Rei da Inglaterra Henry IIBirth Chart

Henry II Plantagenet was King of England from 1154 to 1189 and a central figure in the formation of the so‑called Angevin Empire: as Count of Anjou and Maine, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and lord of the western half of what was then the Kingdom of France and of Ireland, he ruled vast European territories. Married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, he expanded his territorial power and established a more cohesive royal administration, with public records and a system of justice that standardized procedures and introduced trial by jury. His policy of strengthening the Crown included fiscal reforms and an attempt to subject clerics to the civil courts when they committed ordinary crimes, a measure that provoked the famous conflict with Thomas Becket and culminated in the archbishop’s murder in 1170 — an episode that marked his reign. Militarily, Henry suppressed internal rebellions, consolidated control over Wales and extended his influence in Brittany and Aquitaine, but frequent succession disputes among his sons and rivalry with King Philip II of France weakened the cohesion of his empire. Henry II’s legacy includes lasting contributions to English common law and medieval government organization; however, his dynastic policies and family conflicts helped precipitate the fragmentation of the Angevin domains after his death.