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Henry II's Goals and Strategies for Ruling England
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Henry II's Goals and Strategies for Ruling England
Introduction
King Henry II remains one of the most prominent figures in the history of England. The
king's name is synonymous with the formulation of the common law concept in the backdrop of
legal transformation that increased citizens' loyalty towards him. His undertakings on the throne
also highlight the controversies surrounding Thomas Becket, the archbishop. Henry's leadership
style further contrasts King John's experiences, whose leadership set the stage for the
composition of the Magna Charta.
King Henrys Legal Strategies
Some of the most significant accomplishments of Henry II's reign in England were
establishing royal justice and creating what would become recognized as Common Law. Henry
found England in disarray at the start of his reign, with royal authority shattered by civil war and
feudal business people's violence. The laws and penalties differed from region to region and
from ruler to ruler. When there was a conflict between the populace and their local lord, it was
uncommon for the lord to be tried since he effectively owned the local court. Using the
governance organizations with which the Anglo-Norman kingdom was well-equipped, his first
mission was to subdue the turbulent forces and reestablish stable government. Justice and the law
in England Henry found a means to bind the lesser nobles and the commoner directly to the
throne through his reform efforts, bypassing the local lords in matters of local law and justice. It
was in Henry's best interest for the peasants not to be subjugated by the barons (Hollister, Stacey
& Stacey, 2001). If the lords were diminished and the people were trained to turn to the throne
for justice and defense, even to a small degree, Henry's influence would increase.
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Thomas Becket Controversies
In the 12th century, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is arguably most known
for his disagreements and notorious conflicts with King Henry II of England. The irreparable
conflict between Church and State began. Becket refused to comply with Henry's edict that
clerks would be tried in lay tribunals rather than in ecclesiastical courts. Henry II viewed this as
treason. Becket also attempted to leave the kingdom without the king's consent and refused to
appear in court when summoned. When the archbishop remained recalcitrant, he met a terrible
end, severing the top of his head and dying at the altar. However, the murder of Becket in the
cathedral reverberated with the ancient concept of martyrdom (Hollister et al., 2001). Eventually,
Becket's cult appealed to numerous members of society, who hailed him as the most revered and
well-known saint in England throughout the late Middle Ages. On the other hand, Henry
emerged as egocentric, deficient in knowledge, calmness, and understanding of his people. In the
end, he was viewed as an affable and loyal friend and master, yet sometimes capable of
unjustifiable inhumanity. Regardless, he ranks highly in terms of significance and prominence
among English monarchs.
King John and the Magna Carta
Unlike King Henry, King John ruled based on the principle of "power and will," making
administrative and often arbitrary judgments frequently defended because a king was superior to
the law. The combination of rising taxes, disastrous wars, and confrontation with the pope
contributed to his unpopularity among his nobles. In 1215, several of the most influential barons
rebelled against their monarch. King John gathered with the barons' chiefs and their French and
Scottish allies to sign the Magna Carta, or Great Charter, which limited the king's personal
authority. The Magna Carta stipulated that safeguarding church privileges, protection for barons
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against illegal detention, access to swift justice, and constraints on feudal obligations to the
Crown would be carried out by a committee of twenty-five barons (Hollister et al., 2001).
The history of leadership in England exemplifies the monarchy's role in governance, as
seen in King Henry's II endeavors. These endeavors reveal, among other things, the linkages of
the king to the controversies around Becket, and the contrasting leadership styles of King John,
leading to Magna Charta's formulation. The king's goals and strategy are significant in
elucidating the place and influence of different leadership entities and approaches in the land
while appreciating the rich history of England.
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Reference
Hollister C. W. Stacey R. C. & Stacey R. C. (2001). The Making of England to 1399 (8th ed.).
Houghton Mifflin.