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The Plantagenets were also known as the Angevian dynasty. They were one of England's major medieval dynasties, reigning during the bloody, glorious late-medieval period. The Plntagenents include some of the most competent and incompetent English kings as well as some of the most loved and reviled of English monarchs. They would lay the ground work for English law and be forced to start the march for democracy. It was not a quiet time. Two Plantagenents kings (four depending in how you define the dynasty) would be murdered. Two were almost deposed. And the Plantagenents would launch the Hundred Years War. The dynasty was founded in the 10th century by the counts of Anjou in France. Anjou was a rich province and played an important role in medieval European politics. Geoffrey Plantagenent conquered Normandy (1144). His son became king of England as Henry II. Henry founded the English Plantagenent dynasty and is notable for playing a major role in the development of Englidh law. Count Faulk V of Anjou became King of Jerusalem during the Crusades. A second Angevian dynasty became the monarchial line in Naples. Some of England's best known medieval kings were Plantagenets. Henry II was a particularly important king. Richard and John were less important, but very well known. Richard was known as Richard the Lion Heart and played a major role in the Crusades. John of course is known as the king that was forced to sign the Magna Carta. The last of the Plantagenet English line was Richard II. In addition to the contribution to English Common Law and the emergengence of parlimentarian government, the Plantagenent's are perhaps best remembered for presiding over the fusion of French-speaking invaders with the conquered Angl0-Saxon people into the English people.
A historian focusing on the Plantagenents tells us about the origins of the dynasty. "In 999 a Plantagenent forbear, Count Fulk theBlack of Anjou, has his young wife, Elizabeth of Vendóme, burned alive in her wedding dress in the marketplace at his capital of Angers, in front of the cathedral, after catching her in flagrante with a goatherd. Afew days later, all of Angers went up in flames, orched by unknown hands, and the townsmen suspected Fulk .... The Angevins decide that devil's blood must run in the veins of their sinister lord." [Seward] Richard the Lionheart would famouslysay, "We come from the Devil and we'll end by going to the Devil." The father of Henry II ws Geoffrey, Count of Anjou. While colorful in his own right, he is lrgely forgotten to history. It was Geoffrey who acquired the name Plantagenent from his broom flower badge. It is from Geoffrey that the lions on the royl arms of England originated. Edward I, the warriuor king, was cental to another key aspect of English democracy--the Common Law. He did not create the Common Law, but he began its codification. This was cenbteal to democracy, because the Vommon Law bound the soverign as well as his subjects and thus ws a step in preventing absolutism from developing as it did ijn France.
The Plantagenents are often dismissed as far remove medieval fifures of little rlevance to modern Britain or even more so America. This is in fact not the case. It was the Plantagenents that oversaw the fusion of Norman (French) inaders and the anglo-Saxon people in to the English nation. This alone might have secured their place in history. It was under thePlantagenents that the march toward modern democracy began. Of course it wa not always what the individual monarchs wanted. John had the Magna Carta forced upon him. Henry III was forced to call the first Parliament.
The Plantagenents include some of the best known of the English kings. Richard the Lion Heart is seen as the ideal chiveros monarch. The reality is far different. John is best known for what was forced upon him--Magna Carta. This of course was the cornerstone of English democracy and ultimnarely American democray. Edward I is arguably the most important of the Plantgenent, despite is relative anonymity among those not interested in history, because of his role in the codification of thge devloping Common Law. Richard III along with John are the most maligned of English monarchs.
Henry II founded the Plantagenet dynasty. With the death of King Henry I, a bloody civil war followed between the cousins Stephen and Matilda with competing claims to the crown. Matilda had the better claim, but she was a woman. Stephen was a granson of William I. His mother was Adela, one of William's daughters. Matilda was a daughter, the direct descendent of Henry I. Her broher William had drowned. Matilda was eventually defeated, but the death of Stephen’s only son effectively ended the Norman dynasty. The crown passed to Henry II (1133- ), the son of Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou. Dynastic rules provide that when a dynasty is passed through a female relative than a new royal house is created--in this case the Plantagenets. Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, a force in her own right. She and Isbella of Spain are surely the most important queen of the medieval era. Eleanor was popularized by Katherine Hepburn in the classic Hollywood film, "The Lion in Winter", film done wth some historical acuracy. Eleanor was heiress to the largest duchy in France. She had divorced King Louis VII of France as a result of a dispute during the Second Crusade. As far as we know, she is the only queen who becme a crusader--telling you something bout her charcter. Neither her husband or the Church approved. After her divorce she married Henry. That divorce was the most disasterous in French history. Louis' sucessors and his subjects would pay dearly for Louis problems with this formidale woman. This marriage changed the shape of England and France and resulted in power struggles including the Hundred Years’ War and eventually the War of the Roses.
