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The first of the Angevin kings of England, he brought with him the titles of Count of [[Anjou]] from his father, [[Duke]] of [[Normandy]] from his mother’s line, and Duke of [[Aquitaine]] as right of his marriage to [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. He was lord of three fifths of what is now [[France]], as well as England; an enormous area given the atrocious roads of the time and the notoriously fickle sea conditions between England and the Continent. That he kept his lands under a good degree of control for most of his reign, and managed to improve the civic, justice and economic institutions, indicate not only ability, but enormous stamina. He spent most of his reign travelling.

The first of the Angevin kings of England, he brought with him the titles of Count of [[Anjou]] from his father, [[Duke]] of [[Normandy]] from his mother’s line, and Duke of [[Aquitaine]] as right of his marriage to [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. He was lord of three fifths of what is now [[France]], as well as England; an enormous area given the atrocious roads of the time and the notoriously fickle sea conditions between England and the Continent. That he kept his lands under a good degree of control for most of his reign, and managed to improve the civic, justice and economic institutions, indicate not only ability, but enormous stamina. He spent most of his reign travelling.

Whilst expert in statecraft, he was still given to bouts of temper and passion, especially when he perceived himself thwarted in his aims. The tragedy of [[Thomas Becket]] is an example here. A fit of temper and thoughtless words brought about the death of a good man (though one as pig-headed and sure of his own right as his sovereign and one-time friend.)  

Whilst expert in [[statecraft]], he was still given to bouts of temper and passion, especially when he perceived himself thwarted in his aims. The tragedy of [[Thomas Becket]] is an example here. A fit of temper and thoughtless words brought about the death of a good man (though one as pig-headed and sure of his own right as his sovereign and one-time friend.)  

Perhaps his greatest failure was in the allocation of his domains to his sons in a will in 1169. His decision to give his youngest son, [[King John|John]], three castles in Anjou, after first denying him any estates, (hence “John Lackland”) incited his three eldest surviving sons, Henry ("the Young King"), [[Richard I|Richard]] and Geoffrey, to revolt in 1173. His wife sided with them. The remainder of his reign was to be plagued by the need to keep his family under control. King [[Louis VII]] of France and, after 1180, his successor [[Philip II of France|Philip II]] were a constant irritant as one offspring or another (or all) enlisted aid from the old enemy (and Henry’s feudal overlord…as Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, and Duke of Aquitaine Henry owed fealty to the king of France; and each year went to him and swore the oath on bended knee.)

Perhaps his greatest failure was in the allocation of his domains to his sons in a will in 1169. His decision to give his youngest son, [[King John|John]], three castles in Anjou, after first denying him any estates, (hence “John Lackland”) incited his three eldest surviving sons, Henry ("the Young King"), [[Richard I|Richard]] and Geoffrey, to revolt in 1173. His wife sided with them. The remainder of his reign was to be plagued by the need to keep his family under control. King [[Louis VII]] of France and, after 1180, his successor [[Philip II of France|Philip II]] were a constant irritant as one offspring or another (or all) enlisted aid from the old enemy (and Henry’s feudal overlord…as Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, and Duke of Aquitaine Henry owed fealty to the king of France; and each year went to him and swore the oath on bended knee.)