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Using the  relevant volume of ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS find,  read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