Richard was born in Beaumont Palace, Oxford (1157). His father was Henry II Curtmantle, King of England (1133- ), His mother was Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine (about 1122- ). Richard became Duke of Aquitaine (1168) and Duke of Poitiers in (1172). He beame King of Englamd (1189) but actually stayed there only 6 months after becoming king. Richard was most at home in his French possessions and spent little time in England which he looked on as primarily a valuable possession to finance his wars. In English legend he is looked on as a great hero, a brave crusader and fair minded king whose evil brother John tried to ursurp his crown while he fought the infidels as part of the crusades in the Holy Land. There is no doubt that he was a bold military commander. He did in fact play a major role in the Third Crusade (1189- ) with Philip of France. Richard took Messina and Cyprus before arriving in the Holy Land. He married Berengaria of Navarre whilecin Cyprus (1191). They had one child, Philip of Cognac, Lord of Cognac. His brilliant victory at Arsuf against Salladin allowed hin to take Joppa (1191). While the crusades were seen as a valiant and chiverous effort agaijnst the infidels, in fact Richard committed brutal attrocities against captured prisoners and innocent civilians. Returning home he was captured and held ransome in Austria (1192) by an enemny he had made in the crusades. He was released by Emperer Henry VI after payment of a huge ransom collected in England and his French possessions (1194). He returned to England to put down efforts by his brother John to seize the throne. He died in battle at Chalus, Limousin in France (1199). He was hit in the neck by an arrow. It was removed but the wound got infeted. One source says the arrow was fired by a youth. Richard's death is referred to as 'the Lion (that) by the Ant was slain'. Richard on his death bed asked that the youth be spared. After Richard died, however, the youth suffered a horrifying death.
John was born at Beaumont Palace, Oxford (1167). His father was Henry II Curtmantle, King of England (1133- ), His mother was Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine (about 1122- ). Unlike his brother Richard, John was no great warrior and spent much of his life in England. He became King of Ireland (1177), Count of Mortain (1189), and Earl of Gloucester. Also unlike his brother, John was often a villian in Medieval legend. John acceded to the throne upon the death of his brother (1199). He married Isabella of Angoulême (1200). They had five children: Henry III, King of England, (1207- ), Richard of Cornwall, Earl of Cornwall (1209- ), Joan (1210- ), Isabella (Elizabeth), Empress of Germany (1214- ), and Eeanor (1215- ). He also had several illegitiamte children. Richard had been killed in battle in France defending his French possessions. John was less prone to risk his life in these bruttal battles. As a result he lost several possessions including Normandy to Phillip II Augustus of France (1205). John also faced domestic problems with the English nobility. The English barons forced him to concede the Magna Carta which John signed at Runnymede (1215). The Great Charter was a great concession on his part. It is generally seen as both the foundation of representative government in Britain and by assocuation the Dominions and the United States as well as the fondation of the principle that the king like his people were subject to law. John soon repudiated the charter, resulting in the First Barons War (1215) during which he died (1216). John's reputation was not at all aided by Shakespeare's play "King John".
Henry III is the first English king to be crowned as a minor and he became king in tumultous times. He was 9 years ols when he becane king. His reign began associated with his father's rebellion. King John. London and much of the southeast were held by the French Dauphin Louis. Northern England regions were under the control of rebellious barons. Only the midlands and southwest were loyal to the Hnry.
The barons, however, rallied tp Henry's regent, William the Marshall and drove the French out of England (1217). William the Marshall governed in the name of Henry until his death (1219). As Henry was still a boy, Hugh de Burgh became refent. Hugh proved to be the last of the justiciars to rule with the power of a king. He governed well past Henry's majority, until hernry was 25 years old. Henry is often seen as the first English national king. The Normans were French. The early Plantagents tended to shore more interest in Aquataine and their other French domains than England. Henry was different. England was his kingdom. He failed to regain the French lands. He is important in the development of English democracy as he was forced to call the first parliament. This was one of several factors hich combined during his reign which sparked the rise of English nationalism.
