Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.
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he political and cultural impact of Henry II and his sons, Richard I and John, on the history of England.
What will we cover?
We begin with a brief introduction to the circumstances that led to Henry of Anjou’s accession to the throne of England in 1154 and then move on to look in depth at his personal relationships. Henry’s queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was a formidable woman and her long career in the political arena is worthy of attention. Henry and Eleanor’s sons were known as ‘the Devil’s brood’ and we will study the contrasting reputations left by Richard and John. We should also remember the daughters who exported Becket’s cult across Europe. The twelfth century was also a time of legal reform and the flowering of English historiography. We have a unique Anglo-Norman biography of one of the most extraordinary men of the period, William the Marshal. This affords us a unique opportunity to look at how a landless, younger son could rise to become a royal regent. William the Marshal served all three Angevin kings and almost single-handedly ensured the survival of the monarchy after the death of King John in the midst of civil war and foreign invasion in 1216.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Describe the legal reforms instituted by Henry II and their impact on twelfth-century England
Explain and evaluate the circumstances that led to the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury
Assess the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine in Angevin politics
Compare and contrast the reputations of Richard and John
Debate on the significance of Magna Carta
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No prior knowledge is necessary, but a good understanding of English is essential.
An open mind and willingness to participate, respectfully, in class discussion and debate.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Each week there will be a PowerPoint presentation and a seminar-style discussion of original sources (in translation) pertinent to the topic. You are invited to bring along/describe items you have read in newspapers/heard on radio/seen on TV you think may be of interest to the group. You will be encouraged to do homework reading to foster debate.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You need only bring note-taking materials. All necessary reading materials will be provided. If you wish to purchase a book before the course begins, I would recommend Nick Barrett, The Restless Kings: Henry II and His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown London: Faber & Faber, 2018.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HBH23Rebels and Parliament in 13th Century England.
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-angry-angevins-1154-1216261975The Angry Angevins 1154-1216https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/britain-qing-opium-hwh158-1024.jpg209209GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history22851177117816301228511771178<p>Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.</p><p></p>003041398The Angry Angevins 1154-1216209209https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/britain-qing-opium-hwh158-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeMonKeeley StreetAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-09-14T00:00:00+00:00Sep 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHBH53209209The Angry Angevins 1154-1216167136209Vanessa Kingthe-angry-angevins-1154-1216/hbh53-2627<p>Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.</p><p></p>0000-Available|2026-09-14 00:00:00<p>he political and cultural impact of Henry II and his sons, Richard I and John, on the history of England.</p><p>Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.</p><p></p><p>We begin with a brief introduction to the circumstances that led to Henry of Anjou’s accession to the throne of England in 1154 and then move on to look in depth at his personal relationships. Henry’s queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was a formidable woman and her long career in the political arena is worthy of attention. Henry and Eleanor’s sons were known as ‘the Devil’s brood’ and we will study the contrasting reputations left by Richard and John. We should also remember the daughters who exported Becket’s cult across Europe. The twelfth century was also a time of legal reform and the flowering of English historiography. We have a unique Anglo-Norman biography of one of the most extraordinary men of the period, <em>William the Marshal</em>. This affords us a unique opportunity to look at how a landless, younger son could rise to become a royal regent. William the Marshal served all three Angevin kings and almost single-handedly ensured the survival of the monarchy after the death of King John in the midst of civil war and foreign invasion in 1216. </p><p></p><ul><li>Describe the legal reforms instituted by Henry II and their impact on twelfth-century England</li><li>Explain and evaluate the circumstances that led to the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury</li><li>Assess the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine in Angevin politics</li><li>Compare and contrast the reputations of Richard and John</li><li>Debate on the significance of Magna Carta </li></ul><p></p><p>No prior knowledge is necessary, but a good understanding of English is essential.</p><p>An open mind and willingness to participate, respectfully, in class discussion and debate.</p><p>Each week there will be a PowerPoint presentation and a seminar-style discussion of original sources (in translation) pertinent to the topic. You are invited to bring along/describe items you have read in newspapers/heard on radio/seen on TV you think may be of interest to the group. You will be encouraged to do homework reading to foster debate. </p><p></p><p>You need only bring note-taking materials. All <u>necessary</u> reading materials will be provided. If you wish to purchase a book before the course begins, I would recommend Nick Barrett, <em>The Restless Kings: Henry II and His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown </em>London: Faber & Faber, 2018.</p>HBH23Rebels and Parliament in 13th Century England.HistoryBritish & Irish historyvirtual167209136HBH53NONEMon14/09/26 - 26/10/2612:45 - 14:4512:4514:457 sessions (over 7 weeks)75-10 weeksDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetVanessa KingAvailable courses2026-09-14T00:00:00+00:00Sep 2026Culture, history & humanities209209The Angry Angevins 1154-1216the-angry-angevins-1154-1216/hbh53-2627<p>Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.</p><p></p>0000-Available|2026-09-14 00:00:00<p>he political and cultural impact of Henry II and his sons, Richard I and John, on the history of England.</p><p>Henry II is remembered for marrying Katherine Hepburn aka Eleanor of Aquitaine, his revolting sons and the murder of Becket. Richard I was a great soldier but an absentee monarch. His brother, John, has been dubbed the worst king in English history.</p><p></p><p>We begin with a brief introduction to the circumstances that led to Henry of Anjou’s accession to the throne of England in 1154 and then move on to look in depth at his personal relationships. Henry’s queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was a formidable woman and her long career in the political arena is worthy of attention. Henry and Eleanor’s sons were known as ‘the Devil’s brood’ and we will study the contrasting reputations left by Richard and John. We should also remember the daughters who exported Becket’s cult across Europe. The twelfth century was also a time of legal reform and the flowering of English historiography. We have a unique Anglo-Norman biography of one of the most extraordinary men of the period, <em>William the Marshal</em>. This affords us a unique opportunity to look at how a landless, younger son could rise to become a royal regent. William the Marshal served all three Angevin kings and almost single-handedly ensured the survival of the monarchy after the death of King John in the midst of civil war and foreign invasion in 1216. </p><p></p><ul><li>Describe the legal reforms instituted by Henry II and their impact on twelfth-century England</li><li>Explain and evaluate the circumstances that led to the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury</li><li>Assess the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine in Angevin politics</li><li>Compare and contrast the reputations of Richard and John</li><li>Debate on the significance of Magna Carta </li></ul><p></p><p>No prior knowledge is necessary, but a good understanding of English is essential.</p><p>An open mind and willingness to participate, respectfully, in class discussion and debate.</p><p>Each week there will be a PowerPoint presentation and a seminar-style discussion of original sources (in translation) pertinent to the topic. You are invited to bring along/describe items you have read in newspapers/heard on radio/seen on TV you think may be of interest to the group. You will be encouraged to do homework reading to foster debate. </p><p></p><p>You need only bring note-taking materials. All <u>necessary</u> reading materials will be provided. If you wish to purchase a book before the course begins, I would recommend Nick Barrett, <em>The Restless Kings: Henry II and His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown </em>London: Faber &amp; Faber, 2018.</p>HBH23Rebels and Parliament in 13th Century England.HistoryBritish & Irish historyconfigurable
16301178British & Irish historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/british-and-irish-studies1/2/285/1177/1178/16301/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history
