The Plantagenets

It was the dinasty of

kings which reigned in
England from 1154
The emblem of the
family was a broom.
The founder of this
dinasty used to put a
sprig of broom on his
Plantaginestra cap
 Norman Kings

William the Conqueror

William I Henry I Stephen

1154
The Plantagenets
 HENRY II
He became
king of England
in 1154
He also owned
several
territories in
France.
Henry II was able to reduce
the power of Barons.
He introduced the
COMMON LAW
He wanted to reduce the
power of the Church
What is the Common Law?

It is a system of law
based on custom,
comparisons,
previous cases and
previous decisions.
It established the
TRIAL BY JURY.
What did Henry do to reduce the
power of the Church?
Henry II had a
great friend called
THOMAS BECKET
Henry made
Becket Archbishop
of Canterbury.
He thought his
best friend would
help him control
the Church.
Thomas Becket
But when Thomas Becket became
Archbishop, he started to defend the
interests of the Church
Thomas Becket came into conflict
with the king.
On 29 December 1170 the king
ordered four knights to kill Thomas
Becket
Becket was murdered in Canterbury
Cathedral.
This murder shocked all Europe
Becket became a MARTYR and a few
years later he became SAINT
Pilgrims from all Europe visited his
SHRINE in Canterbury Cathedral
The Shrine of Becket in Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral
The Tomb of Henry II and his wife Eleanor
of Aquitaine in France