marshal with taking his cross to Jerusalem, (i); makes provision for the burial of his viscera and body, (i); insists on burial in Rouen cathedral rather than at Grandmont, (i); body embalmed, (i); progress of cortège, (i); citizens of Le Mans bury body in cathedral of St Julian, (i); Henry II orders reburial in Rouen cathedral, (i); his tomb, (i), (ii), (iii); portrayed as ‘vir sanctus’ by chaplain Thomas of Earley, (i); miracles attributed to, (i); attempts to suppress cult, (i); endowments by family and followers for his soul, (i); household and officials: tutores, see Geoffrey Ridel, Hugh de Gundeville, Richard of Ilchester, William de St John, William FitzAldelin; household (familia, mesnie), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi); divided loyalties of ministers of, (i), (ii); loss of chancellor and household members in shipwreck, 1177, (i), (ii); mesnie privée, (i), (ii); officers of, (i), (ii), (iii): chamberlain, (i), (ii); see also Ailward, Roger Caperun, Ralph FitzGodfrey; chancellor, (i); see also Richard Barre, Geoffrey of Beverley; chaplains (i), (ii); see also Walter of Coutances, Ralph Niger, Gervase of Tilbury; chapel and furnishings, (i), (ii); confessor, (i); see also Thomas of Earley; clerks, (i); see also Wigain, clerk to the kitchen; doctor, Girard, (i); falconer, Bigod, (i); master (magister), see Mainard, William FitzJohn; seneschal, (i); steward, Robert de Tresgoz, (i); usher, William Blund, (i); vice-chancellor, see Adam of Churchdown; household knights, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi): as destabilizing elements, (i), (ii), (iii); role in war of 1173–74, (i), (ii); tensions and rivalry among, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); see also William Marshal

  Hamelin de Warenne, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), n. 76

  Henry III, son of King John, king of England, (i), (ii), n. 17, (iii), (iv)

  Henry IV, emperor, (i)

  Henry V, emperor, (i), (ii), n. 103, (iii), n. 30, (iv), (v)

  Henry VI, king of Germany, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), n. 18, (vii), (viii)

  Henry I ‘the Liberal’, count of Champagne, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  as ally of Young King in 1173–74, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); as patron of tournaments, (i), (ii), (iii); tomb of, (i)

  Henry II, count of Champagne, (i)

  Henry the Forester, (i)

  Henry de Laon, (i)

  Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony, (i), n. 34, (ii), n. 129, (iii), n. 44, (iv), (v), (vi)

  Henry Murdac, archbishop of York, (i)

  Henry de Neubourg, (i)

  Henry ‘the Northerner’, (i)

  Henry, earl of Northumberland, son of King David I, (i), (ii)

  Henry of Pisa, papal legate, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Henry, archbishop of Rheims, (i)