Edward was one of England's most important warrior kings. His imposing presence earned him the name "Longshabks". Edward was the son of Henry III and fought for his father in the Baron's War (1263-67) as was largely resposible for the triumph of the monarchy. Edward than proceeded to achieve English domination of all Britain. He conquered Wales which had resisted Norman rule. Long costly wars with Scotland followed in the north. Edward is the villan in 'Braveheart', the Holluwood blockbuster that many with no interest in history have sen. At first it looked like Edward's armies could easily dominate Scotland. The English domination of Scotland was brought into question by William Wallace's victory at Stirling Bridge. Edward was also notable for his efforts to regularize the legal system earning him the titled Edward the Lawgiver or the English Justinian. The Statutes of Westminister were a major step in the devlopment of English law. They restructed the operation of private abd church courts. It also required royal approval for land grants to the Church. It was Edward who expelled the Jews (1290). Edward's need for money was a major factor in his decesion to confiscate Jewish property and expel them. The costly wars in Scotland also played a role in the development of English democracy. Although Edward played a major role in the defeat of the barons militarily, the Model Parliament (1295) called to approve more taxes, resulted in the greater importance of the barons, merchants, and clergy who forced Edward to confirm earlier royal grants such as the Magna Carta. It was the first time the slogan, "No taxation without refresentation" was used in England.
King Edward II was born at Caernarvon Castle, Wales (1284). He was the son of King Edward I and Eleanor of Castile a rising Spanish kingdom. His father had him created the first Prince of Wales (1301). He ascended to the throne on the death of his father as a young man 23 years old (1307). He was crowned at Westminster Abbey (1308). He married Princess Isabella, Daughter of King Philip IV of France They had four children, two sons and two daughters. Some historians rank him as Englan's most incompetent monarch. He managed, however, to reign for 20 years. He was strongly influenced by his court favorite--Piers Gaveston. Over time, the barons became more discontented. They eventually attempted to limit his power through the Ordinances of 1311. Edward then invaded Scotland to maiuntain English control established by his fther. Surprisingly, the large English army was defeated at Bannockburn by Scotland's great hero--Robert Bruce (1314). After this Edward gradually developed a new court favorite--Hugh le Depenser. Edward is described by historiuans as not only incompetent, but friolus and vengeful. He was one of England'most unpopular monrchs. Finally the brons had had enough.
Queen Isabella helped depose him (1327). This was done with the approval of Parliament which accused him of being corrupt. Isabella was as disenchnted with Edward as the barons and had taken a lover--Roger de Mortimer. Edward was susequently murdered in Berkeley Castle in , Gloucestershire. The murderes are unknown, but were apparently acting under orders from the Queen and Mortimer. Edward was succeeded by his son, Edward III.
Edward III was one of Englan's most ling-reigning kings. His mother playerd a key role in deposing his father. She and her lover, Roger de Mortimer, at first controlled the government. He took power from his mother (1330). Through his mother, he claimed the French throne (1337). This was the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. He scorded many victories in France: Halidon Hill (1333), Sluys ((1340), Crécy (1346), and Calais (1346–47). It was Edward who created the Order of the Garter. He died and was was succeeded by his grandson Richard II (1377).
Richard II was born in 1367 at Bordeaux, Gascony, France. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales (1330- ). His mother was Plantagenet, Joan "The Fair Maid of Kent", Countess of Kent (1328- ). Richard became king at age 10 in 1377. As a young teenager he put down the Peasants Revolt generated by the the resistance of the yeoman class to give up the economic gains of the labor shortages created by the Plague. He married Anne of Bohemia (1382). He later married Isabella de France (1396- ). They had one child Richard Maudelyn. Struggles with the nobels in Parliamented resulted in Richards's murder in 1399, leading to the War of the Roses. He was deposed in 1399 and murdered in 1400 at Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire.
Richard III (1452–85) was King of England for 2 years (1483-85). He is surely the most reviled of all English kings, thanks to Shakespere and Tudor propaganda. He of course was the subject of the play Richard III by William Shakespeare.
His killing of the princes in the tower were his most heinous act. He was the last king of the House of York and according to some historians the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. This depends on just how one defines dynasty. The Plantagendnts are probanly best seen as ending with Richard II in 1399. Richard met his end on Bosworth Field. Despite his critics, there is no doubt that Richard fought bravely. He in fact is the last English king to die in battle. Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, andis often seen as the end of the Middle Ages in England.
Shakespere wrote about six of the Platagenet kings, including some of his best known plays. And despite the work of modern historuans, it is Shakespere's brilliant but not entirely accurate plays that have firmly established the dynasty in the national mythology.
Seward, Desmond. The Demon's Blood: The History f the Plantagenet Dynsty (2014), 368p.
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