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Year 7 - History

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the end of Henry II's reign

England under Henry II: how successfully did Henry reassert royal authority?

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about England and the Angevin Empire under Henry II's rule. They then use their knowledge of Henry's rule to evaluate the degree to which he was a successful king.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe the later years of Henry II's reign and his handling of succession.

Key Notes

  • Henry announced how his empire would be divided upon his death in an attempt to secure peace and stability.
  • Henry's sons did not want to wait for future power; they wanted power now.
  • Henry's wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, conspired with their sons in revolt against Henry.
  • Henry's sons continued to rebel during the last years of his reign.
  • Henry's succession planning had been a disaster.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • succession: succession is the process in which someone automatically inherits a position or property after someone else
  • revolt: to revolt is to rebel or take violent action against a ruler
  • conspire: to conspire is to secretly plot or plan together
  • regent: a regent is a person who rules a country for a limited period, because the monarch is absent or too young, too ill
  • heir: an heir is a person who expects to inherit the property or position of another when that person dies

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Medieval queens had little influence.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

Henry announced how his empire would be divided upon his death in an attempt to secure peace and stability. Henry's sons did not want to wait for future power; they wanted power now.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'succession'

succession is the process in which someone automatically inherits a position or property after someone else.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Medieval queens had little influence. Correction: Eleanor was an intelligent and powerful queen, acted as regent, and was a key conspirator of the revolt.

More Lessons In This Unit

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