H3H03 MEDIEVAL ENGLAND 1066-1399 TUTORIAL TOPICS
02 HENRY II
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a) Who are the principal historians of the reign of Henry II ?
b) What are the main contemporary records for the reign of Henry II
? Evaluate the reliability of these sources.
c) What problems did the administration of the Angevin Empire raise
for Henry ? How did it affect his policies in England?
d) What problems did Henry inherit from his predecessor Stephen ?
How did he solve them ?
e) What importance should be attached to the development of the
principle of hereditary tenure during the reign of Henry II ? (cf
S.E. Thorne, Cambridge Law Journal 1959) .
f) Summarise the major legal reforms carried out by Henry. Why were
these changes necessary ? Pay special attention to the Possessory
Assizes and the Grand Assize. What were they, and what procedure
did they use ? What problems were raised by the Constitutions of
Clarendon ?
g) What changes did Henry make in the fiscal government of England ?
What were the principal sources of revenue available to the king
? What changes were made in the collection of taxes ? What is the
significance of the Saladin Tithe ? Why did Henry II rely so
heavily on mercenary soldiers and how did he pay for them?
h) What were the major offices in local government in the reign of
Henry II ? What kinds of people filled these offices and what
duties did Henry expect of them ?
i) How was local government organised in relation to the officers
identified in question (h) ? What was the significance of (a) the
shire (b) the hundred (c) the vill ?
j) Why did Henry come into conflict with the Church ? What
principles were are stake in the controversy with Beckett ?
Using the relevant volume of ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS find, read
and annotate the following documents:
a) Glanville on methods of trial temp Henry II
b) The Dialogue of the Exchequer
c) The Assize of Clarendon 1166
d) The Assize of Arms 1181
e) The Saladin Tithe 1188