Henry II and his wife reigned over a huge area of England and France, which stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees. Eleanor of Aquitaine Henry’s wife held a huge amount of land in Aquitaine, he inherited Anjou in France from his dad ‘Geoffrey the handsome’ and England from his mother. His wife was older than him and had been married to the King of France (Louis VII) but it seems after one meeting with the young Henry she divorced him and married Henry II. She was considered very ‘strong willed’ and a fashion icon of her time who also got strongly involved in politics and went along with her husband on his travels.

Henry II worked hard and travelled to make sure he built a strong empire. He strengthened the legal system and made sure the Barons were kept in line (sometimes by pulling down their castles!). He was doing a fantastic job as a King until he had a big row with Thomas Beckett over who was more important the King or the Church. In what could be a massive misinterpretation it is said Henry II shouted ‘Isn’t there anyone who’ll get rid of this wretched priest’ in a fit of anger. Unfortunately, being King, people do as they are told and four knights rushed to Canterbury Cathedral to do as they had been told. Beckett was brutally murdered IN the Cathedral and suddenly Henry II was not the gallant King everyone thought he was.