👑 King Henry II (1154–1189) - The First Plantagenet King of England

Discover the extraordinary life and legacy of King Henry II (1133–1189), the first monarch of the House of Plantagenet and one of the most powerful and influential rulers of medieval England.

Son of Empress Matilda and Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Henry inherited the formidable determination of his mother and became king in 1154, bringing an end to the devastating civil war known as The Anarchy.

Brilliant, restless and notoriously volatile, Henry was a ruler of extraordinary energy. Through inheritance and his marriage to the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, he controlled a vast collection of territories stretching from the Scottish borders to the Pyrenees, often referred to today as the Angevin Empire.

This richly illustrated, museum-style historical print celebrates the founder of England's Plantagenet royal dynasty. Inspired by the companion artwork of his mother, Empress Matilda, the design features rich crimson, gold and deep blue-purple tones, surrounded by delicate golden stars and the yellow flowers of the broom plant – Planta Genista – traditionally associated with the Plantagenet name.

Poster Features

• King Henry II of England

• Reigned 1154–1189

• The first Plantagenet King of England

• Son of Empress Matilda and Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou

• His marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine

• The creation of the vast Angevin Empire

• His revolutionary reforms to English royal justice

• The foundations of English Common Law

• His turbulent conflict with Thomas Becket

• His extraordinary but deeply troubled royal family

• Rich crimson, gold and blue-purple colour palette

• Golden stars and symbolic Planta Genista broom flowers

• Museum-style historical artwork for lovers of Plantagenet and medieval history

  
  

Historical Significance

Henry II ascended the English throne in 1154, becoming the first Plantagenet monarch and beginning a dynasty that would rule England in various branches for more than three centuries.

Through his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, combined with his own inherited territories, Henry controlled an enormous collection of lands across England and France. His vast dominions made him one of the most powerful rulers in 12th-century Europe.

Yet Henry's greatest legacy may lie not in the size of his empire, but in his transformation of English government and justice.

His legal reforms strengthened the authority of royal courts, expanded the use of travelling justices and juries, and helped establish principles that would contribute to the development of English Common Law.

Henry's determination to extend royal authority also brought him into bitter conflict with his former friend, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Their struggle over the rights of the Crown and Church culminated in Becket's shocking murder inside Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, creating an international scandal and leaving a permanent mark upon Henry's reputation.

His later reign became dominated by conflict within his own remarkable family. Henry and Eleanor's sons included Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart, Geoffrey of Brittany and the future King John. Eleanor and several of their sons eventually rebelled against Henry, beginning years of bitter dynastic struggles over inheritance, territory and power.

Henry II died in 1189, leaving his throne to Richard the Lionheart and a dynasty that would produce some of the most famous — and infamous — monarchs in English history.

Brilliant, relentless and deeply complex, Henry II was a king who built an empire, strengthened the Crown and transformed English law.

Dieu et mon droit

God and my right