King Henry I Essay, Research Paper

The decease of King Henry I in 1135 put Henry II on the way to the throne of England. Henry II munificent young person kept him sheltered from society merely leting him to hold a couple friends. One of his life long friends shortly became a load because of differences in sentiments about faith. Henry & # 8217 ; s intelligence and doggedness from birth led him to be crowned King of England. The assignment of Thomas Becket to Archbishop by Henry II started the tendency of struggle between the two over the separation of church and province.

Henry II, the first of the Plantagents was the boy of Geoffrey Plantagent and Matilda, girl of Henry I. In 1152 Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the ex-wife of Louis VII of France. With this matrimony, Henry gained considerable sums of land in France. In 1153 Henry returned to England after his stay in France and forced Stephens to call him the inheritor of the throne. Henry instantly appointed his long-run friend Thomas Becket, English Chancellor, to be Archbishop of Canterbury.

Becket accepted the occupation of Archbishop in 1162 but he did it with some reluctance. Becket & # 8217 ; s unkind bosom shortly became a irritant in Henry & # 8217 ; s side. ( Hay 107 ) By 1163, Becket had already defied Henry in one of his determinations. He challenged his former friend in his vehement to level the ecclesiastical tribunals. Becket became an fervent guardian of the involvements of the church. Becket & # 8217 ; s hardheaded attitude towards supporting the Church of England showed merely how of import the church was to England. & # 8220 ; The personal businesss between Henry and Becket became a extremely colored by their personal relationships. & # 8221 ; ( & # 8221 ; Henry II & # 8221 ; ) Their life long friendly relationship was the lone thing that kept the two on the same side.

Another strong dissension came between the two on the position of & # 8220 ; criminous clerics. & # 8221 ; These were members of the clergy who had committed civil offenses. The offenses ranged from larceny to assault and even slaying. This became a entire embarrassment to the church. Henry sought to hold the members tried in the royal tribunal, as would others who committed such offenses. Becket insisted that they merely be tried in the clerical tribunals. The dissension became a het conflict between the two. Becket stood house on his belief that the affair should non be brought to a higher tribunal. The state of affairs would merely convey even more embarrassment to the Church of England if the members were crucified in the public tribunals. ( Bowden 78 ) The state of affairs became such a het conflict between the two that in 1164 Becket sought safety in France.

During Becket & # 8217 ; s exile, Henry began to unbend up the state and unbend up the tribunals system. Henry besides marched in and conquered Brittany without much resistance. During this clip great reforms were made to the English jurisprudence system. Henry used his intellig

ence and energy to do permanent alterations in England. Several of import legal reforms were made to the English Common Law. Henry continued to freely alter and command the church without any resistance.

Through the protections of Pope Cutittus III, King and Archbishop were reconciled in 1170 and Becket was allowed to return to England. No Oklahoman than he returned the two found themselves quibbling over their different thoughts. Neither of the two would give their principals to each other. While Henry was off in Normandy word of Becket & # 8217 ; s actions were relayed to Henry. This outraged Henry that Becket could take advantage of him non being in the state. While on a walk with his baronial knights Henry allegedly said, & # 8220 ; will no one free me of this turbulent priest? & # 8221 ; ( Henry II ) Becket, once more proved to be a load to Henry.

In response to Henry & # 8217 ; s comments about Becket, four knights sought to happen Becket back in Canterbury. The knights had taken Henry & # 8217 ; s words literally and traveled to Canterbury with the purposes of killing Becket, making Henry a favour. Becket was openly slain by the four knights when he was kneeling at an eventide supplication. Everyone & # 8217 ; s attending focused on Henry who was criticized for the slaying. Henry was saddened and mourned when he learned of Becket & # 8217 ; s decease. Henry claimed to be heartbroken and felt he needed forgiveness. ( England during campaigns )

The knights pointed the ordination of the violent death towards Henry as they tried to deviate the attending. Henry & # 8217 ; s words were taken literally by the knights and they acted upon their ain opinion. Although grounds besides pointed towards Henry, he was absolved of the offense by Pope Alexander III in 1172. Not long after Henry took a pilgrim’s journey to the grave of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. He did this to demo his forgiveness to everyone and to unclutter his ain inner struggles.

After Henry & # 8217 ; s battles to unclutter his guilt over Becket & # 8217 ; s decease he began to fall apart. Henry & # 8217 ; s boies began to contend over who would be heir to the throne. Henry favored John to heir the throne although John and Richard both rebelled to derive the regard they felt they deserved. In the ulterior old ages, it proved to be Phillip II of France who proved to be the cute opposition. Henry & # 8217 ; s last old ages were spent seeking to keep on to what he had proudly built up. At Henrys decease he was forced to call Richard the inheritor to the throne, and Richard was likely the least liked boy. ( Hay 175 )

The struggle over the separation of Church and State between Henry and Becket kept Henry & # 8217 ; s power over England in balance. Henry & # 8217 ; s ability to cover with the state of affairs showed his intelligence and power. At Becket & # 8217 ; s decease over the separation of Church and State proved that the sovereign was the ultimate swayer over the land. King Henry II was burdened to his decease over a guilt goaded scruples.